Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-04
is ALGER TO GO?
Before the Whitewash Board of fra
grant memory, Alger, under oath, tes-
tilted as follows:

DeIOTe the WHlIeWdSn BOARD OF ira
grant memory, Alger, under oath, tes-
tilted as follows:
General Beaver-Did you have any Of
fetal complaints of any kind from anv
officers or others at the camps or in Porto
Rico as to the fresh beef or the canned
roast teef?
Secretary Alger-No sir.
General Beaver-D.d you ever have any
special complaint as to the food furnished
the army from the army itself?
Secretary Alger-No, sir.
And all the while Alger had in his
possession the following reports from
Col. Roosevelt:
July 4, 1s9s-We had nothing to eat ex-
cept what was captured from the Span
iards.
July 20, 1S9S-Until the 18th VIC had 10
proper supply of food, and utterly made
quate medical facilities; the men suffered
a good deal.
September 10, 1S9S-The canned roast
beef was worse than failure as part of
the rations, for in effect, it went to re-
ducing the rations by just so much as the
great majority of the men found it I'M
eatable.
These reports from Col. Roosevelt,
Alger simply deliberately suppressed,
testifying under oath to falsehood
before the Whitewash Board.
This is a grave accusation, but moth
ing else can be made of it.
The testimony brought out before
the latest court of inquiry places Alger
in the worst possible light and the
President is said to be alarmed as to
the effect on his second term aspira-
tons of retaining Alger longer in his
cabinet in the face of the proof posi-
tive of his utter unfitness.
Alger will be kicked out-so it is
said, unofficially. That is, according to
a dispatch to an eastern paper, Ayers
large business interests" are to be al
lowed to require his attention to
such an extent that he cannot possibly
remain in the cabinet--much to his
own and the Presidents regret, OF
COURSE!
Thus-is is said-Alger will be let
down and out as easily and gracefully
as possible.
But what of the Presidents solemn
assertion made but the other day and
quoted throughout the country by the
official organs Of the administration
to the effect that it was the Presidents
gracious conclusion that all this criti-
cism of Alger was unjust to that gen.
tleman insofar as the President was
equally to blame with Alger for every
thing that occurred in the War De-
partment, their responsibility being
equal and the same. What of that de-
liberate taking up of the Algerian bur-
contemplated kicking Alger out-for
that is the only way Alger will ever
go?
Can the President after accepting the
Algerian respOnsibility-wh really,
as he admits, is as much his as Alger's
turn around and punish Alger as be-
ing solely responsible?
The President has made some mighty
bad miStakes-his administration has
been one long series of mistakes, in
fact-and especially has he made some
disgraceful appointments that have
created protests throughout the coun-
try, but never has he turned an unfit
man down in the face of public clamor,
no matter how fragrant the case, or
rotten the subject, as for instance, in
the case of the negro dive-keeper and
black-leg, Demas, whom he appointed
Collector of the port of New Orleans
the most important federal Office in
that State-in the face of the protests
even of the best element in his own
party. Demas had thrown Louisiana
delegates to Mckinley in the conven-
ton that nominated him, according to
deal with Mark Hanna and that set
tied it, Mr.. Mckinley was bound to
pay that political debt; so Demas, ne
gro dive-keeper and blackleg though
he was, was given his office.
Alger, also, is a political creditor of
the Pesident, for he contributed lavish
ly to the slush-fund that elected Mr.
Mckinley. Hence, it is difficult to be-