Evening star., 1896-08-04
Effect Of the Meeting Of Platt and
Hanna.
EAMMANY'S ENDORSEMENT OF BRYAN
Possible Split Among the Voters Of
the Organization.
COMING OF THE CANDIDATE



Hanna and Mr.. Platt and the decision of
Tammany's executive committee to sup
rort the Bryan and Sewall ticket have each,
in their own way, served more or less to ciar
ify the political atmosphere in this city,
although 1T would be going too far to say
| that even now 1T is in other than decided
ly foggy condition. However wide may be
| the sympathy among the republicans of this
city and state with the efforts to do away
with the methods of the Platt machine,
there is a very general feeling, outside the
particular Warner Miller circle, that the
present is by no means the time to bring
this factional dispute to the fore, and there
fore the determination Of Mr.. Hanna to
leave the work Of the campaign in the
lands of the regular state republican or
ganization Is viewed with satisfaction even
by those who would. in general way, be
gr to see Mr.. Platt retired from his posi-
ton as state boss.
The Republican Factions.
Mr.. Hanna's action. moreover, was not
intended as snub to the anti-Platt people,
and for the most part, they do not accept
it as such. If Mr.. Miller has been snubbed
| it is because he saw fit to put himself in a
position where he would seem to be "sat
| upon unless the most radical ac ton We're
taken by the chairman of the national com
| mlttee, for to have taken up with the Miller
crowd to the exclusion of Mr.. Platt and the
Regular organization would have involved
the participation by Mr.. Hanna in one of
The most bitter of fractional wrangles. To
nave made some sort of compromise be-
tween the two. on the other hand, would
probably have suited Mr.. Hanna, but it
would not have suited Mr.. Platt and it was
quite evident that he would not have con-
sented to anything of the sort. Mr.. Millers
cans at the Waldorf end at the committee
neAIOlIlrtarC In fhn Mon hat
ing were so frequent that they soon came
TO be the subject of amused comment by
other politicians and by the newspaper men;
all the more so when the Herkimer states
man began to be less and less successful In
gaming and prolcnging interviews with Mr..
Hanna.
All this time Mr.. Platt stayed away, and
what was perhaps more surprising none of
his followers failed to initiate his example
Again and again Mr. Hsnna gave out that
he was ready and anxious to meet and
consult with all good republicans" but ap-
parently without result. Neither Mr. Platt
State Chairman Hackett County Chairman
Lauterbach or any of the other regulars
came. If Mr.. Hanna was worried about it
ne did not show 1t: he is not the sort of
man who would show 1t unless he wanted
TO, but nevertheless it is not unreasonable
to suppose that it was with some satsfac-
tion that he told the reporters on Saturday
that before night the long-expected inter
view would take place. There is still some
question as to whether Mr. Platt and his
two advisers were specifically invited, or
hnally took advantage of the general invi-
tat1on and a perfect understanding which
was plain enough to everybody that they
would be we'll received. The Tribune which
Of course takes the anti-Platt view, main
tainS that they came of their own accord
The general opinion Is hat they were spe-
cially invited.
Tammany's Decision.
While all this was very satisfactory. and
will undoubtedly result in something very
like harmony among the republicans during
this campaign, the decision of Tammany
Hall to support the Bryan ticket has made
trouble, rather than having a quieting ef-
feet. 1t Is not even agreeable to the judg
ment of the majority members of the or
ganiZation, and this is saying much for 1t
Is usual among them to swallow, without
the slightest question, the mandates of the
executive committee. Tammany, and for
the most part Tammany men. care little or
nothing for national politics in ordinary
| times. OF course, many members of the
organization care nothing about this phase
Of the situation now, but it would be too
| much to say that the dissatisfaction is due
wholly to the belief that the decision will
add strength to the state democracy, the
anu-Tammany organization in this city.
This opinion, however Is widespread, and
the situation is considered exceedingly
serious
To Tammany Hall it is of the utmost i'm
portance to carry the mayoralty election
in 1897. To fail then would be almost. if not
quite, death blow to the organization.
Now there is absolutely no question as to
the sentiment for the gold standard in this
city. That almost goes without saying. AS
matter of fact there is almost no silver
sentiment at all here. Neither is there any
confidence in Bryan. If, then, the state
democracy goes into the fight representing
the gold standard democratic sentiment
with the name of gold standard democrat
at the head of it's ticket as a candidate for
President, 1t is almost sure to make an ex-
cellent showing in the election returns to
the great injury of Tammanys chances in
the campaign Of the succeeding year.
These are the reasons why the action of
the executive committee Is viewed with
doubt. and In many faithful quarters with
alarm.
CrOkcr's Return.
Added to them is the fact that there is no
such confidence In the intelligence and
shrewdness of John c. Sheehan as there
was in the well-tried abilities of Mr. Croker.
and 1t Is not at all certain that the whole
thing was not purely and simply a gigantic
blunder on Sheehan's part. This view is
strengthened by the announcement from
London that Croker will return by Septem-
Der !, and that he is emphatic in his belief
that the gold standard must be maintained
Added also must be the undoubted fact that
while in ordinary times Tammany men
would be willing to sacrifice the interests of
the national campaign to their own local in
terests, there are many in that organiza-
tion. as well as without it, who believe that
the present crisis is so grave as to sink all
considerations except the single one of
maintaining the national faith and honor al
any cost. This is especially true of the al
lies of Tammany among the German pop,1-
lation. 1t will be exceedingly hard If nos
sible at all, for Tammany to command their
ald II the present situation continues If