The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-03
WH|TEWASHEOBYMERR|T7
Secretary Alger Has Found a
New Defender.
IN A FLOOD OF FLATTERY
The Best Secretary of War the World
Has Ever Ssen-Said After the
Wine-Alger Jokes About
His Rotten Beef.

Detroit, Mich, May 1.-The Michigan
society of the Sons of the Revolution
entertained the visiting delegates of the
order and distinguished guests tonight
by dinner unequaled hitherto in Mich
| iga by any similar event in respect to
the elaborateness of menu and decora-
tions or the distinguished character of
the guests of honor of the evening. The
occasion was made enjoyable by the
presence of Secretary Alger, Senator
Chauncey M. Depew, Major General Jo-
seph Wheeler, Major General Wesley r.
Merritt, Major General Horatio c. King,
Inspector General ]. c. Breckenridge
and many others who rendered distin-
guished services in the Spanish and
civil wars.
A feature which was of peculiar in
terest was a speech of General Wesley
Merritt, warmly defending Secretary
Alger. He declared Alger the best sec
rotary of war the world has ever seen.
Fully 400 members of the order sat at
| the II long tables, running crosswse
| of the main dining room of the Russell
house. The speakers table was on
| richly decorated balcony fronted NV a
| white oo,,oa ,
"'''e oo'ioi'a'e anu coVeieu w caii-
opy draped IN the pun, White ana blue
| of the order. The coats of-arms of the
10 original states were displayed in the
rear of the speakers and a portrait OF
| Washington graced the center. The
| floral decorations of the tables followed
+ho oo,or, 80 49,,
80. .'''i . VI 'i'e VI
After two hours discussion of the
| menu, ex-senator Thomas W. Palmer,
| president OF the Michigan society, as
| postmaster, began the speechmaking
| with a witty introduction. When he
mentioned the name of Secretary Alger,
| the banqueters rose and cheered.
The speakers chose their own subjects,
there being no set responses to set top
| les. Secretary Alger began his speech
with a reference to the struggles of
the Pilgrim forefathers to secure equal
| rights and religious freedom to ALL"
and alluded to the nervy deeds of the
patriots, ancestors of the men of the
society, which furnished to-night's en-
| tertainment, but he soon turned the at
tention of his audience to the more re-
cent war with Spain. The secretary
spoke at some length of the trials of
his department in euuippine the great
| army so hurriedly and expressed his
| eratifica ton that ultimately "battles
| were fought and victories won without
the loss of gun or a color" Continu-
| ing he said.
| "S,,nnosinp tbav bad , ,i++1a hao@
snoiled what of it, IF thev had no
beef at all thew would have had move
| thon conara1 Toa Nbaalar ava b,d
~ tha othar u.r anu ''<'0
"The neonle Of the 1rnited STATES are
an unseIfsb nnnnin Tho, baWa 1ae,ar
sa,,alt tnnri+ n;oh a.sis ha 49,. w ~ :
tba hanetit Of tha neor1a that y. ~, w.; ~
II The tiag of tbis natinn is hot ed
nva, cube porto Pic ana To Oh
mines in lands wbose nennlsa bava fpr
ranturas haar onnressed h,, sno,ish
misr,,la Whaterar e1se MAJ, ba ra
can he assured that II has hezn raised
IN portn Pic ava tbare IT. viii rer,,ni,,
Ono nf tbesa i s We hoId ~ j., tr,'st
H. othars - -, r,,,rs, 'iON 40 - "
'' ..,rha s,srifa 49, ,ro,u,+ ,,,o .,,s
oo,,r4, tt,a -" ,n ,.;tt ~ Si up",. .ii.s 30
our own sael.in. Tho Fo..., of a .,or 1 9
and tho crv of down-tro5aan h,ma,,itI,
called for our aid Ma hmman mind
could stor - II ,,,as ~ 10
"There is not q heart In the breast IF
anv true man tonight whose nulsations
do not ouicken with nride over tho
achievements of orr army and navy
The volunteers and the regulars in tbe
| Philippines have won for rthemsrives,
the nations crown: thew are heritage
of our people. All honor to fhnrn and T
hone and trust that coneressionsl ar
ton shall give such recognition of their
services as shall show to them and ia
the world our apnreciatson of thair
valor, The nation mourns for the IA MI
lies who will never again hear the foot
falls across the threshold Of those rhev
loved: but that is the sacrifice thew Of
fered the sacrifice they have mada.
we are to-day, we hope. nearing ;,,e
end of the conflict and nearing rlc
dawn of peace in the Philippines, and
upon every lip is daily, yes, hourly, px-
pressed: What of the future?' God in
His infinite wisdom can only answer
that question and He has guided us
thus far and as His hand has been &C
plainly seen in the history of the past
u months, we can feel assured that as
He rules the future will be-
Major General Merritt was the next