New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-06
=. HHJT FOXY"

"WH4T FORi"
In its news columns Few DAYS "-o
snriehtly and always entertaining con''"'i -
"'rho New York Sun-whicl. o 'n' w. "
inst now having some fun WIN WI. '"o'
T. Plott. which, there Is reason 10 p'h.,V' wa
somewhat self-conscious person II "'"'-
scriousncss instead of satire-meh'lon'" NV VI
cumstancc that the Hon. Joseph II. Mani'! W
Maine chairman Of the Republican >"'''""'
E1ocutiyc Committee. and JOiin W. ""'''"''
tho new Republican Senator from '>'p'"'"''
worc among Mr.. Platts visitors HIST ''u"u"'
hoth having lust come from WashihS'o"' an"
II ronorts one of them as saying. cohc'rh'iS wv
local situation. that "Cornclus Bliss ana 'h'
.otbcr Republicans who are opposing il''' "''
"cxccllent gentlemen. But what the deVh are
..,bcv fighting Plat for: He docsn dement, ID!
80 cent as leader of the Republican par'! III
.Ncw-York State. This situation Is fuily uhd'r-
..stood i'm Washington. without ihquir'hS
which one of the two gentlemen made these Cd
seryatons. we desire 10 say hrs' 'nat 'here
seems to he a sort Of inconGruity between 'h'"'.
For the situation cannot be fully understood
in Washington if persons just arriving from
thcrc are under the necessity OF making III
ouiry. What the devil are they hghtlng fla''
for?" In order that they may more fully I'M
dors.ond thc situation In Washington and else
whore we will undertake To explain what the
excellent gentlemen referred to are hgh'lhg
Platt for
And as a preliminary we may as well po'h'
out what they are not fighting Platt FOR Inc!
are not fighting him simply because no Is c'''-
zen Of Tioga County interfering WIN ieglSia''"h
pertaining exclusively to the county OF Nc"
York All citizens Of the State have an Interest
In whatever relates TO municipal government III
This city, and have right 10 he h'arh 'h'I'oh'
Moreover he is 10 all intcnts and PURPOSES II
citizen Of New York. though maintaining Il resi-
dpnce elsewhere for purely poh'lcal purposes
II is not for that that the excellent gentlemen
are fighting him Nor Is ii because II" Is sup
post,I 10 have undue influence win Governor
Morton. II he has sufficient intellectual force
and strength of character Ia control me ''"N-
crnor. no is entitled 10 the advantage derived
from those qualities Nor is II alone because
no seems TO be so powerful with the Legislature
,ho, tho members Of both branches cvincc great
cr readiness 10 obey his Will than To listen To
tho cnunsels of eminent citizens " ability ana
integrity who have given their time ami tai
EMS to the consideration Of the problems ~
municipal reform II there Is >ubS"rvicn
LEGISLATURE AT Albany. Of his creation, he VIII
direct lis action. lamcntablc though the fact
may be. 1t Is not solely because he sets him
self up rs a Boss" after The people by over
whclming majorliics and in a manner uniniS
taxable have declared against The rule Of
Bosses" and the system Of "BosNiSm Nor
because when the Republican party obtains
hover he assumes control II the Offices and
distributes there among his personal follow
ing.
Those are som, of the things which con-
tribute 10 Mr. PEits unpopuariiy. and which.
we may say in passing. would make his nom
nation for any elective office In the State much
funncr than the candidacy Of George Francis
Train for President Of the United States. But
they are not sufficient To account for public
meetings such ~ tia, Of Monday night AT Cooper
Union To express the universal indignation nj
Mr. Platt's interference with legislation In be-
half Of municipal reform. nor 10 explain fully
what the excellent gentlemen are fighting Plat
for They are fighting him for ms hr.""''
I, i susceptible Of proof that through all the
years In which Mr. Pait has linp"u"n'N d
sumcd III. posi,ion Of leader and scliishly ab-
! sorbcd It's advantages he has been III su'h CON
slant and close communication with the leaders
/ OF the party 10 winch il' WIS
ostcnsibly opposed that trade and di'kcr WIN
them for Offices in which his adh'rents hold-
ing their places N Republicans USED them "ir
hIushinrlv in the interest Of their Iammany
patrons. have been inccssant. continuous II u
because he has prosiituted his self'consti'uted
leadership Of the Republican party to the bascst
uses Of their TamInany opponents: because he
has thereby made the Republican party OF ms
town n partner in the infamies OF laihmahy
misrule: because at this very moment he mas
his own creatures In responsible official positions
by grace Of the diScredcd Tammany gang. ana
Is engaged In desperate cndcavor 10 keep theth
there: because his name is synonyne Tor cor
rupt deals with the most di-repuiable gang OF
nolitical blackmacrs and bighwaymcn that ever
looted a treasury or plundcrcd town; because,
I'm short the Republican party cannot exist e4-
ccpt as the exponelt Of honest administration
and good government, To both OF when ne II
hostile by habit and training. by personal prcdi-
/ lcction natural tastes and long association. Ana
the excellent men are fighting Plat because they
want municipal government in this city I'M
der which life and property are reasonably safe;
because the Republican party as an organization
wants il. and must bring II about If II would
continue I'm favor with the people, and because
that marty cannot afford In such circumstances
tn carry Mr. Platt - leader and hardly as
a private in the ranks.
That Is what they are fighting Platt for.