The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-07-01
Alger as the People $ Champion.

Prom the Philadelphia Ledger Rep.
Appropriately with the advent Of what
has been called the silly Season comes
the announcement that Secretary Alcer Is
a candidate for United States Senator from
Michigan. and viii make his campaign on
a platform which opposes trusts and fayors
election pt uited States Senators by the
direct vote oG the people 1t may be said
Ia passing that If Senators were elected
directly by the people today. Secretary
Al.cr would no, dare to 20 as 4 candidate
for ans elective Office before any fairly de
cent and honest community ou his record,
nor would h. iusalt the intelligence Of the
Michigan people by offering himself a. an
auti-trust leader and soliciting then suffer
age In the prescut instance, Secretary
Alger has joined forces with Governor
llaIen ; pingrec, and poses a. the freud
Of the masses He says
Il do not believe in the concentration Of
wealth Moaopoly forces the middlemau out
81 commercial existence and the result Is dis
astFoas to the masses VI the people Cover
uor PjnEree stated uly position correctly when
BE- said tha, ! am also opposed Co the selection
Of Eaiied States Senators by Legislative vote.
Their election By direct vote viii do away
vith much political intriguing and Is bound 10
come although i may take years 20 accom-
piish t..
That interesting and energetic Socialist
Governor Pingree. whose yagaues ooutri-
butte to the .ayc,y Of nations, promises his
support TO Algcr He has talked with the
Secretary be saws, on the subject Of trusts,
and prouomces HIM entirely sound on that
and other questions. The erratie Piagres
yuuches for Alger, but who viii vouch for
pingree,
The soundness Of Secretary \ Alger pro
fessions a. a foe to trusts, the congruity Of
his candidacy ON such a platform and the
character Of the man viii be passed on by
the State Legislature, which will doubt
les, receive informing light before the
election from the people of Michigan la
the meantime the world cannot but wonder
at the eiTrontery OF Alger standing ON an
anti trus, platform John Sherman, the
author Of the Sherman Antitrust act. has
denounced Al.er as a member Of q trust,
his wealth was acquired by him a. prop
Of the Lumber Trust; his selection as Sec
retary Of War Is ineSplieable except on the
ground As has often been charged, that he
was the head Of political trust which con
trolled Southern negro delegates TO the
National Convention, and his retention as
head Of the War Department can only be
explained by his connection with the most
pernicious political combination this country
has ever seen, Hanna. Alger, Corbin X
Go, Alger appointment as Secretary OF
War Is not intelligible on any other hypoth-
esis. He did not yet the post for his
merits a. u statesman, since a more IN
dubitable petty politician has rarely been
put in a position 10 work 80 much disaster
and woe He was not chosen on his war
record. for that alone should have made
his appointment impossible unless 1t was
intended to put an atfront upon the coun-
try He did not earn right to hold the
place by his capacity, for Algerism sent
soldiers to typhoid camps, fed them on
rotten beef TO the profit Of the Beef Trust,
gave the country bad name at home and
abroad by impugning the business integrity
of commercial interests. and hurried many
brave men to premature graves.
The extent Of the evil which has been
done to this country by Alserism and the
political trust of which he is prominent
member is difficult to over estimate. The
injury consists not alone in money and life,
but in lowering Of the political and moral
tone of the nation, which is incalculable,
and if Alger' candidacy for Senator on an
anti trust platform shall not become ridicu-
lous we greatly underestimate the intelli-
gence, the sense of decency and the sense
of humor of the Michigan people. Still,
as he is Il man of millions, and Legislators
have sometimes itching palms, it would be
unsafe to predict that he may not become
a United States Senator.