Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-01
ESPECIAL rEIEesAM TO THE DrsPATcH.I

ESPECIAL TELEGBAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l
WA sHINGTON, January 31.-Thomas G.
Platt was one of the guests tonight at the
dinner served by Postmaster General Wana-
maker in honor of the President and nem-
bers of the Cabinet Mr.. Piatt had been
kept thoroughly posted during the day, as
to the status of the Worlds Fair bill at
Albany, and this evening consented TO make
a statement as to his connection with the
matter. Mr.. Plat said:
Recent complications at Albany seem to
demand that I make some statement of the
reasons which have actuated me in the
course L NAV have pursued with re ference
to the bill pending for the Worlds Fair.
The charge that have been the first TO
inject politics into this matter is untrue.
As member of the Committee on Legisla-
tion, did, up to certain time present no
objection or interference in the plans and
proceedings of that committee. The first
suggestion of a political character which
appeared, emanated from the Secretary of
the Committee on Legislation, Mr. Stokes,
vino, it is presumed, transmitted to various
people, including myself, a copy of the bill,
accompanied by the names of the commits
soners and assumed to classify them to
show their political affiliations.
SUSPICIOUS AROUSED.
This, of course. called the attention of
myself, as well as other Republicans, to the
question of the political character of the
commission, and it was discovered that,
whether Intentionally or not, the classifca-
tiOn made bv Mr.. Stokes was incorrect. 1t
was very natural, therefore, to assume that
there was some object in such deception. Sub
sequent events would seem to suhstantiate that
suspicion. Mr.. Stokes classification claims
that Of the 103 Commissioners 81 were Re-
pubIicans. Careful scrutiny discloses the
fact that there we're not over fl, and in
ciuded in the list of alleged Republicans
were several lifelong Democrats, and also
some former Republicans who had not voted
the Republican ticket in ten years or more,
and are well known as assistant Democrats,
who, on all national, as well as MANY local
issues can be always found voting with the
Democratic party.
''Can there be any doubt. if the commits
sion remained as originally constituted, that
when the time came for creating an Execu-
tive Committee and naming q Director Gen
eral, every man in that commission, of
course understanding the influence which
this great enterprise might exert upon the
Presidential canvass of 1S92-cap there be
any doubt that there would be combina-
ton of all the Democratic elements for the
purpose of giving the full benefit to the
Democratic party?
HIS PARTY THREATENED.
"If the commission remained as origin
ally constituted, in my opinion, as far as
the future of ghc Republican party for the
next national canvass is concerned in the
State, the Republicans might just as well
disband their organization.
The news of the action of the New York |
Assembly upon the Worlds Fair bill did |
not apparently disturb the members of the |
New York Congressional delegation, and
they seemed to show more interest in the
fight in the House than in the Worlds
Fair. 1t was evident that the news was not
altogether unexpected, and there was fear
that matters in the New York Legislature
might not progress satisfactorily. Senator
HIscock was in conference with Representa-
tive Belden, on the floor of the House, for
about ten minutes When he came out he |
said he had nothing to say.
Representative Cummings blamed ex-
Senator Platt for the setback given New |
York's aspirations. He said: ''If the bill |
is beaten it mas been done by the mach1na- |
tions of Tom Platt. He wanted Platt's |
Worlds Fair, but we wanted a New York !
Worlds Fair"
CONGRESSMEN RELIEVED.
Representative Stahlnecker said: 'sWen. |
1t relieves us poor Congressman. 1t is better |
that the bill should be beaten at ALBANY |
than at Washington"
Representative Belden was on the floor of |
the House, and would not come out while |
the excitement continued. and this was true /
of members generally.
Mr.. Flower, of New York, was hopeful |
that the bill would pass the State Lecisla- |
ture, and believed that the adjournment |
over till Monday would give time Tor |
compromise. He was not prepared to ad- |
nit that New York would be beaten in the |
race, even if the Legislature failed to pass |
the bill, and signifed his intention to make |
q vigorous fight on the floor of the House |
when the special committee presented its |
report.
OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE.
Representative Cannon, of Illinois, did |
not believe that the action or non-action OF /
the New York Legislature would affect the |
House in its treatment of the Worlds Fair |
bill. The members would not be Influenced |
by such considerations as those profered by
the New York people, but by a regard for |
the conscience OF a majority of the people
OF the country. Still, Mr.. Cannon was not
grieved to be informed of the proceedings at
Albany.
Mr.. Hit thought that the result of the de-
lay at Albany would be restricted in cor
responding delay on the part Of the special
House committee in reporting its bill to the
House. st. Louis, he said, never had anv
chance for the fair, and with Washington,
might be counted upon to aid New York in
a policy o. delay. He did not see how the
action of Albany Legislators would directly
help Chicago, unless the special House COM
mittee be made to report by the adoption in
the House of his resolution to that effect.
MORE OF AN oPTIMIsr.
Representative Lawler, of Chicago took
a more optimistic view. Said he: 81 said a
month ago it was Chicago or Washington.
and say so now more emphaticalIv." Mr..
Lawier was feeling particularly iubilant
from the reply he had just received rom
Speaker Myers, OF the Kentucky Legis-
lature, in answer to his request that the
Legislature be urged to express IT'S prefer
ence as to a site for the Worlds Fair. This
answer was dated to-day at Frankfort and
read: "Some point west of the Alleghenies
passed both houses"
All That New York Needs.
New York. January 3l-Ex-Mavor |