Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-03
.PINGREE'S LETTER
1t Drags Into the Question Matter
Not at Issue.
PROPRIETY OF ALGER'S RETIREMENT
Attempt to Divert Attention is
Alleged.
ATTACKS ON SENATOR'S

Pingree's letter to Gen. Algcr published
| this morning in response to criticisms OF
| Gen. Alger and himself has not i'm any way
| relieved the embarrassment OF The stua-
| tion. On the contrary Mr. Pineroe has
dragged into the question matter which was
| not at issue at this time with relation to
the prcpriety Of Gen. Ayers retiring from
| the cabinet. The state ment by Mr.. Pincree
that the criticisms of the management Of
the War Department has always seemed TO
him TO amount to the condemnation Of the
President and the entire cabinet. and that
lit is Well known that no important step
is taken without the concurrence or at
! least the advice. of the President and cab
| iIet' is looked upon as an uncallcl-for re-
vival of the discussion as to Gen. Ayers
| efficiency, which is not the question at
issue at this time.
Propriety of AIScr's Retirement
The propriety Of Gen. Ayers retiring
from the cabinet is being considered now
solely from the point of View of his cam
didacy for the Senate and his alliance with
elements hostile to the ;wo r,publiean SEN
ators from Michigan, both of whom are
supporters Of the admins; ration
The administration does not want to es-
pouse the cause Of anybody in such a CON
test and for a member of the Presidents
the seat of a republican senator is regard
ed as putting the administration in false
position. The propriety of General Ayers
retiring is suggested by this situation and
not by the criticism OF his management OF
the War Department during the war with
Spain.
Attempt to Divert Attention.
Pingree's reference to the management
of the War Department ana covert sugges-
tions that criticism of ii must fan on the
President as well General AIger is look
ed upon as an attempt to divert attention
from the main issue and to threaten the
administration with a disa greeable and an
noylng controversy, If it does not please
the President to retain General Alger in
the cabinet while he is an active candi-
date for the Senate against a senator who
is quite as friendly TO the administration
as is he This reference of Pingree is view
ed as quite IN accord with number of in
situations that have been thrown out that
the administration desires to make a scape-
goat of General Alger, and that he does
not intend TO submit to ii. AS a matter OF
TACT, the administration, 1t is said, does not
look upon the question of the manaeement
of the War Department during the war
with Spain as live issue.
Attack on Mcmillan and Burrows
In coming back to the real question, that
of Alger's candidacy for the Senate. Pin
gree further aggravates the situation by
an attack on Mcmillan and Burrows, re-
ferring to the latter as McMillan's me
too, senator" and saying that ii is not sur
prising that they should Join in a con-
tempuble scheme to discredit and defame
the War Department. As far IS is known
neither of these senators has shown any
hostility toward the administration in any
OF its branches. The suggestion implied
that the opposition to Alger is hostility to
the administration, would carry with it the
idea, it is suggested that Alger is the War
Department, and that, therefore when he
opposes the Michigan senators, IL places
the administration in opposition to them