New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-28
PLATT'S UNDERHAND WORK.
STIRRING UP PARTY DISCORDS IN THE
xXvIITH DISTRICT.


VALUABLE To HIM.
TrRoM A srArF CORRESPONDENT THE TRrBuNEI
Amsterdam. July 27-The role played by Mr..
Platt in the contests within the party Tor NOM
nations in the new Senate districts seems to
vary with more or less ingenuity, according 10
the exigencies of each particular canvass. In
the Wayne-Ontario district. for example, where
one of his most 6iscredted personal agents Is
struggling to extort denomination from re-
luctant constituency, all the Establishments OF
Mr. Platt's peculiar diplomacy are beng exer'ed
10 allay the opposition naturally excited by so
obnoxious and offensive candidacy In Oheiua
County, where equally subserVieh, anu
scarcely more Objectionable lieutenant IS making
a losing fight for reelection. the sensitive virtue
of the marty boss" has been so chilled py the
unhappy candidates darkened prospects that
his appeals for aid have been almost prutaliy
ignored. and the support of the State and local
machine has been publicly diverted to more
reputable and promising rival.
In the Saratoga District. where. in spite or the
freest use Of canal and local patronage ano'her
of Mr. Platt's legislative henchmen has just met
a Waterloo at the hands of the Repuohcah
voters the ridiculous pretence is now being put
forward that Mr.. Patt mad himself no personal
interest in the outcome Of the contest raised by
Nj
Albany, and that as between the two rival aspir-
ants for the Senatorship. the party boss had
graciously promised to keep his hanis of''-in
the primary elections. Yet. In other c'stric's
where the records Of unworthy representatives
at the state capital do not and cannot enter
into the canvass and where Mr.. Platts hands
should properly be kept off," traces Of his rest
less Intervention are to be found in superabun-
dance To promote one particular candidacy, or
10 thwart another. purely private and per-
sonal grounds has been the esserce of Mr. Plat'
political policy and he is putting his liie-iohs
theories into practice as literally rs ever IN the
Senate contests Of this year
In districts like this one. the new NNNllth'
with no candidate in the field at the outset
openly representing the Piatt machine. 1t has
been the effort of Mr. Plat 10 stir up as many
local rivalries and discords as possible In order
finally in default of securing the nomination 1or
an outspoken supporter of his own to throw IL
TO the most neutral and pliabe OF the non-na-
chine aspirants. The result OF this burrowihg
policy has been to introduce an unexpected oe-
gree Of perplexity and confusion into the politics
of the XXVIIth Distri,,. and to convert what
promised to be simply friendly rivalry for the
nomination into more or less or an open anu
bitter fractional contest.
ties of Montgomery, Fulton and Hamilton and
Schoharie was erected from the surplusage OF
three former Senate districts dsmembered under
the constitutional reapportonment Of 1894 Scho-
harie long associated with its more easterly ana
eoutherly neighbors in the Hudson River group,
was detached from the old XV1lth District
which stretched rregulary southwark through
the counties of Greene, Ulster and Sulh'ah
Montgomery. IN the heart Of the Mohawk Naliey'
had been the connecting link in the o!d AAth
District between Herkimer on the west and Schen-
ectadv and Saratoga on the east and northeast
Fulton with Hamilton as tender. had FORMED
an outlying spur of the Did Adirondack Distric''
the XXIst which covered the whole northeast
ern angle of the State. Thrown together as total
strangers under the new adjustment Of bound
aries IL was only natural that the political rela-
tions Of the three counties should be at the be-
ginning Of the Senatorial canvass rather unde-
fined and chaotic. and that each separate unit
should come forward in the contest with can
didate of its own. Montgomery and Fulton
counties had both been represented in this wears
Assembly by Republicans, and each Assembly
man eagerly entered the race for the newly
created seat in :he higher branch OF the Legisla-
tL-e Schoharie County had, as usual. sent
Democrat to Albany, but the local Republican
leader Judge Hobart Krum was put forwari as
Schoharie's representative in the triangular con-
test As each county is entitled TO seven dele
gates In the Senate convention II was presumed
that the three aspirants. each with seven votes
behind him. would lock horns In the conference
and that victory would go in the end to the most
adroit and skilful campaigner among the cand-
dates
OF the three prominent competitors any enc
would undoubtedly make. on his personal merits.
an acceptable Senator f. Watson Gardiner.
who has represented this county for two years In
the Assembly, has made excellent record at
ALBANY and is known and valued here as poll
tician of ability, character and marked personal
popularity. Assemblyman Philip keck or Full
ton has also served with appreciation In the = s.
sembly and possesses the confidence OF his con-
Etituency Judge Krum Is one Of the abest and
most successful Republican leaders In his county.
and has represented his Congress district on
fhe State committee. Left 10 themselves these
shree local favories would probably have been
able to fight their battle out in the convention
xi,hout partisan friction or personal bitterness.
One of the three, however, Mr.. Gardiner, OF this
rounty has been a more or less outspoken oppo-
mont OF the State machine. and the probability Of
his success In the Senate convention has evidently
alarmed Mr. Patt. month ago IL was practical
Nv agreed that Mr. Gardiner should have the
seven Senatorial delegates from this county with
out opposition But in the last week or two the
purpose Of the Plat machine to night him at the
snnroaching caucuses has been clearly uncovered.
Two Platt candidates have recently been put In
the field one at tais end Of the county and one at
the western end. and desperate effort VIII be
made 10 divide the county delegation, and so eff
fectually cripple Mr.. GARDENERS chances In the
Senatorial race
The local managers OF the Plat machine are
Jacob Smell OF Fonda, Superintendent OF Section
No 3 OF the Erie Canal. and w. b. Dunlap. the
Surrogate OF the county. At their instigation and
with the promise Of support from the canal inter-
EST along the Mohawk River. Thomas Little. ex-
Mayor OF Amsterdam ex-Sherin and ex-Assem-
byman has opened canvass here. while JOB
STAFFORD the cashier OF a bank at Fort Plain. is
contestng with Mr.. Gardiner the control OF the
delegates from the upper portion OF the county