Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-12
QUESTIONS FOR PLATT
Was the New York City Elections Thrown"
by Him?
The Straight Tip in Advance Seems
to Indicate That He il Not Dis
pleased at the Result.

Was the election in New York city
thrown Did Mr. Platt really desire to
carry the town? Would success there have
added anything to his program? Was any
thing to be made by letting Tammany win
small victory?
There are no specific charges offered, but
there is some very interesting and persua-
sive gossip current.
The Straight Tip.
The first thing noted is the straight tip
that went out that Tammany would win.
This found its way into the machine circles
on both sides, and led to a sort of ma
chine prediction of what actually has since
occurred. Things Oh the surface were not
thought to support this prediction. The goo
COOS had been counted and found not to be
numerous, while it was known that the
disafecsion among the Germans on &C
count of the enforcement of the excise law
was by no means general. The committee
of fifty was organized and did some very
effective work. But still the politicians,
here and there, insisted that Tammany
would win. They had but one reply to
questions for particulars. You'll see," was
all they could be induced to say. These
men We're right. Tammany has won. And
there is opinion abroad that Mr.. Platt
is very glad OF it.
No Sympathy With Fusion.
1t is a matter of fact that Mr.. Plat had
no sympathy with the fusion movement.
He was not in position to fight it openly
or ne would have killed it at its inception.
He therefore came only to tolerate it. He
could rot have hoped to win with straight
republican city ticket; but his policy was
to put one up. He and his friends wer.
complaining that Mr.. Roosevelt had IN
necessarily complicated matters in town,
and that the thing at best was a gamble
tLn,, In
a..y event, it would be best to make no
alliance.
Play at Albany.
Now that Tammany has won, how will
Mir. Platt utilize the victory? The explana-
ion offered is that he intends to play i,
at Albany or the Legislature when that
body, in January, takes up the excise law
for amendment and improvement. Mr.
Platt is in favor of a very liberal excise
law. He is thought to be in very close
agreement with Richard Croker himself
or that subject. If he were empowered t.
draft a statute covering the case, New
York, ii is asserted would be granted what
IS known as ''wide-open Sunday The
legislature is not likely 10 so nearly so far
as that. but Mr. Plat is expected to urge
that liberality be shown in whatever is
DONE and to point to this result in the city
as evidence that the subject is Il delicate
one and must be deiica-ely handled. Tam
many, he will contend, won the day yes.
| tefday on the mere enforcement of an Oh.
| jectionab BILE law with Democrat. antece
dents, and will be certain to return to ful
power at the first opportunity if the re
publlcanS legislatc in way TO incur the
condemnation OF men of liberal ideas anC
tendenC les.
Belief That New York Was s'Thrown.'
| Herein lies the force of the belief in Ger
| tain quarters that the city election wa
| thrown" Mr.. Plat was AFRAID of the ef
| feet of a fusion winning there. 1t woui,
| make. he thought, the Saba tarians to,
| cocky. They would move at once on Al
| hany, bestege the legislature for the pas
| sage of an excise law of their own dra II
| ing, and point 10 their success at the poll
| as evidence of their right to be heard an,
obeyei The results of the election Woul,
| be urged as instruction 10 the lawmakers
| from which there could he no appeal. y
| matters now stand, Mr.. Plat can use tn
| results in town as a heck on the legisia
! tGrc. insisting that 1t viii be much wors
| next time if every step taken by thai bod.
| affecting the town IS not most CAREFUL.
| calculated
Small Gain to Tannany.
| Meanwhile. a matter of fact, Tam
many's winning. with without Mr.
| Platt's secret sympathy, is small in poin
| Of material gain. The offices secured are Q
| only miaor Importance.