Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) As though his announcement of his determination to remain in the Cabinet until after the first of next January were not humiliating enough for Mr. McKinfey, Secretary Alger has actually had the gall to demand of Mr. McKinley, that he make public a statement denying that he would like Alger’s resignation. This is what the boys call “rubbing it in” on Mr. McKinley, but those who think that Mr. McKinley should have fired Alger when the scandals of the war with Spain first became public, instead of assisting in having him whitewashed, are not inclined to sympathize with his embarrassment at the demand. And, there are quite a number who are glad the demand has been made. Mr. McKinley has, through close personal friends, allowed the public to suppose that he was anxiousto have Alger resign, but wished( him to do so voluntarily. Now, it is up to him, to say once for all, whether he wishes Alger to remain in his Cabinet, • * • The law very plainly says that in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of War, the General commanding the army shall be Acting Secretary of War. Alger and his assistant have both been away since Friday, and the result was the absolute suspension of all public business requiring the signature or action of the Secretary of War, although Gen. Miles was in his office in the State, War and Navy Department building, each day, prepared to perform the duties of Secretary of War. Adjutant Gen. Corbin said that Gen. Miles was acting Secretary of war, but as a matter of fact, from Friday until Monday, Gen. Miles did not sign a single paper, as Acting Secretary, although there must have been hundreds relating to routine matters, requiring the Secretary’s signature. It was another added to the many unnecessary slights put upon Gen. Miles by Secretary Alger and the willing tools with which he has surrounded himself in the War Department. Although the law says that Gen. Miles should have been Acting Secretary of War, during those three days, Alger, assuming himself greater than the law, said that there should be no Secretary of War, during that period, and his word was obeyed, regardless of cost or inconvenii ence, and all business held up to ! await his return.

* * ♦ So many more or less prominent republicans have come to Washington of late with substantially the same story about Col. Bryan’s loss of popularity in the ..West, that it is practically certain that these men are working in concert, trying to prevent Col. Bryan being renominated for President, by the democrats. Whether they are doing this under instructions from the republican leaders, who are known to fear Col. Bryan’s candidacy, or in the t interests of the handfull of Eastern democrats, who, although they cannot pledge a Single electoral vote, are also trying to prevent Col. Bryan’s nomination, is not entirely clear, but that they are spreading the story with a purpose is as clear as anything can be—as clear as falsity of the story, for instance. • *< Representative Lents, of Ohio, is in Washington upon legal business, He no longer regards himself as a candidate for the democratic gubernatorial nomination, but frankly says he would like to have the second place on the Bryan ticket, and adds that he has received encouragement enough to cause him to believe that he may receive the nomination for VicePresident

♦ * * Ex-Senator Dubois says that if the republican platform comes out squarely for the- single gold standard, as now seems likely, it will elect Bryan by republican votes; that he knows of thousands who voted the republican ticket in ’96, solely because of the promise to bring about a wider use for silver, who will under no circumstances vote a gold standard ticket. Mr. Dubois says he regards it as certain that the republican platform will contain as strong an anti-trust plank as the democratic platform, but thinks the individual voter should have no doubt as to which party will combat the trusts. Mr. Dubois also says that he is certain the tickets will be headed next year, by Bryan and McKinley, as in *96. •* ♦ . Got. Roosevelt was reminded by turning down of several men whom he had recommended personally, to Mr. McKinley for appointment to be officers in the volunteers, that there are other politicians in New York, who have a pull with the administration. Not only were

some of Roosevelt’s men turned down, but they were New Yorkers appointed whose names were not even referred to him, by Mr. McKinley. The authority for this statement is an official of the War Department, who knows the endorsements on the papers of every man who was appointed. Perhaps Roosevelt would have had better luck if he had withheld his declaration in favor of Mr. McKinley’s renomination a little longer. Publicly committing himself probably weakened his pull. -