The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-16
TOM PLATTs RISE TO POWER.
Some Points About the Republican
Boss of New YORK.

New YORK, Jan. ia medium-sized
man, who looked like a Methodist deacon,
passed rapidly through the corridor of the
Fifth Avenue Hotel at 5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. He was slight of build, weak
looking about the knees, and his arms hung
loose jointed from his shoulders. A frock
coat was buttoned up close to the neck. A
soft hat rested comfortably on his head
His hair was a trihe long, and his brown
thin beard long, straggly, aud here and there
gray in patches The clerk bowed to him
pleasantly. The men on the settees nudged
each other and said, there he is" The
boy at the elevator bowed obsequiously.
1t was Tom Platt, the boss of the Repub-
lican party in New York State.
A few years ago he resigned from his
place in the United States Senate, and a
loud guffaw at his silly action swept like a
cyclone from one end of the country to the
other. Everybody laughed at "Me Too"
and everybody thought that he would soon
be swallowed up in the great maelstrOm of
human life in the busy city. But he wasn't
When he found that the political leaders in
tended to push him aside he made his plans
to checkmate them. He gathered together
force of loyal young men in all parts of
the State and began his work. In every
Assembly anu CSHhlOTdlttl ulSUllCb Wiltlb ITO
saw that the Republican party was weak he
induced some young and rising fellow to
stand for an election. He was an expert
organizer II he had been schooled with
that master of wire pulling, Samuel j. Til
den, he could not have shown more tact and
ability. He went down into Wall street and
raised barrel of money for campaign ex
penses. He spent it freely, and went deep
into his own pocket for what was lacking
10 al nd hnrao nd
soon had small army of Spartans at his
back When the Legislature met in Albany
and noses were counted it was found by the
political leaders that the man whom they
had Sneered at was boss. They couldn't do
anything without him. He was invited to
name his terms. He did so. 1t was com
plete surrender. The leaders rebelle1.
Platt insisted. They laughed again. Then
he went to work and proved his claim to
the bossship for they couldn't do anything
without him. The leaders surrendered.
Platt was boss. He sharpsned his knife for
| revenge, and one by one the old leaders
were forced aside. Platt became autocratic.
The handwriting on the wall was plain.
New recruits fiocked to his standard, and as
the months doubled INTO years. Platt be-
came more powerful, until to-day he is the
| boss of the strongest political machine ever
organized in this State He is as absolute
mics, and on his belt bangles their scalp. 1t
was Platt who made Hiscock Senator and
Cole Speaker of the Assembly. 1t is Platt
who is worrying Gov. Hill more than any
| body else. He is an expert in political jug
| glery He is as sharp as as a ferret. as
quick as flash and as daring as Napoleon.
He never sleeps He works night and day
He is in politics because he loves power
He is wealthy, and could afford to take
things comfortably if he would, but no day
laborer works harder. He knows every
move that his opponents make The Re
publicans never act without consulting him,
or rather they do not act until he orders
| them to. He is the engineer of the Repub-
| lican train, conductor, brakeman and bag
gage master, and if he doesn't name the
candidate of the Republican party for Presi-
dent next summer it will be because New
York State is left out of considerations
proceeding, by the way, that is not likely
| to happen Nobody knows whom he favors.
| Everybody wants TO know, and there is one
man who would sleep better if he was GER
tain that Platt was for him. His name is
James Gillespie Blaine. The little thin fell
| low who looks like deacon will not make
! his plans known before next JUICE. 1t is
dollars to pennies that his choice is not
Blaine. FOSTER COATES.