Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-24
WHY He RESIGNED
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL TELLS
STORY OF CABINET INCIDENT.

MILWAUKEE, WIS, January 4.-The
Milwaukee Journal today prints a long in
terview with Gen. Russell A. Alger, which
was obtained in Detroit on March 4, 1900,
giv..lg inside facts regarding his resignation
from McKinley's cabinet and his election
later to a seat in the United States Senate.
Gen. Alger exacted a promise from the
Journal at the time the interview was given
that noting would be published with re-
gard to it until after his death.
Gen. Alger told the Journal that on ac-
count of the severe criticism against him
during the Spanish American war ne
three times offered to resign from the
cabinet. but that each time President Nc
Kinley would not listen to such plan,
and that the President said he would
quit the presidency first Gen. Alger said
that in spite of what Mckinley had SAID
the resignation was later accepted pc,
cause the President was embarrassed
and annoyed because of Algers alleged
alliance with Gov. Pingree in plan to
elect Alger to the United States Senate,
Mcmillan having promised to give way to
Gen. Alger after his MCMILLAN 81 term
was up. Gen. Alger said that Mckinney
lacked backbone.
Early in the spring of 1899. some time
after the final arrangement of terms of
peace had been made with Spain, l hap
pened to be in Detroit, and some influential
people of my home city came to me and
asked me to run for the United States Sen
ate. and l told them that l would do So"
said General Alger.
Meeting in Detroit.
Gen Alger told of meeting in Detroit in
June 1899. at which Gov. Pingree and
twenty or more state officials asked Alger
to run for the Senate. Gen. Alger promised
them that he would. The news of the meet
ing leaked out, and upon Gen. Ayers re-
turn to Washington he was informed by a
newspaper man that President Mckinley
was annoyed because he Gen Alger).
member of the Presidents official family,
had formed with man hostile to the Presi-
dent (meaning Gov. Pingree) an alliance
against firm supporter of the administra-
ton (Senator McMillan)
II asked the President il l had really
embarrassed him.
Yes he said, you have embarrassed
me and / am annoyed.
Il told him that l could readily relieve
his embarrassment by resigning from his
cabinet.
81 have not asked You to resign he
said. Il shall never ask you to resign.
Wrote Out Resignation.
But / wrote out my resignation and
sent it to the President. In the meantime
Mcmillan had announced his candidacy for
reelection to the Senate a most dishonor-
able thing to do, in view of his promise to
me and many others. Before 1 had re-
signed as Secretary of War-even before
had seen the President regarding Hobart S
message to mel had decided. in order to
prevent Il fight among the republicans of
Michigan "a fight / should have won, how
ever. to withdraw as d candidate for. the
Senate. But l did not tell the President
so.
The option he meant to give me, You see,
was to abandon the fight against Mcmillan
in order to save my place in the cal inet. l
resigned Secretary of War; and in
few days | received from the President his
written acceptance of my resignation Then
j went to the President and told him that
when / had accepted place in his cabinet
i had not surrendered my citizenship