The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-11-23

/ was closed.
and here is another story show
ing his wisdom, sympathy and in
finite tact.
AT the close of the Spanish war,
you will remember there was much
criticism, most of it unjust of the
war department. Mr. Alger was sec
retary of war. The criticism grew
so strong at last the president wisely
| appointed a commission to investl-
gate and report Just before Thanks
giving of that year, the governors
of the different states, as well as the
president of the United States, is
sued Thanks sgiying proclamations.
! The governor of one of the territories
appointed by Mckinley, in his proc
| lamation, announced that one of the
main reasons for Thanksgiving that
year was that the president had at
last been forced by public opinion
to appoint commission to investi-
gate the war department, that its in
competence would at last be shown
up, and that the rascals would be
exposed and punished. This re-
markably unwise and rambunctious
proclamation was published in the
Washington papers on the cabinet
day preceding Thanksgiving. The
,,,a a,,,h hnrc Of tho nracitnpt'G nahinat
who had read the papers before go
ing to the cabinet meeting, We're
very much disturbed. They knew
that the secretary of war, chatting
as he was under the very unjust
criticism of his faithful and earnest
administration of the war department
would probably insist on one of two
things: Either that this governor
should be summarily removed, or
that his resignation as secretary of
war should be Immediately accepted. |
In the one case they feared that
by such removal the people might /
think the president was intending |
to suppress or cover up the investi- |
cation; in the other case, that the
people would get the notion that the
secretary, fearing the outcome, had
left his post under fire, and in either
case the result would be unfortunate
for the president and the administra-
ton. So they attended the cabinet
meeting that day with feelings of
foreboding.
After the regular business of the
cabinet had been transacted, the |
secretary of war, with a voice trem-
bling with anger and emotion, said:
"Mr. President, one of two things
must happen, sir. Either an ap-
pointee of yours must Immediately
have his official head taken off at
the shoulders, or my resignation as
your secretary of war must be ac-
cepted'
why, Mr.. Secretary said the
President, what is the occasion of
this unusual demand-
"The Secretary took paper out
of his pocket and handed to the
president for perusal, this unfortun-
ate proclamation. Mckinley read it,
and then, in that marvelously sympa-
thetic voice of his, said:
This is too bad. How could the
governor be so unjust and thought
less. But, Mr.. Secretary, on reading
over this proclamation | find he
does not mention your name. Per
haps he does not mean you. Per
haps he means me. | am the COM
mander-in-chief of the army of the
United States. If there has been
incompetence in the management of
the war department, or any dishon-
esty, am responsible to the
people of the United States for
it. Perhaps the governor does not
mean you, Mr.. Secretary, but means
me-
"'All the more reason, then re-
piled Mr.. Alger, why his official
head should come OFF,
"'Well.' said Mckinley, Mr.. Sec
retary, you may leave this paper with
me, and / will carefully examine
this proclamation, and if, after read
ing it, l reach the conclusion that
he means you. will promptly remove
him.
Thank you, Mr.. President said
the secretary. That is all could
ask
but would you not like to know