Evening star., 1896-09-18
HILL STILL M A STE R
The Buffalo Convention Simply Registered
His Wishes in It's Action.
The Nominations Do Not Affect Belief
In Mcklnleyfs Big NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
thing About Mr.. Thacher.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

SpeclaI Correspondence or Inc Evening" S'ai'
NEW YORK, September IS. 1896.
Mr.. Hill has had some more fun with the
newspapers and the public. The seemingly
disjointed parts Of his machine. that lay
around loose aid rusting, have been as
sembled again. The Senator's quiet. firm
hand is felt as that of the master in the
Buffalo convention. and the master has not
disclosed his thoughts and purposes.
"Hill has no more principles than wild
hcg." Senator James X. Jones once said
that was long before Mr.. Jones' recent
activity-and he added. ''but Hill does
know the game.
Hill, mysterious and able Is again the
mcst conspicuous person on the surface of
affairs in this neighborhood. The founda-
tions Of his influence are less deep and
permanent than those of Mr.. Platt. They
are singular and more dramatic, however
Abstemious, frugal, no lover of money.
wearied by social attentions. indifferent to
shows and amusements, forbidding and
embarrassed in private intercourse. he fol-
lows the game Of politics with increasing
patience and passion This gamester. ike
the poker player. would rather play and
lose than not play at all His mind is ever
studying the field of strategy. estimating
the force Of individuals and groups. search
Ing out the dim possibilities Of the future
bewildered often by the sudden appearance
OF new influences. but quickly giving them
place III his system and striving to keep
his personality as an independent force
above parties and events. falling ever in
his larger purposes and ever uDbuilding.
Period of Delight.
This period. beginning with election of
delegates to the Chicago convention. has
been one Of delight to Senator Hill. He
has laughed at many queer things. The
Cleveland influences were all with him.
ND ha mi al
The Evening Post and the New York Times
were kindly. and regarded him quite as
champion. The great financial interests
OF the city and the east looked upon MIN
with favor. The unscrupulous politician
the mugWumps said. was developing into
the statesman. Frederic r. Coudert and he
were delegates-at-large together. Then in
the convention the leader for the first time
of a section Of the nation, not Of one party
in a state
You threw the bunko into them there.
Dave" Senator Murphy Is reported to
have coarsely remarked to his colleague.
MIR. Hill just smiled weirdly and retired
into his usual calm gloom
Then after the convention.
For eight weeks he has fretted the po-
litical reporters. bafed the anxiety of his
provincial agents. invited Mr.. Bryan TO his
house socially" turned oppositely and re-
fused to meet Chairman Jones, rose to in
dignation in refusing to be an instructed
delegate to the state convention. and then
ran tndt convention by telephone and t0e
grapervine telegraph.
Observers who had it all figured out are
amazed and peevish. Everybody agrees,
and everybody Is probably right. that Mr..
Hill and the regular democrats can do
nothing this year except elect a few Con-
gresham. a third of the state legislature
! and retain most of their strength In local
contests for local offices Mr.. Hills SYM
pathies and record could never have made
him a permanent leader of the forces. be-
hind the gold democrats He prefers TO
build for the future with Tammany and
the silver democrats. Some of the old
subleaders, like William F. Sheehan. James
w. Hinkley. Senator Cantor and ex-Gov-
ernor Flower, have retired from the state
| organization. and no new captains have
| been developed.
Belief in Mckinley's Big Majority.
Mr. Hills regularity and revived leader
| ship scarcely offset the general belief Of ar
enormous majority for Mr.. Mckinley.
Thepdemocratic state convention has beer
| a thrc. days diversion. But almost all city
observers are wearied with the campaign
The suspense Of new projects the Limitation
| of credit, the pressure to 1iquidate contracts
| keenly affect the peace of mind of al
| traders and manufact turers, and commerce
has drawn everybody into its net here. Il
! the vote were next Tuesday, instead of Si1
! weeks away. 1t would save many firm or
the edge Of bankruptcy. or bring to a sharI
| climax the strain of the last four months.
Mr.. HilPs Candidate.
John Boyd Thacher. called sneeringl.
| the bibliophile' by Senator Hill in formel
years, is rather an odd choice for a machine
! candidate. Mr. Thacher is a cultivated
| gentleman. He has had ample means al
! his life for travel literature, leisure to fol
! low special ends, and has profited by hi
cportunities. His father George H. Thach
| er, was proprietor of car wheel works a
Albany. was mayor OF the city, and an IN
fuence in democratic politics in his part o
the state.
Mr.. Thacher was graduated from VIII
| liams College. He entered the foundry an,
| served term of years as apprentice, mold
er, finisher, clerk and bookkeeper. H
| roughed it with the foundry hands ant
| tried to be one of the men, sharing thei
| sympathiea and ideas. He was stat
| senator in 1884 and 'S5 and mayor Of AL
bany in 1885. He was on the city healtl
board afterward In 91-92-93 Mr.. Thache
| was a worlds fair commissioner for thi
state and became Interested in the earl.
| history of America. book on the sub
ject by him came off the press five week
The author lives in a handsome hous
| in Albany filled with books. manuscript
and odd things. He is now forty-nine year
| old.
I'd to two years ago, when he was
| candidate for the nomination for governor
Mr.. Thacher was Cleveland man. civi
| service reformer, a mugwump IN mos
things. He took high ground in opposi
ton to Senator Hill who has always bee
looked down upon by the old and infiuentia
families of Albany, the Pruyns and tn
Parkers, for instance.
| Senator Hill has always called him a
| amateur in politics. Mr. Thacher, however
in everything except clear. consistent view
on public questions, Is a most respectabl
figure, has a good deal of money, and
| taste for politics.
l
ECKINGTON CITIZENS.