The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-23
COLONEL SANGER'S DENIAL
Surprise Over His Contradiction OF
Plat and Depew.
The Assistant Secretary of War Be
iIcycd to Have Been Forced TO the
Step by Newspaper Commemorative
New York Senator'S Side of the Case

Great interest has been aroused in
Washington over the statement of ASS
tant Secretary Sanger, published yester-
day morning. that he made no pledge TO
the New York Senators regarding his fu-
ture political or official actions. Some
surprise has been expressed that Colonel
Sanger should have thought il necessary
to take such an unusual course of setting
himself right with the public and curiozi-
" has led n Republican Administration
official from New York State to find the
reason for Colonel Sanger's action. He
attributes it generally to the newspaper
accounts of the circumstances which
brought about his appointment. and in
particular to the statement contained in
a Washington despatch to the New
York Tribune" published Friday. March
Is the day after Colonel Sanger's ap-
pointment as Assistant Secretary Of War.
The following is a verbatim quotation
from that despatch:
Mr.. Plat was seen at the Arlington
Hotel soon after the formalities of the
Sanger appointment had been completed.
The Senator was hurrying his prepare
tions to depart on early train for New
York. Yes he said, L have given my
consent to the appointment OF Colonel
Sanger, and I am entirely satisfied with
the outcome of this matter My col
league, Senator Depew, and ] had very
satisfactory talks this afternoon with both
Secretary Root and the President. They
presented convincing reasons for the ap-
pointment of Colonel Sanger, and we
concluded that we would not oppose their
wishes.
- confess that the opposition ! have
hitherto expressed to Colonel Sanger was
based upon misapprehension of the
facts all around and Of the man Colonel
Sanger called upon me in my office in
New York last Tuesday and explained
uway all the mistakes and misinfoTma-
lion under which l had been placed con-
cerning him. He convinced me that he
was not as l had thought, an anti-organi-
zation man. On the contrary, l received
from him satisfactory assurances not on
ly that ne is now an organization man,
but that also he intends in the future to
work in perfect harmony and accord with
The State organization. Depew and !
talked this case over with the President
yesterday morning and there is now no
misunderstanding on that score
The Tribune despatch then proceeds
TO quote the Junior Senator from New
York, Mr.. Depew. as follows: 1t is
true that Plat and / have withdrawn
The opposition to the Sanger appointment
Gnd that the appointment has been made
We found no difficulty in the way Of our
yielding soon had discussed the
Case freely with the Secretary of War
and the President. Personally, I have
never had any objections to Sanger and
when ] learned that he was not an anti
organization man and, furthermore. that
the President well as the Secretary
Of War wanted hiIn, and also that my
colleague no longer objected TO him, then
/ could not see why 1 should stand out
against him.
Colonel Sanger has now put his state
ment against that of the New York Sena-
tors and the controversy is probably end
ed, at least so far as he is concerned.