New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-12
SOUTHERN TIER POLITICS.
TACTICS OF THE MACHINE TO DOWN
FASSETT."

~Hr STRATEGY OF THE cHEMUNo LEADER HOW
EVER. SEEMS PROOF AGAINST. THE wILEs
OF MR.. p1Arr-rHE SENATORIAL con-
TEST HELD IN ABEyANCE.
rrpow , srArr CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Elrnira, Aug 1l-Chemung County has Tor
many years played a pa;t in State ana iocal po'i-
tics strikingly at variance with Its relative rank
ana ,nnortance In the Southern Tier. Inferior In
ronu,at,on to many of its neighbors. and FAR more
contracted In territory and material resources IL
has nevertheless achieved and maintained po-
utIcsI ascendancy stu unchallenged by any OF JUS
,orgor and more naturally favored associates.
sine 1888 In the last four canvasses for the Gov
ernorxhip IT has three times furnished the Demo
cratic nominee and once the Republican; WINE III
1882 also II was represented on one OF the s'a'e
tickets by the successful candidate Tor Lieuteh-
ant-Goyernor Within the same PERIOD IL mas
contributed to the legislative branch OF the o'ate
covernment a president pro tempore ana ma
tority leader in the Senate ana speaker anu
minority leader in the Assembly.
rbA only Democratic county in the whole South
r,.r nc retention in the faith has been the
cherished aim OF one party. and It's capture anu
conversion the fixed ambition OF the otner Inc
struggle for possession has been fought VII" d"
,r,ens,,v OF passion and heat OF partisanehlp
unique in the milder politics OF TINS other"ise
overwhelmingly Republican region EAraor''-
nary political activity has naturally oeNe'opeu
unusual political talent; and Few OF the st'a'e-
gems of practical politics and partisan waria'e
ore unknown or untried in the arena so ions ooi-
tested by Hill and Fassett, the FLOODS anu Tue
Arnotts Unfortunately In this eager s'russic
for supremacy local political practices nave a'so
heen unpleasantly sharpened; though now 'na''"'
10 the permanent withdrawal OF the master 90.
ruptionist TO Albany. political lie IN C"e""e 10
hog,nnine tardily to shake off a reputation Tor
yenality more persistent and shameless 'han nap
,ostened itself in recent times on any other New
York county.
7, was 70 be expected that the skilled and self
~.Iant leadership developed by this acute and
constant local activity would readily extend us
,,.,o If influence and assume ascendancy IN
the Senate and Congress groupings OF which
r,hen,ung has made a part For decade or
mora Republican as we'll as Democratic pohcy III
,be.< larger areas has been invariably directed
nv the managers in Chemung, while the Hon
share ~ both Senate and Congress nominations
b,s likewise fallen to candidates whom they Sc
Iected or preferred. In arranging the boundaries
Of the Senate and Congress districts Chemung
interests. too. have always been sympatheucaNy
considered Thus under the Democratic gerry
mander of 1892, Chemung. Steuben' schuyler "iu
Seneca were thrown together IN JONI oeh"'e
and Congress constituency-the only one III west
ern or Central New-York. outside OF the city OF
Buffalo. which fails to show an excess OF popuia-
ton over the legal ratio Of from 10000 10 4oooV.
CuEAf,,NGs ADVANTAGES INCREASED.
Under the constitutional apportionment OF 1894
Chemung has retained and even increased ner
farmer politioal advantages. The new Xlth Sen
ate District in which this county Is associated
with Schuyler and Tompkins. is the smallest IN
all the Southern Tier, and one OF the smallest LOT
that matter. in the State the Cayuga-Seneca ana
Otsego- Herkimer districts alone outlying IL IN
scsnt,ness of population. The total population
Of the new district is only 9s,000-against lzo'ooo
IN the Broome-Tioga and $4,000 In the Chautau-
oua-Cattarausus distrcts-and Of the $4,000 Che
munr has as co., to 81. 900 in Tompkins and l',Ooo
IN Schuyler. Thus though Itself Democratic
county, Chemung. by virtue OF Its greater popu-
lation and greater Republican vote-o'44o for MT.
Morton last fall, against 4,652 In IompAihs anu
. ss1 IN schuyler-has been made the controlling
factor politically in the new grouping, ana as such
Is perhaps properly entitled to ask the first turn
at representation In the reorganized Senate Such
q claim OF priority, II urged. would be greatly
county gracefully yielded the Senate nomination
IN the old XXVIIth District to Schuyler. and
again last fall chcerfully acquiesced In the re-
nomination In this Congress district Of Repre-
sentative Giet, Of Steuhen. But so completely
has public attention been occupied for the last
six weeks with far more immediate and vital
question Of local policy. that the Senatorial can
vass has been absolutely lost sight OF; nor is 1t
probable that any serious interest will be shown
In the Senate contest until the more absorbing
issue of local party control now warmly dis
puted between the friends OF ex-senator }. Sloat
Fassett and mongrel opposition organized by
the Platt State machine. is settled definitely by
the vote Of the County Convention, which is to
meet on September IA at Households
For many years Mr.. Fassett has been the rec
ognzed Republican leader in this county. serving
the party here with yea. and distinction In the
State Senate, being once made candidate for
Governor and holding Offices of dignity and influ-
ence both on the State and the National Republi-
can committees Under his leadership this coun-
ty has twice been carried by Republican candi-
dates in Presidential elections. and the average
Democratic majority in other years has been re-
duced. in spite Of adverse circumstances. from
we'll over 1000 to barely 500 or TOO Last fall. al
though Mr. Hill was himself candidate for the
Governorship his customary plurality of 1900 or
1900 was cut to $50, while the Republican nominee
for Assemblyman Colonel Archie T. Baxter. was
beaten by only 1913 votes.
Mr.. FASsETT AND THE MACHINE.
Mr.. Fassett saw fit. however In common with
thousands Of other Republicans, to protest last
winter against the betrayal Of reform sentiment
and reform legislation at Albany by the Plat
machine. and his denunciation of Mr.. Patts
snti-Republican methods and policy has ever
since been courageously open and unrestrained.
In The Elmra Advertiser" the abest and most
representative Republican newspaper in the
Southern Tier, Mr.. Fassett has found most eff
fective ally and Mr.. Platts influence in these
southern counties has undeniably suffered under