New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-17
THE R4TNES BILL APPROVED.

THE R4INES BILL APPROVED.
A peculiar significance attaches to the elaDo-
rate interview with which Mr.. Thomas c. Platt
on Monday morning broke silence that was De-
ginning to be noticed and put himself once more
distinctly and Enthusiastically in evidence as the
directing and guiding spirit Of the legislative
department Of the State government ana the
power behind the Executive greater than the
Executive itself There was, to be sure. nothing
original fresh or new in what the interview
contained 1t had all been said several times
over, and said just as well, If not better, by Mr.
Platts puppets In the Legislature and his amanu-
ensis in tile press. The significance OF II was
not In what was said, but in the time and man
ner Of saying 1t and the fact that 1t seemed
necessary to Mr.. Platt to say it at all. The argl-
ment upon the bill has been closed In so far as
1t relates to the Legislature or the general pub
lie 1t has passed both the Senate and Assem-
bly, and is now in the hands Of the Governor
awaiting his action. In this state OF things
there Is but one explanation OF the circumstance
that Mr. Plat considers II necessary To give
to the public in this formal and impressive fash
ion the reasons why the Governor should ana
will sign the bill. That is that Mr.. Platt desires
to emphasize the fact that the Ranes bill Is his
BILL that the Legislature is his Legislature, ana
that Governor Morton is his Governor. His. not
merely in the sense that they are Of his party
but in the much higher and more significant
sense that they are his by right OF ownership
and possession, all Of them creatures of his VIII
and obedent TO his orders.
And so, without waiting to see whether Gov
ernor Morton in the independent exercise of his
official functions and the conscientious discharge
Of his high trust will approve the Ranes bill or
veto 1t, Mr. Platt, with Overshadowng impn-
dence and sef-assertion, but certain brutal
consciousness withal of knowing his ground and
his man, thrusts himself in front of the Gov
ernor and at the very moment when the Gov
ernor might be supposed in the discharge Of a
grave public duty to be giving the subject seri-
Gus and judicial consideration discounts the
Governors action and blatantly proclaims that
the bill will be approved for reasons which he
proceeds to set forth. No close reading between
the lines Is necessary TO understand why Mr..
Plat should at this time above all others, thrust
himself to the front and publish the reasons
why the Raines bill Is satisfactory to him. and
must. consequently, be approved by the Gov
ernor That the bill was passed at his bidding.
under the whip and spur Of the caucus, was al
TtduH vi puDllC uotoIitty poW'l oNVi 'hc
Legislature was already known. He needed no
further demonstration Of It, nor was anything
of prestige lacking In that regard If he had
only an honest and absorbing desire to the
bill become law in the interests Of the Repub.
lican party and Of public morals, why did he
not produce his arguments and bring his inhu-
ence to bear upon the Governor privately and
quietly, as he had already done with the Legls-
lature? That would not answer his purpose.
He must publicly emphasize the fact that he
had not only carried the bill through the Legs-
lature. but had compelled the Governor to
sign it.
Final action has not yet been taken, II Is true
The Governor has announced that he will give
a hearing to the Mayors of several cities, who
believe that under the Constitution they have
a right to be heard upon matter which so ma
terially affects their respective municipalities.
But this deceves no one who has watched the
progress Of the measure through the Legislature
or is cognzant Of the relations between the Gov
ernOr and Mr. Plat, and the methods by which
the latter has made them more intimate and
binding since the Morton boom was formally
| and definitely launched. The bill may as well
be considered signed already and enacted into
law. Mr. Plat has cOnspicuously planted him
self in front Of the Governor and given with
volubility and profuson his reasons for the Gov
ernor's approval That concludes the whole
| matter. II is not a cheerful reflection that Mr.
Thomas G. Plat. private citizen, without any
responsibility to the people, runs the Iegislat-
ure. controls the Governor-in effect, enacts our
laws and administers our State government
but II appears to be OF the necessities OF the
situation growing out Of our having favorlte
son az candidate for a Presidential nomination
which he thinks Is within the gift Of Mr.. Plat.