The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-25
Alper Sustained,


Alger. He has been very seriously mis-
represented He is good business
man, and he has worked hard and ably
in his position and he is not deserving
of the severe criticisms which have been
passed upon him.
when Gen Alger took charge Of
the War Department he found himself
hedged in with many difficulties over
which he had no control at all. and
| which was an outgrowth Of the Ameri-
can system. Gen. Alger has no respon-
sibilities at all for some OF the policies
or acts for which he is criticised, and
doubt if any other man in his position
could have done differently.
WHAT FORAKER SAYS.
Senator Foraker, Of Ohio, speaking of
Ayers resignation. says
II think. under the circumstances. il
was wise step for Gen. Alger to take.
While think he has no doubt made
some mistakes, yet l know his inten
tions have been all the while good, and
that he has been in the main very un-
Justly criticised | happen to know, as
all others do who have been much about
Washington, that most OF the impor-
tant matters on account of which Gen
Alger has been attacked have been mat
ters in which he acted with the APP
proyal and by the direction of the Pres
ident Throughout the war, and sub
sequently, he was almost constantly In
conference with the President, submit
ting to him all important matters and,
of course, being governed by the Presi-
dent in regard to them.
THE attacks upon Gen. Alger have
been really intended for the President
and ! do not believe that Gen. Alger s
resignation will stop them No matter
who succeeds him. there will be mis-
takes in the future, as there have been
in the past, and there will be attacks
and criticisms and complaints. but AL
ger will be out and free from future as.
saults, and very much doubt if here
after they will be confined to his sue
cessor. Emboldened by the success in
driving Alger out OF the cabinet, the
enemies Of the administration will
probably hereafter strike higher and
aim directly at the President himself "
What do you think Of the war cor
respondents round robinY"
Il have no doubt of the truth of all
the correspondents say in their round
robin, and, cOnceding the truth Of their
statements, think it was all right for
| them to let us know the real facts as TO
what has been transporting in the Phil
ippines. 1t Is idle TO say such a com.
munication will be ignored 1t has not
been ignored and will not be. On the
contrary, the administration has al
ready corrected the abuses Of which the
correspondents complain
HAwLEY ON ALGER.
L. S. Senator Hawley, of Connect
cut, chairman of the Senate Committee
or Military Affairs, says:
IL know very little about Secretary
Ayers resignation, only what l read
in New York paper. The man has
| been terribly harassed and antagonized
by the yellow journals. and miracles
have been expected of him. He was
asked to equip Is, coo soldiers from the
covering Of their heads to the shoes on
their feet, and in such an incredibly
short time that nothing short of Divine
Providence could have accomplished it.
The attacks on Gen. Alger have
been wholly without cause, for the man
has done as we'll as any human being
could do. Fault has been found with
this detail and that detail whole trains
of cars were wanted at moments no.
tice some wholesale house failed to
furnish what was desired, and so 1t
went. One complaint followed an
other, and the yellow journals picked
up the cry and sold papers. The news
papers are looking for something to get
up and tear their shirts about.
The war we have just passed through
has been a wonderful one. We have
whipped a nation and demolished two
fleets, and ali that with the loss Of but
one man on the water. Why, when l
was in the army, we lost more men in
q little battle down in Florida, that
probably very few people have ever
heard about, than we're lost by the
American forces during the whole Span
ish- American war. The entire cam
paign was admirably handled.
Where and when has an army been
gotten together and equipped so expe-
ditiously as ours was? Secretary Alger
is conscientious worker and the Pres
ident would never accept his resigna-
ton if so much rank criticism had not
been made.
WARM WELCOME FOR ALGER.
Detroit, Mich, July 22.-Secretary |
Alger will be welcomed by his fellow
citizens on his return home from Wash
ington in a manner calculated to cause |
him to forget for the time being at
least any unpleasant features incidental
to his administration Of the War De-
partment
A large gathering of prominent De-
troiters met this afternoon, and regard
less of political or others affiliations,
expressed indignation at the manner in
which the General was forced out of |
the cabinet
Among the speakers were Gov Pin
gree, Mayor Maybury and Don NJ. Dick
inson. The Mayor appointed prelimin-
airy committees, and the gathering adj