The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-06
PLATT'S DEATH RATTLE.
Holland" in Philadelphia Press.

Holland" in Philadelphia Press.
The address issued by Edward Lauter-
bach, chairman of the executive commit
| tee of the local organization of Repubii-
cans. contains the frank admission that
| the opposition to Mr.. Strong is arrayed
under the leadership of ex-senator Platt.
If Mr.. Platts friends in an official ad-
dress are willing to make that admission
he of course can no longer complain If he
is referred to as the leader of the opposi-
ton. Furthermore it is hard to see how
this contest can be ended except In one OF
| two Ways-either by the absolute driving
of Mr. Plat into political obscurty, or else
in the greatest of all the triumphs which
he has ever obtained. 1t is either total
defeat or total victory for him.
The I.auterbach address Is unlike that
issued by Elihu Root and the others, be-
cause it is hotly personal 1t practically
accuses Mayor Strong of being faithless
to his promises. 1t intimates that Cor
nellus n. Bliss is angry because Mr.. Platt
refused to support him for the guberna-
torial nomination. 1t goes into details,
narrating conversations TO justify It's
charge of breach of faith on the part of
Mayor Strong, and 1t reveals, at least so
| far as Mr.. Platt and Mr.. Lauterbach are
concerned, an attempt to dicker over the
spoils, a revelation which is decidedly un-
pleasant reading. The prevailing opinion
here today Is that before the Republican
party is organized for the fall campaign
there will have been a contest to the end,
and now openly with the purpose of de-
priving Mr.. Platt of such influence and
authority as he has had for the past ten
years in party management in this state.
Yet it has been inevitable now for some
| time that this issue should be made. No
body has attempted since 1884 very Sc
rlously to contest Mr.. Platt's supremacy
in the Republican organization. His in
fluence is due partly to his own ability
and partly to the fact that he has had no
earnest opponents, in the party at least,
worthy of the right OF challenging him.
But there has been restlessness, some Bit
ter feeling, and of course the inevitable
disappointments which create personal
hostility toward the dispenser of patron
age, for period of ten years. Moreover,
| there Is a feeling-it may be justified or
not, but it exists that Mr.. Platt repre-
sents personal bossism. Mr.. Platt himself
| has erred in several ways. He seems to
have failed to perceive that these are
times when with great numbers of voters
party obligations sit lightly, and that there
Is an impulse which is leading many citi-
ZenS to take active personal part in poll
tics, and citizens who do not like to be
l
little indication Of recognition Of this
| feeling would have strengthened Mr..
| Platt.
As it is, think that it Is safe to report
that Mr.. Platt's power in New York city
is gone. His friend, Mr.. Lauterbach, re-
mains chairmc>- of the executive commit
tee, but he will not be chairman when the
next election of committeeman occurs
| The opposition to Mr.. Platt controls now
the party machinery in New York city.
| Probably it will not hesitate to use the
patronage to strengthen that control. 1t
has the aqueduct commission the depart
| ment of public works, the dock commits
sion, the legal department, and will very
soon have the police department OF
course the merest tyro of the politicians
can understand what that means. Mr.
Platt's opponents are likely to gain con-
troll in Brooklyn. and with the splendid
patronage at his disposal below the Har-
lem gone 1t will be strange II breaches
| are not made in Mr.. Platt's lines elsewhere
In the state. His friends privately admit
that his power Is gone in New York city.
The great battle must be elsewhere in the
state. 1t will call for the highest political
ability which Mr.. Platt possesses If
he wins 1t, and we shall know at the next
convention whether he has done so or not,
he will gain greater triumph than any
politician in New York state since the
day when De witt Clinton, thrown into
| obscurity by Tammany, and 50 poor that
he was obliged to take up a pen for his
living, nevertheless two years later tri-
umphed and became governor of the state.