New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-02
H0dgman's
M ACkINTO s n IS.
Sensible and Stylish.
BROADWAY, - WEST 23D ST.
COR. GRANDsT Adj. Fifth Avenue Hotel
IN THE POLITICAL FIELD

Mr. Pla.t's confident prediction that ex-senator
Fassett would come meandering back" to him
does not likely to be fulfilled. The young man
from Elmira is as far away ever, and every week
seems to increase the distance between him ana
the old political fold "The Advertiser his news
paper has long since identified Itself with the anti
machine elements of the State. It is the organ o.
the reform contingent in the southern tier. ana II
is certainly doing most effective work for the best
interests Of the Republican party Amo~t every issue
is a cannonade. The shot Is wei aimed and tn
result is disastrous to the enemy. Mr.. FaSsett Is
directing the guns personally al pres nj, ana as ne
to understand how destructive these attacks may
be. One thing Is certain The Advertiser was
so influential The young leader has cast In his lot
with the progressive element Of the party. ne y
in touch with Its reform tendencies ana IN iuil
sympathy with the aspiration Of the reputable Re
publlcans who desire some other test OF party
loyalty than devotion TO the selfish interests OF
single individual.
The Republican party is in favor OF Civil Service
reform The party has always been loyal to the
requirements of this law. 1t still Is and desires 10
remain 49, but If the local board continues on the
way that it is going and has been going for the
last few weeks there will be such reaction here
against this particular law will SCI the
reform back for years. The theory OF the late
municipal campaign for the overthrow OF ram
many was that the government of the city re-
CURED complete renovation An entire reorsah'"a-
ton of every department was promised the people.
Mayor Strong into Office determined 10 redeem
his pledges and the Republican Legisiat1re per
formed IT'S par, Dy passing .ne ~ - 20 $3.50 hye
been changed. The new officials went IN pleparcd
to make a thorough cleaning out of the divisions
10 which they had been assigned. but just when
they were about to begin. aOnE comes the t!Nli
putting almost every Tammany subordinate, ey"n
down TO the stree, PAYERS and la6oieT5 ana m,sseh-
gers. under the proiectns "inS 81 ms ie''C. ~
law as expounde1 by the secretary Of the local
board. MI Lee Phillips.
Mr.. Phillips is one Of the many Wears Of Pray l..
Nev,-Yorh politics. He was invented or discovered
by Charles II. Woodman. Mr. Graces Fides Acha-
ties lie succeeded Mr. Woodman as secretary Oh
the Civil Service Board, and. excepting the short
period OF Ackermans service. has been able to hold
on ever since. He has been equally satisfactory
10 all administrations, although whenever there mas
been a miscarriage in the civil Service Commission
il has been during has seCfctaryShip and III matters
over which he had almost complete control The
complete failure Of the system under Tammany was
shown incidentally by the Fasseit investigating
Committee When Tammany in power Mr..
Phillips was able to make the Civn Service Ian,
through changes in the schedule, and throuch ~.
manner in which examinations Were conducted. ~
tirey satisfactory to Tammany. JUS; As he Is able
which is Mayor Grace's old commission. though q
is said that Nj Godkir who Is orc 81 ne mo-, rA'
zeal civil Service reiOrnerS IN II" HIt'i n'"''rf
realizes that things are goins "ronH ana na. en-
pressed himself IN condemnation or tao way 10
which Mr. Phillips and some OF the other "tNl's-
sioners managing affairs at present. 50 !Ai -
name is Plat and he is in the express business
but not In local politics-ceriainIy not above MS
ankles
While a general disposition was Immediately man
ifesed 10 in disgust from any consideration 81
the Parkhurst pamphlet matters. there is one phase
Of the incident that has aroused much feeling in Re
publican circles 1t has never been asserted that
Mr.. Plat printed and circulated the vile document
hut there is a widespread belief that y he df not
inspire the abomnable work. II was done with bis
knowledge and approval. The cvd'5ce 10 justify
this belief has already been presented abraham
Gruber Mr. Platts henchman, admits that he pur-
chased the notes OF Or. Parkhurst's testimony trom
the court stenoGrapher. Mr.. Beard He Gcnics
however. that the copy furnished him was used for
the pamphlet. Ii for the delcctation Of h's
personal friends. Somebody else he insists must
have procured the copy upon which the publication
was based Unfortunately FOR this denial Mr. Beard
declares that nobody except Mr.. GrGber ever came
10 him for these proceedings Under the ia" he
bar. but Mr Platts lieutenant was the only person
who asked FOR any Nobody but Nj Gru2ot: H. 4i-
friends. ana nobody ever thought Of using Il g;
ca mpsign material IammGny Hel ). consd red
the word, bat even when hghting for is lf' last
fall Tammany RETAINED from warfare of this Kind.
And what must be said Of instrument watch
Tammany even in rs death strugeit. prononngea
100 vile for use; And what must be said Of HE
man. or men, who would employ Il?
The pamphlet appears to have been distributed
through the medium OF Mr.. Platts State machine.
in the manner that previous carnations "a
his interests found their way the people they
were designed TO influence. Trusted followers ot
Nj. P.att IN the various counties are reported 20
have been supplied with the pamphlets aai in
structed to give them out jrGci1usly, paying o.
pecal attention to those ~ positions mould pub
lie sentiment, One Presbyterian minister in s..
Lawrence County writes that the copy sent him
posted in the place where j. located the head
quarters Of the Plat Organization. Similar expert
ences related in other paIia Of the STATE. Ia
other words. 1t looks az II the publication might
fairly be considered an effort Of Mr. Tlati's 1t
erary bureau. This literary bureau Is one Of the
features OF the Republican state headquarters at
the Fifth Avenue Hoiel The EXPENSES Of these
headquarters are betrayed by money collected IN the
name Of the party; the literary bureau IS likewise
maintained 1t Is supposed to be propaganda
ptab.e Republicans Of this great state II certainly
claims to act for the party organization. Then II II
Is true, az alleged that this pamphlet The transmits
sion OF which through the mails Is an inlic'ab,e
ofence-originated there the Republican state Com
mttee, ana the whole party In 50 lar a. il is yep
resented BY the existing Orhdn!zdi'Dn, becomes re
SpOnsibe for II. How do the reputable Republicans
Of this city and state relish the idea of assuming
such respOns!b.ityr
Joseph " Mamie. chairman OF the Republican
National Executive Committee. said before Ealing
for Europe tia: he IN favor Of holding ,hc
next National Convention OF the party in San
Francisco. Henry Il. Payne. who represents VIE
consin in the committee. fayors New-York Bu,
both seem 10 think that Chicago viii be chosen
when the time comes for the committee t. pass on
the matter the reason being the comparative ind!f
ference Of other places. 1t Is likely that the neNt
escape the hot weather. Chicag 20 may be selected
but the sentiment In favor of san Francisco wds
never 50 strong as 1t IL this year.