New-York tribune., 1896-12-24
tutional law know him to be one Of the bestin-
formed public men OF the day
WHY HE WAS SILENT.


The only one remaining ground Of attack upon
Mr. Choate is bereath contempt. 1t appeared IN d"
editorial Of THE Sum-" and 1t was repeated on Mon-
day morning In a letter written for the pubic press
by member OF the Legislature. a lawyer ac-
quanted with the facts. a man VINO ought u nav.
known better This editorial and this letter tauh,sa
Mr. Choatc for not taking any ACHE Part III .l,o
last campaign and blamed him for remaining silent
lie silent But it was the silence Oh ihe ,d ga,
ened home and the saddened life OF bereaVea t 60
father An through that summer Choate $1,000 STOOD "a, at
the bedside OF a dying daughter shrink from az n
trudng into the prvaces OF any man hoiiie NY ny.
but In the face Of this wanton. cruel and coWardy
attack 1t becames necessary to MT the ven una.
hides strong mans grief from the public gaze AL
the height Of that campaign death came 10 the
home OF Joseph II Choale and deprived him i'm OF "a
preciatcd the greatness OF his grief when they saw
him bowed with sorrow and refusing to be com com
forted because his daughter was not. Such DESC
lation should have had enough sacredness ana
pathos In 1t TO have shielded him from this low and
brutal calumny. Let us hear no more or that OBJ
lection.
then Choate ignored the demands Of patriotism and
party? Did he not contribute to the full extent OF
fSnd: Did not Mr.. Hanna know the cause Of
Choate's silence and respect, and sympathize with
it9 pa ne not know that If became necessary ne
found wanting?
doomed to defeat because there is said to be In
TINS state man so powerful. boss so absolute.
esas ns 0qd SEM the 50 ss Ss
man does not approve Of Mr. Choates. This boss
debate. but in darkened rear Office in the lower
part OF Broadway. at his own caprice. controlled
rule Of addition division and silence. he coyerty
Choate is an attempt to rob Mr., Platt Of deserved
crown Of craftsmanship. Our purpose is not to
deprive. but to expose: not to uncrown. but to
But lie, us look upder the crown,-it Is quite
"a he OF Morton
hopeless from the beginning and that 1t was put
eT as not Msrch Can
any one doubt that II Mr.. Mckinley and Mr. Hanna
peace pea '' they could have @ % bought and secured Mr.
Platts enthusastic support? Do we not al know SNv
patronage. and that he spurned the SUGGESTION?
Let me recall sample OF Mr. Patts statesman nn, ~
Snp The sun rs"S Of !G %ay H. month before
ination at St. Louis: MY opposition TO Governor r
that he will get the Republican party into turmoil
and trouble. He is not wel-balanced man OF ar,
and educated public man He is not an astute
political leader He is simply clever gentienan; ,n ~
much too amiable and much too impresslohaDie 10
be safely intrusted with great executive office.
whose quest for honor happens to have tn the acrn
with the last Republican protective tarin
AUTHORSHIP OF THE GOLD CLAUSE.
Again II Is urged that we should elect Mr.. Patt
because Of his heros services during the last cam
paign We know of services except collecting
contributions from corporations and enor's 10 Sc
cure the nomination Of such members OF the Les's-
lature as would be acceptable to him. In all that
he suspected of having been singuary success, s
n en foT Witch pa fT notwthsandng ali his
loud pretences. deserves absolutely no credit Att.
movement i TO elect Mr. Choate will be condemned
by Mr. Mckinley and that he INTENDS 10 hnu ,sd
al, im 'ss Seven months ago what Contemplate
innate Of our next President! Shall We % send TO to
nponi hs Senass e rne a hs State who
never risen above the trafic IN spoiis man Wmo
l.' for POLITICAL tribute. a man who can block thwart
hold up the Administration at every step de-
rbuons from every CORPORATION in the n adrerse dnss
sssa uds the woa Sa
such Senator from New-Y9rk be blight mron
Storm te and ruin. When God knows need clear
sky? On the other hand. what could you DO that
dent and assure success and prosperity for his ad
ministration that to send to Masnng'on, m, ,rnnd man
the foremost citizen Of this state? Appause1
6 o wS Ro% spsss ase 0a OF tR this ion The one
us to inquire whether as Americans we can saiey
70 !ns assured Of his integrity
ever lofty his character: shall go further and ask
he has attained and maintained his political power
Then shall go still further and hi & her ana I'M I'M
United States Senate.
A QUESTION ASKED.
Let us assume that Mr.. Platts methods are en-
trely legitimate and that his record and talents
qualify him to be the leader Of the Republican
party in the Empire State. Is 1t not elementary
IN politics. is 1t not absolutely certain that the
ascendancy Of any one man, however pure his
motives or high his principles. cndansers and
portable that a man eectsd to no office. with
neither evidence nor warraat Of trust and conf
bility.. shall be permitted to exercise such power
pS %no shp IN @ ns
always n menace to public liberties? Such boss.
the spos. Of Office and the food Of Contributions
flowing through his fingers: but have we nothing TO
from such practices. from such lust Of power?
SopcedGg all that be SAID os in suppSTt Of his
exercise a power in the administration Of the
he De 6oes he o ercse and
exert an influence to which the American people
Therefore, if Mr. Platts character were as high
and rs unblemished as Mr.. Choates. 1t would still
But there is the other aspect Of the case. which
sS1s na 0s @ s sr
ask ourselves some plain questions s What does does
Is sad 'eaS the rs WY e
believed over the State tina, IS win E
boosted that he Gan send himse, or spy pvpnst
ree spiritsd s and sefrespectns psop Vi"s
under a Republican form Of government. that one
no political principles or doctrines except spos
car. WELD such monstrous and tyrannical power.
TO one?
"a NEW SYSTEM"
Since the days Of Tweed new system OF political
corruption has como into existence. The individual
legislator is now seldom directly bribed Corpo-
rations or individuals seeking protection vau-
able charter rights at the hands Of the Legislature
retain a recognized political boss and pay him for
the service to be rendered This secures the de-
sired favor They pretend that these payments
contributions to the party. but, as matter Of
fact. they tributes to the fund Of the boss who
turns over to the National Stste or County Com
~~,tt<4 - cnotiu hn diQfri h
uting mos, OF it for the purpose OF clectng TO the
Legislature his own nominees In form 1t Is
contribution to the party: In substance and truth 1t
Is bribery and blackma. Most of these contribu-
tions made By corporations. The items are en-
tered on their books under fictitious sundry
and hidden from public investigation. In the
old days all contributions to the party were made to