New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-12
THE PLATT-QpAY SCHEME
HOW THEY PROPOSE TO CONTROL laE
NATIONAL CONVENTION.


MITTEE - DEFENSIVE PREPARATIONS
OF TIH OHIO LEADERS, FRIENDS
ST. Louis, March 1.-THE connection between
the Florida Republican state Con' anu nv
elaborate preparations Of Mr.. Mckinle! h'e"D'
here for the assertion OF his strength with 'he
people has been disclosed to-day, ana al i"'e'-
esting disclosure it proves to be.
IL will be remembered that Immediately AFTER
the Platt-Quay crowd had been beaten III "i-
ida. word given out that contes'hs 'e'e-
cation would be sent by them to - LOUIS
There was not the shadow Of justiflca'oh LOT
such a course Florida Is in favor OF Mchii''s
by an overwhelming majority. indeed ia" -
rot been for the active work OF the commune
emissaries nothing would have been hearu '"e'e
Of Mr. Morton any Of the other faVorl'e 'o'''
The truth of this statement is admitted even by
McKinleys opponents. Frank Wllhhs H-"'"'
for example. the Philadelphia lieutenant OF SEN
ator Quay bore testimony 10 that erect WIFI ="
jacksonville day or two before the convention
was neld there. He sent for the leaders oi 'ne
Mckinney forces and urged them 70 desert 'he
Ohio statesman assuring them that his defeat al
ST Louis was certain These gentlemen rep"eu
that the masses Of the Republican party IN FLOR
ida. as elsewhere throughout the country were
in favor OF Mckinley.
LEACHS REFRESHING CANDoR
Lcachs rep,y to this remark is worth repeat
ing According to the statement of one OF 'he
gentlemen present at the conference. he answered
with refreshing frankness what was SAID ABOUT
NcKinlev's popular strength: That Is true anu
II the masses controlled conventions Mckinney
would win But the masses DO not controI. Inc
politicians run things, and they have como'heu u
defeat Mckinley Quay Plat and others nave
already shaped matters So that Mchlhle! 'ai
never be nominated. There are nearly ehous"
votes now lied up for favorite sons TO deiea' '"e
Ohioan. Besides, 1t is not certain that Mch'i'i''
will not be knitted by his own state Inc o"io
delegation will be controlled by Foraker ana Il
he has any love for Mckinley have never he"ru
Of H. Mckinley is doomed. and those VINO s'a'iu
bv him 70 the last need expect no favors from the
man the politicians propose to nominate ana eie0'
President"
These words. or the substance OF thefn' were
telcgraphed 70 The Pittsburg Post lhey "e'c
published In that paper, and although zen ""H
have elapsed since their publication. neither MI
Leach nor any Of his friends has attempted 10
contradict them. lie cannot well do So because
the men who heard what he said promptly gave
publicity TO this remarkable disclosure v' '''V
Platt-Quay plan Of campaign.
PLAN OF THE COMBINE
This plan is worthy Of attention 1t If the bold
est and most comprehensive effort To ceiedt
the will Of the party that has been put forward
since Conkins Cameron and Morton Jo'neu
hands to make General Grant President FOR
third term 1t Is far more reckless. Indeed thin
the staIwart campaign Of 1850. and rests On an
infinitely lower plane. Whatever may be- saii
Of the movement to nominate Grant, IT must be
conceded that there was strong feeling IN MS
favor and thousands and thousands e g'pd X
Jublicans stood behind the 500 phalanN Bn,
there is no such force OF public sentiment De
hind the scheming of Mr.. Platt and hi' ass .ciaie
bosses They have simply undertaken H. win
by machine methods Of the lowest order Ihey
for cardidat. In particular. Ihry nav" ID
choice They will have ~ choice until they zee
how the convention is likely to g. Then ,hey
pr.pose 10 muster enough strength t. prevent
the leading candidate from securing the requisite
number OF votes until he has mad" terms Win
them That IS - say. un:il he has agreed 10
make Thomas g. Plat Secretary u the Treas
ury and let Mr. QUAY have his own sweet way
in the disposition Of Pennsylvania ana other
patronage.
Mckinley at present is ahead Of all competi-
tors lie Is gaining ground - rapidly IN
the tudrment OF the best politicians of both
parties he will. unless something unexpected
happens be nominated on the second ballot Mt
Patt and Mr. Quay propose that something un-
expected shall happen and this. 70 use para
doxical expression, is how II is to come about
TO START CONTESTS IN THE SOUTH
The preliminary organization OF the Republi-
car Convention as the matter is now under
stood will be made up OF the delegates from the
uncontested Congress districts. From the pre-
liminary organization thus formed the Commit
tee on Credentials Is appointed. The power Of
that body Is tremendous: the Importance Of con-
trolling il can be readily seen. Mr.. Plat and
Mr. QUAY propose to control II by bringing CON
tests in every Congress district throughout the
South. and throughout any other part or me
country where It be done safely. In this
way they mean take away large part OF
McKinley's strength. and II possible cripple MIN
so completely that he can be beaten.
Up to the present time no contests have been
started In Pennsylvania or New-York, as inc
bosses feared al time there might be Anti
Machine people have not been as wise IN thelr
generation as the machine in this respect, and
there is certain grim hurnor In The situation
that finds Thomas c. Plat denouneing a threat
ened bolt In New-York because OF confcssedly
fraudulent enrolment. and compelling a bolt in
Florida Alabama and other states, Where there
are not the slightest grounds for II.
MKINI,EY.s FRIENDS NOT ALARMED
Happily the Mckinley people are not as easily
frightened as some of Mr.. Platts opponents In
New-York. They are ready TO meet Mr.. Platts
campaign at every point He may carry out
some Of his little schemes. but he will find 1t Is
a tough Job 10 fight the hard-headed hustlers
OF Ohio Indiana and the bounding West
AS already pointed out In these dispatches.
the Mckinley people own this city, ana the
St:te and all this region. They propose TO as
sert their ownership. and when Mr.. Platt ana
Mr. Quay come down here TO throw out NC
Kinley delegates. they will find themselves CON
fronted with the most painful condition OF
affairs that either OF them has experienced
since the winter Of the deep snow.