Evening journal., 1892-06-01
T.C.PLATT'S PLATFORM
He Tells Why He Opposes
President Harrison.
ANSWER ToTHE WORLD INTERVIEW

The Famous New York Ex-senator Says
That AIr. Harrison Claims Altogether
Too Much Glory and Has Weakened
Himself 10y Making So Many Enemies.
New YoRK, June 1.-Ex-senator Thomas
g. Platt, whose opposition TO President
Harrison's denomination is no secret, was
asked II he had read the interview in The
World on Friday, in which President Harri-
son was reported as saying that he did not
believe that individual dsappointnients,
would control the action Of the convention
at Minneapolis. .lt lsr t,U
'Yes,r Mr. Platt replied, 81 saw, the in
terview. The remark about individual dis
appointments indicates how thoroughly the
president misapprehends the nature OF the
opposition to his candidacy and also how
wise is the American system Of frequent
changes In the personis,i Of the government.
It is astonishing how easily man comes TO
look upon the Office he holds as his private
property. The president cannot understand
how a man can be a good citizen without Of
fering prayer night and day for the re-elec.
tion OF Benjamin Harrison.
NOt the Only Statesman.
''Now, am what your Mugwump friends
delight to stigmatize as a practical poll
tician.' look at things as he, really are
The president says in this World interview
that he has acted conscientously in the dis
charge Of his public duties am more than
willing to subscribe to really enthusiastic
praise Of his administration. II has GER
tainly done great things, but the president
should not assume that he is the only man
who, since 1889, has contributed to the Re
publican party's splendid achievements.
Blaine gave us the most attractive and
popular feature Of our policy magnif-
, cent scheme Of reciprocity, which has saved
10 the people $50, OOO, 600 Of taxtion here, and
TO their exports half as much more in the
foreign countries where they are sent. It
has extended our foreign trade not less than
$4,000, 900 and promises soon TO do vastly
more than that Now II j remember
! rightly, when Mr. Blaine sent 70 the presi-
dent his Pan-American report proposing
, reciprocity, Mr.. Harrison forwarded IL 10
: congress with something like q sneer He
: said in his message 10 congress-: II will
! certainly be time enough for us 20 consider
!, whether we must cheaper the cost Of pro-
. duction by cheapening labor in order in
! gain access 70 South American markets,
4 when we have fairly tried the effect Of es-
= tablisheda and reliable steam communication
I and Of convenient methods of money ex-
/ change Then he went on TO say that with
these advantages we could easily compete
II in South America anyhow.
J, Threw Cola water On Reciprocity.
is '.In other words, he threw cold water OF
d reciprocity. Later, when Mr.. Blaine's pub
lie letters demonstrated that the people
were with him and his great policy, whel
congress put il into law and Brazil gave Mr.
ID Blaine a treaty the president went a star
n ring through the south saying very mucl
IN about the glories of reciprocity and very III
d. tie about the statesman who contrived II
Of Reciprocity is the brightest jewel IN th
)n crown Of this administration, but who's
a jewel is itl This administration settled th
10 samoan difficulty with Germany. Tint wa
b. a particularly ugly and delicate affair Th
president should come in for his share Of th
credit, but it was not he who drew the in
structions under which our commissioner
v. acted and they certainly did the busines.
If 1t was victory for the Harrison admins
ht tration, but we must not wholly forge
n Blaine and Commissioners kasson, Phclp
W and Bates.
or 1.-THE Chilian affair was also a victory an
ed the president was highly conspicuous at TIA
n finish But even there he must divid
d. honors with his secretary of the navy VIII
10, built and armed cruisers between nightfa
and morning for two weeks before the Chi
ians We're down on their knees.
"rhis administration has yindicated th
cs honor Of the American hog. Now for III
nd first time in twenty years American mel
AZ, products are admitted into every Europea
n -. al. -.
'il products Of other lands, and in some ma
th kets on terms even more favorable.
as who vindicated the Hogs Honor7
Secretary Rusk has said that he is vel
much obliged 70 Mr. Blaine for the able a
sistance rendered to him in securing tho a
ION mission Of American meat products abroa
are This indicated that Rusk did the busines
ro- In recent speech the president himse
TN said that this result had been accomplishs
ten in such complacent terms as to make n
'll fear that Rusk had counted without
host. But whether it was done by Harriss
OF Rusk the country viii not forget tn
Blaine was in the state department, tn
mel Reid was at Paris, that Phelps was at BE-
ety lin and that their relation 70 the victo
sw- was not altogether mechanical.
'ne 1T might be said, perhaps, that the cred
ave Of the achievements wrought by Republic
statesmen belongs especially 20 the pre-
dent on the ground that he gave those gre
men to the party. But did hos Certain
vas it was not Harrison who made Blaine, n
'ral did he make Reed, Mckinley, Sherml
om Allison, Aldrich, Frye or Hale Perhaps
the did make Noble and Miller and shall q
oi object to his having all the credit whi
attaches 10 their illustrious careers.
the point wish to bring out is that ours
~, government of parties and not a govei
Vne ment Of men. The presidents error lies
zen assuming that he has done it all
Oue "He points TO the Mckinley bill, the G
'eu toms act, the shipping bill, the pension la
the navy construction laws, the army
form acts and all the wonderful legislati
which the Republican majority Of the Fiji
'ne first congress formulated and which Thon
1ate b. Reeds resolute will enabled them
rec enact and says, See what have doner
ners "The question which the Minneapolis G
vention must consider is the great quest
Of availability-which Of the excellent
publican leaders is the most likely 30
we're velop party strength and the least likely
8, OF cause party defections.