The record-union., 1894-02-20
new YoPK BOSSES. +"
The Republican Machine Getting
the Lead.
Ex-senator Platt Still Likely to Re.
main the s'Boss'' in Metropolitan
Political Circles.

NEW 1ORk, feDs 1I.-1uo spun III
the Republican party'' of this State is by
far the most interesting and significant To-
cal development of the past week. Very
naturally it has stirred up both political
parties and, while the Democratic COM
ment is calculated to excite still more the
passion of the men concerned, that OF the
Republicans themselves is unconsciously
doing the same thing. The part taken in
bringing about the division by promi-
nent business men not always active in
politics. has elected the sympathies of
their friends so that non-partisans also are
intently watching the situation. Its
bearing on the next gubernatorial cam
paign is very plain, but it may affect
national politics too. 1t is the blacklist,
If not the only cloud, in the Republican
sky.
There is reason to believe, however,
that the darkest spot III the cloud IS not
where it seems to be. In the first place
the statement Of Thomas G. Platt, which
started the outcry about "split." is the
first step toward settlement OF the Stu
alton. The fact is there has been a split
ever since the November election. Then
it was that dissatisfied Republicans,
moved by precisely the same motives
and forces rs the Democratic NAL
contents, began to urge reorganization
of their party. This The oId leaders OPP
posed and lOr two reasons, big and little.
according to their callUer There were
these who maintained that the defeat Of
| the Democrats, with continued agitation
! for reform OF that machine, and with
| some iudiciOuS prOdding and practical
aid from the party in power, alone was
! sufficient to insure Republican success.
III T.NIr I hh
eminently practical Wow Mat now was
! the chance 10 make fresh deals with
| Tanlnany, so that though defeated next
! time part OF the spOllS would still be
! theirs.
Confusion reigned for a month, till the
| demand for reorganization OF some sort
was understood by ali the groups OF
politicians to be imperative. The men
who were for the present only, who advo-
| Gated making the deals, were siIenced.
| Thomas &. PIatU has made such deals be-
! fore, is thoroughly dIstrusted by the bet
! ter elements of MS party, and 1t was
supposed he stood behind the traders.
! lie got control of the convention early IN
! the tail; he had much to do with the man
agement of the campaign, and, after a
| brief. sharp fight, ne appeared as the con-
! trolling influence IN the Legislature.
There was some bad work there and some
good, and both We're directed by the eX-
! United States Senator, who sat IN his
! office in lower Broadway.
1t is seldom that an able politician mis-
| takes what are known as popular de-
mands. Platt is an able politician, and,
! though he may have listened TO or even
sounded Tammany IN the beginning OF
| his reign, he soon took the broader and
more popular course. He sent an able
committee to this city to investigate the
! police, after having refused to do so. In
| speaking of the proposed investigation to
! me, he sneered and showed plainly his
! opposition. So there Is no doubt that his
| later decision was the result of further
consideration and deeper study OF the
! situation.
| Meanwhile Cornelius n. Bliss, Joseph
II. Choate, Elihu II. Root, and twenty
seven others OF the most prominent men
! in the Republican party in this city, had
! organized a committee of thirty and very
! soon they published a plan OF party re-
! organization. This scheme made radical
| changes and was declared to be impracti-
cable. 1t did away with leadership.
| That was the fundamental principle for
| for which the thirty were cOntendlng.
! Thev despise the "DoSs'' in the abstract
as they do Platt and Croker in the con-
crete. They personify leadership with
| unloVely personalities, and, OF course,
! denounce the institution. The only I'M
portant details OF their plan were the
omission of district organizations, for
| which the election districts "a sub-divis-
| ion) organization was to be substituted,
! and the estimated cost Of annual manage
ment. Both these items were severely
| criticised.
Democratic politicians of experience
and tried Judgment have told me pri-
vately that the Bliss committee erred in
all three particulars. In the matter OF
| n n
to find fault with the purposes of the re-
formers. But the Republican leaders
under the old regime were loud in their
prOtestations, and even the worst Of them
were probably sincere. Anyway another
| plan was brought into the field and the
| split was widespread.
| John q. Milholland is the man who
put out the second plan, and the way he
went about getting it accepted is an evil
dence of the political skill OF the author.
| He got men to sign it. He pledged $4,000
1 Republicans in a short while, worked
with the politicians and turned up with
| the great body OF the party behind him.
| He tried to have the Committee of Thirty
support his scheme, then he tried to make
a compromise with them. All their effort
at union failed finally ut the dinner given
| the representatives OF the several factions
! by WhitelaW Reid at his house. I'm
| daunted by these incidents, he called a
meeting in the Cooper Union Hall last
Friday night, and. strange to say, he was
able truthtully to say in his speech that
he and those there were the anti machine
Republicans. This Is both the most seri-
Gus and most amusing feature of the situ-
| alton; serious in it's probable conse-
quences, amusing in the characteristic
mode OF its bringing about.
w hen the Bliss committee refused to
compromise they started out to get a
lacking for their plan. Now, men who
are not accustomed 20 the details of party
management seldom know when to
touch the crowds. They must deal with
| individuals, and usually they select
prominent individuals. The thirty went
to we'll known partisans, and soon had a
short list Of the Old district leaders, from
under whom Milholland had taken the
voters, or the bulk of them. 1t was
a chance for the old discredited leaders,
whose past work has been the cause of all
the discomfort. But it Identifies the Bliss
committee with these men and appar-
entity with the machine. Really, however,
the Old machine is useless, wrecked, and
the committee is morally in an inconsist-
ent position, with only the old brass
finishings OF the old apparatus.
Thomas c.. Plat waited in silencejfor
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