New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-01
MR. PLATT AND THE FAIR.
WHY HE USED HIS INFLUENCE TO HAVE
THE COMMISSION ENLARGED
ACTING IN THE INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYERS
AND CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FUND, THREAT
ENED BY TAMMANY sCHEME-NEW-
YORK REPUBLICAN CoNGREssMEN
AND THE SENATE BILL
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUsE.l
AND THE SENATE BILL


those. at least, who prefer that the Worlds Fair
IN 1892 should go TO Chicago or St Louis or
Washington-exists, in and out of Congress- re-
eardjnr the action of the New-York State Legis-
Iaturc on the so-caled 81 100000 bill. The
evening papers here for instance, announce the
action of the Assembly this afternoon in flaming
headlines "Gotham's Goose Cooked, The AS
sembly Kills the Conference Report and Senate
BILL and Others of the same purport All TINS
of course is intended to affect the views Of Con
rressmen on the subject. and TO make them be-
licve that the question in Albany has assumed
sucb phase as to render prompt action on the
bill impossible.
While few of the Western and Eastern friends
of New-York may temporarily he deceived by such
outcries it is more than certain that they Will
revise their Judgment when they hear tha' the
Republican members of the New-York delegation
in Congress support, practically with rnan-
nous voice. the bill as amended by the State Sen
ate. Such support was agreed upon formally to-
day by the Republican members of ehe New-Hork
delegation, the only opposition coming from
Messrs. Belden, Sherman and FLOOD. What
their motive was is not known, ana Is probably
little to the point The strong Endorsement OF
the bill as amended in the STATE Senate by the
rest OF the Republican Congressional dclet alton
from New-York is not only the resufr6tt tdl vdual
conviction as to the ncfarious schemes Matched
nv the benchmen of Tammany, but has underly
ing il 2 much more significant cause 1t is moth
ING more or less than the determination OF many
Republicans in Congress- representing constituent
cies in every part of the country not 70 hand
the management of the Worlds Fair to an unscru-
pulous organization which would use it, as Tam
many may he depended upon 10 use it, for parti-
.l,o ;1~ .l,.,.,
il incidentally.
So strongly has that determination been mani
tested here within the last twentyfour hours that
il may be said, without fear of contradictions that
the real danger to the success of New-York before
Congress does not lie in any delay which may be
occasioned by careful consideration Of the blll
in Albany but By the Vaccinations Of Tammany
to seize control of the management of the Fair
and its intent to run the same for its purposes
and in its own interest. dozen votes in the
United States Senate alone would be lost 10 New
York, and as many more, probably, in the House,
if the $40 1000, 900 bill should receive the sig
nature of Governor Hill in the shape IN which II
passed the Assembly.
Ex-senator Thomas c. Platt arrived here this
morning. In regard to this matter OF the Noilds
Fair he said this afternoon:
Recent complications at Albany seem 10 de-
mand that make some statement of the reasons
7lAioh havo aotuated an the ooaISe MAJ have
pursued with reference to the bill pending for the
Worlds Fair. The charge that l have been the
first to inject politics into this matter is untrue
AS member of the Committee on Legislation, l
did, up to a certain date present no objection, nor
did interfere in the plans and proceedings OF that
committee.
The first suggestion of political character
..f
the Committee on LEGISLATION, Mr.. Stokes. who,
it is presumed, transmitted TO various people
including myself, copy OF the bill, accompanied
by the name Of the Commissioners, and assumed
to classify them to show their political affiliations
This of course, called the attention Of myself as
well as other Republicans, 10 the question of the
political character of the Commission; and 1t
was discovered that whether Intentionally or
not. the classification made by Mr.. Stokes was
Incorrect 1t was very natural. therefore, 10
assume that there was some object In such de
ception. Subsequent events would seem to sub
stantate that suspicion. Nj Stokes claSsliica-
ton claims that, of the lo3 Commissioners, sixty
one were Republicans A careful scrutiny as
closed the fact that there were not over torty-one
and included 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, ana well
known as assistant Democrats, who, on all
national, as well as many local, issues, can DE
always found voting with the Democratic party.
A list Of names Of the men who were cr'cIscd
as not having been Republicans was never pun
lished by any authority OF mine. and men were
included in published lists whose names had never
been considered by me as belonging IN 'id'
category particularly the name OF Daniel /. Apple
While Mr.. Stokess analysis showed that there
were not large number OF lammahy DeLh9,IdO''
il did show that there majority OF Demo
Gratis and assistant Democrats who could be rrIcQ
upon at all times 10 carry out any schemes "Iicn
the Tammany Hall politicians Inl2hl lhau9uId'c,
on all questions in which the gencTaI interests ..
the Democratic party were involved. IL Is d iact
conceded by the Democrats themselves thaC Whd'
is known as the Mugwump element In mat Com-
mission holds the balance OF power. (oeS any
man Of sense and sagacity doubt where these men
would be found when II came 10 o question oi
perfecting the organization by when the lhpol-
tant work Of tie Commission VIII re carried OUT,
and through which this large amount 0l money
Is 10 be expended?
Unless my attention had been called TO the
compnstioo Of the Commission by the action Of
the secretary of the Committee Legislation,
who was selected for that place by Mayor "Idht'
] doubt whether any issue would ever nave Dcch
raised on this question. The claim made by
Mayor Grant that lie had no political designs or
purposes in the makeup Of his committee may pf
true. hut the men who were appointed, ana hcpcd
10 constitute IL, knew exactly what they were
doing This Commission possesses absolute pow
ers for the names that are included in the Albany
bill will also he inserted in the bill al Washing
ION so that this Commission viii have the entire
control Of the whole expenditure Of money ana
the practical workings of the whole business.
Can there he any doubt, if the Commission re-
NAMED as originally constituted, that, when the
time came for creating an Executive Committee
and naming DiTectOr-GcncEl, every man IN that
Commissioned course understanding the influence
v hicb this great enterprise might exert upon the
Presidential canvass Of l892-can there be any
doubt that there would be a combination Of all
the Democratic elements for the purpose oi CIV
ING the fun benefit 10 the Democratic party?
:" II Will be observed that the Albany bill
starts out by stating that this Commission i
Commission presented by the Mayor Of the city
of New York. Can any one doubt that the Mayor
who has presumed make, for the llTst
time in a quarter Of century, the Police
Ilnard DartiSan and who is SVSteUna rically turn