New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-07
LOBBYISTS AS LEADERS.

The Rcpublican party Of this county VIII
nresentlv he confronted with the question
whether the interests Of the party or the pubic
welfare will be promoted by the selection or a
corporation attorney whose practice mas Deen'
and doubtless will continue to be, largely beiore
legislative committees and in the lobby or the
State Legislature as Its chief executive ollcer.
In view of the relations of corporations with the
LEGISLATURE and their interest in much or the
legislation enacted each year, this may be mat
fer Of considerable Importance 1t Is not I'M
possible of course. that the president or the Ike
nublican County Committee, being the attorney
for great corporations dependent upon leslsla-
ton for corporate privileges, and having at the
same time an unusual measure OF power IN the
selection of members of the Legislature ana
great influence with them after they are elected
may he absolutely impartial and judicial In the
use If his power and the exercise of his influ-
encc II is conceivable that such an executive
officer. being entirely unselfsh in his devotion
70 the interests of the party, from which he
derives no pay and ostensibly no personal adj
vantage. would give them his first consideration,
rs against the interests Of the corporations OF
which he is the paid attorney. we say ms Is
conceivable. And yet suppose that the president
q
sc,entious Republican and at the same time at
torney for any one OF the great corporations
railroad. telegraph, telephone, insurance or what
not: and suppose that the interests or the cor
poration he is paid to represent conflict WIN
those Of the party of which he is the unpaid
executive officer; and suppose that he should
sacrifice his clients for his party-how long
would he hold his retainer:
The CRYING evil of Mr. Platt's political all-
tocracy was that as the party Boss, the dictator
Of its nominations and most potential influence
in its legislation, he extorted money from the
great corporations as contributions to campaign
funds. the consideration for which was votes IN
the Legislature for against legislation affect
ing those corporations. Mr.. Platt did not 40
this in the exercise Of the profession OF attorney,
nor was the money he received in the nature
Of fee or retainer He was Ostensibly acting
for the party: and through him, so long as he
WAS the autocrat, the corporations retained the
Republican party If. indeed. 1t may be called
retainer and not bride. When Mr.. Plat re-
ceved the subscription Of corporation TO his
campaign funds both he and the corporation
understand clearly that the Senator'S and AS
sembymer to whose campaign expenses these
contributions went by Mr.. Platts personal
check were to hold themselves under obliga
lions to the donors whenever in the Legislature
the latter had any interest at stake. 1t was
simple process, and by means OF 1t Mr. Platt
made himself very strong, both with the cor
poratons and the politicians whose election ex-
penses they betrayed. 1t does not need 10 be
said TO New-York County Republicans that this
circui,ous process for bribing Legislature was
corrupt and demoralizing. They said so them
selves, two years ago. when they rose up against
the Boss rule and Boss system OF which this
was one Of the most degrading and disgusting
features.
n generations are TO control legislation, the
Croker method is much simpler and vastly less
dcmoralizing The Tammany Legislature Of
1893 was remarkable, among other things, for
this: that 1t had practically no lobby. The
process Of influencing legislation was as simple
as petty larceny The corporation did not take
The trouble 10 send lobbyists or attorneys to
Albany. nor did they fool away time or money
irving to convince or corrupt legislators. They
simply stepped up to East Fourteenth-st.. and
after making the proper contribution to the
Tammany treasury told Mr.. Croker what they
wanted At the end of the session the Tammany
newspapers pointed with pride to the fact that
the Legislature had never been SO free from
scandals, nor Albany so free from lobbyists.
1t was true The market-place for legislation
was in East Fourteenth-st in this city. The
members Of the Legislature were not exposed
to corrupt approaches from the lobby, nor to the
disgrace of selling themselves. They were sold
| in bunch and at wholesale before they were
elected. Mr. Croker peddled them out at retail
| subsequently. And the process had the merit
Of simplicity and directness. II the great cor
+, poratlons must buy the legislation they think
they need, we say. unhesitatingly. that the Gro
| ker method is vastly superior to any other plan.
| 1t may also be said that II Is in entire accord
| with the traditions. the record, the principles
and the policy Of the Tammany Democracy. IT
| is not in accord however. with Republican prin-
| cpes practices or traditions or with the views
| Of the great mass Of Republican voters That
was made evdeni in the revolt against Boss
| rule and Mr.. Plati's methods-which were not
| dissimilar from Croker's-two years ago. 1t IL
now question whether the Republican party I'm
this county viii sell Itself no. not sell itself. but