Topic 3
WHY ALGER ESCAPED CRITICISM

STUDENTS of Spanish War history may recall that however much Colonel Roosevelt may have criticized other War Department officials at that time, General Russell A.  Alger, then Secretary of War, was one of those who escaped.  There was a reason for this — the T.  R.  policy of a lifetime of sticking, wherever it was humanly possible, to a friend.

"Some persons may have wondered," he remarked one day, "why it was I never criticized General Alger.  The explanation is simple: whenever I found myself up against some foolish bureau chief whose love for red tape would block me in fitting out my regiment, I’d go to Alger and he’d give me what I wanted.  Thus, I wanted modern rifles using smokeless powder.  The then chief of ordnance advised that I take the old fashioned Springfield using black powder.  He said the smoke would hide us from the enemy.

" I could not convince him this was bad judgment, so I went to Alger.  He fixed us up immediately.  That is why you never heard of my saying anything against the old General.

"Anyway, others said quite enough."