Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-04

III one way or another fooled pretty
much everybody of Importance in his
party. He was at Minneapolis, endeav-
oring to accomplish certain thing, and
though his hand and his tongue have
lost none of their cunning he very soon
discovered that men were not influenced
by him as of yore. He could make little
or no progress, and in the end met fail
ure and defeat.
The lesson of this is that in politics
as in everything else honesty is the best
policy and will win most battles. The
man who starts out to win success by
fooling his friends will sooner or later
discover that he has no friends to fool.
During the Minneapolis convention |
was often impressed with the unique,
almost commanding position which Mr..
Clarkson appeared to have in the prac-
teal affairs of his party. No one in such
demand as he. 1t seemed as if every
man in Minneapolis was eager to get at
Clarkson, if only for two minutes. Men
of all factions and elements wanted his
advice or help. All appeared to have
confidence in him, and soon discovered
why. 1t is because he is frank, sim
cere man. He has keen analysis of
faces and motives, and is rarely i'm
posed upon: but for every honest in
quirer, whether of his way of thinking
| about men and issues or not, he had q
willing ear, quick brain, gentle, serv-
| iceable speech.
AS saw people fighting their way to
Clarkson's side / thought of him as a
sort of rock in the midst of whirlpool
to which every weary swimmer strug-
gled in hopes of finding rest and encour-
agement. This is a proud position for
any man to occupy in a great party, and
my hope is that Clarkson will get out of
politics before the game of greed, selfish
ness, treachery and revenge spoils or
ruins him. He is still strong, master
| full, sympathetic, manly, but surround
ed by many men and influences which
do not tend to keep him so.
After Clarkson think Tom Platt, of
New York, attracted most attention and
was most sought for. Plat and Clark
son are of different stamp. The famous
New Yorker is not much of talker,
/ and only those who know him well
would think of approaching him. He
is secretive, sly, shrewd and very indus
trious. For week at Minneapolis he
scarcely slept. To get at him it was
necessary to rap on the door a certain
number of times and give the counter
/ sign to the man ON guard. Mr.. Platt
had no time to waste with Tom, Dick
and Harry. Yet there was q sufficient
number of men whom Platt did want to
see to keep him busy from early fore
noon to daylight.
/ Platt could never be as popular as
Clarkson is, nor as popular as Depew.
He has not the winning way" But it
is a mistake to suppose that because he
devotes all his energies to politics, be-
cause he is in politics sly, selfish, grasp
( ing, Mr.. Platt is bad man. Platt is a
/ born politician. 1t is his only amuse-
ment. His friends tell me he has no
ambition for office for himself, though
there is no man in the country who
fights harder to get offices for others.
Mr.. Plat is rich enough to retire from
politics as well as from business. But
if he retires from either it will be the
latter.
The New York delegation was one Of
the most prominent and influential on
the ground. This was due in part to its
great numerical strength. but largely to
the fact that at its head stood the big
Four" of the Empire State-Platt, De-
pew, Hscock, Miller DR.. Depew was
the spokesman of the delegation, and he
was always surrounded by admirers,
When Mr.. Depew was not in his rooms
captivating all listeners with his silver
tongue he was at some dinner engaged
in the same delightful avocation. De
pew is one of the most remarkable mez
of the times, in that he thinks, write:
and talks equally well. Moreover, he il
as brilliant in conversation as in public
speech.
Warner Miller is AS reticent man rs