The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-25
rosrHuMous INTERVIEW.
General AIger Tells History of ResIg- | nation From Mckinley Cabinet.

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 POsTHUM0Us INTERVIEW.
 
 General AIGer Tells History of ResIg-
 nation From Mckinley Cabinet.
 Milwaukee, Wis, Jan. 24--The Mill waukee Journal today prints long in- terview with General Russell A. Alger which was obtained in Detroit on March 4 1900. giving inside facts re- garding his resignation from McKin- ley's cabinet, and his election later to a seat in the United States Senate. Gem eral Aiger exacted promise from The Journal at the time the interview was given. that nothing would be published with regard to it until after his death.
 General Alger told The Journal that on account of severe criticism against him during the Spanish American war. he three times offered to resign from the cabinet. but that each time Pres ident Mckinley would not listen to such a plan and that the President said he would quit the Presidency before he would allow Alger to leave the cab- met
 General Alger said that the sequel showed how much McKinley's words were worth in that later his resignation was accepted because the Presidency was "embarrassed" and "annoyed' be- cause of Aiger's alleged alliance with Governor Pingree in 6 plan to elect Alger to the United States Senate over McMillan. after the latter had promised to give way to General Aiger after his (McMillan's) term was up. General AL ger said that Mckinley lacked back bone.
 @Early in the spring of 1898. some time after the final arrangement of terms of peace had been made with Spain. I happened to be in Detroit and some influential people of my home city came to me and asked me to run for the United States Senate .and told them that would do so," said General Algef.
 "Six years before. I had been urged to be a candidate, but told James Mc- Milan. who at that time was seeking the position, that would not oppose him. added, however. that six years later. when his term was up. l would probably be a candidate for the place. McMiIIan immediately agreed that he would retire in my interest at the end of the term. Not only that. but while I was Secretary of War, he came to me repeatedly and told me the same thing. and he voluntarily made this promise fifty times or more to friends of mine at Washington"
 General Aiger told of q meeting in Detroit. in June 1899. at which Cover nor Pingree and twenty or twenty five other State officials asked him to run for the Senate. and he promised them he would. The news of the meeting leaked out. and on General Aigsr's re- turn to washington. he was informed by newspaper man that President Me- Kiniey was annoyed because he tGen- erai Alger.l a member of his official finally had formed an alliance with a man hostile to hirn--neaning Governor Pingree--agaius Ia firm supported of the adninistratioh--Sena McMtllan,
 General Aiger placed no credence in the report. Later. however, when in New York. he received a telegram from Vice President Hobart asking him to run down to his summer home at West End, Long Branch, where he was in- formed by MT. Hobart that the Presi- dent waa embarrassed because General Alger had formed an alliance with Pin- gree against so strong an administra- tion man as Senator McMiiian.
 Continuing. General Alger. said:
 Hobart and said little or nothing more about the matter. but when . re- turned to Washington I went tN the President and asked him why. inasmuch as had always dealt frankly and di- rectly with him, he had not spoken to me. instead of troubling poor Hobart about the matter, and I asked the President if I had really embarrassed him.
 " Yes he said. you have embarrasE- ed mo and I am annoyed
 q told him that could readily re- lIeve his embarrassment by resigninn from his cabinet.
 " T have not asked you to resign. he said I shall never ask you to re- sign.
 But wrote out my resignation and sent 1t to the President. In the mean time, McMillan had announced his can- didacy for reelection to the Senate. q most dishonorab thing to do, in view of his promise to me and many others Before l had resigned as Secretary of War, even before I had seen the Pres ident regarding Hobart's message to me, I decided. in order to prevent fight among the Republicans of Mich igan---a light I should have won how ever-to withdraw as candidate for the Senate.
 "Rut did not tell the President that had decided to quit the Senatorial contest. The option he meant to give me, you see, was to abandon the light against McMillan in order to save the place in the cabinet. I had already decided to quit the Senatorial contest. but without letting the President know of this determination. | simply resign ed at Secretary of War. few days after this, received from the President his written acceptance of my resigna- tfon. Then went to the President and told him that when I had accepted a place in his cabinet, I had not surrend- cred my citizenship
 General Alger said he told the Pres ident that McMlllan was strongly in favor of Reed for President when Me Ri11ey was seeking the nomination.