New-York tribune., 1896-02-03
Mr.. PLATT'S AMBITION.


We do not quite understand why 1t should be
necessary for Republicans Of a certain sort of
prominence in various parts of the State To be
coming forward by easy stages but in steady
succession at the rate of two or three week TO
attest Mr.. Platt's sincerity in his support ot
Governor Morton's candidacy. The only eX-
PLANTATION that can he offered Is that In the be
lief of these prominent Republicans there Is
something like a widespread and deepsea'ed
distrust Of that distinguished persons purposes
even when he has apparently every reason 10
be honest and sincere. There may be some
thing in that The last volunteer to certify 10
Mr.. Platt's sincerity was the Hon Mr. Bur
leigh. Of Washington County. who, upon coming
out from an interview with Governor Morton at
Albany last Friday, was reported as saying
with unusual positiveness: 1T seems unneccs'
"sary TO repeat that Thomas c. Platt Is sincerely
"and heartily supporting Governor Morton. Any
statement 10 the contrary is without an atom
.of truth" II does seem unnecessary. Mr..
Burleigh is quite right about it. And II Is be
cause it seems so unnecessary that these re-
peated assurances excite curiosity and provoke
comment Another curious thing about IL Is
that after Mr.. Plat has squarely and unre-
servedly committed himself, the friends OF that
gentlemen should take so much pains to say
what seems unnecessary there Is not an
atom Of truth in any statement which implies
that Mr. Platt is deliberately deceiving Gov
ernor Morton and all the people OF the state
1t appears like work Of supererogaton. For
II Mr. Platts character Is not high enough or
his reputation good enough TO carry CONVICTION
as to his sincerity In such circumstances, noth-
ing that Mr.. Burleigh or any other OF Mr. Platt
friends could say. no matter how confidently
or positively would help the case or remove the
| doubt
! We do not believe there Is any question In the
nuhljc mind as to Mr. Platt's intention. In case
he should be chosen delegate to st. Louis, to
vote for Governor Morton's nomination Nor
is it doubted that he would his Influence
with the other delegates in the same direction,
so that the Governor would have the unanimous
vote Of the Ncw-York delegation. No intelligent
man supposes that Mr. Platt intends TO betray
! Governor Morton on the first or perhaps the Sec
ond ballot That would be not only nconceiv-
able baseness but so far as Mr.. Platt himself
Is concerned. suicidal For Mr.. Platt's ambi-
ton. as is now well known, is to be Secretary OF
! the Treasury in the next Cabinet lie expected
I that nosition In 1883. and has not hestated TO
say since then with frequency and bitterness
that he was deprived Of 1t through one OF the
grossest Of the many violations OF faith OF which
he has been the guileless and unsuspecting VIC
tim Some OF his friends are aware that after
that unhappy experience he determined to trust
no intermediary nor place any dependence upon
verbal assurances or ambiguous expressions
but to require signed promise in black and
white of the Treasury portfolio before commit
ting himself to the support OF any Presidential
candidate There is reason to believe that ap-
proachcs in this behalf to Messrs Reed McKin
ley and Allison have been coldly received, while
the conditions, Of course, forbade any such sug
gestiOn to Harrison. Obviously the nomination
| of Governor Morton would offer most encour
agcment to Mr.. Platt for the qualification OF bis
ambition So there Is no reason TO doubt that
II he could select the candidate, Governor Nor
| ton would be bis choice. And this too perhaps
without a promise from the Governor in black
and white.
But there Is a grave doubt In the minds OF
many as to Mr.. Patt's purpose to stand by Gov
ernor Morton through thick and thin, first, last
and all the time, the NewYork delegation
did by Seward in 1860 and the famous 300
did by General Grant twenty years later. And
there is a welldefned suspicion that whenever
in the balloting, whether early or late, the time
comes. as it almost always does, for bargain
and trade, dicker and deal. Mr.. Platt, If he has
the power, will use the NewYOrk delegation and
the name, authority prestige and power Of the
Republican party Of this State for the further
ance of his own ambition in such a way as tc
bring the party into discredit II not to open
shame. This doubt and this suspicion have not
been disslpated nor quieted by any of the certif
icates of Mr. Platt's sincerity from his intimate
friends 1t is not likely they would be by any
asseverations Of Mr.. Platt himself His record
would forbid It, The New-YOrk delegation vii
90 to st. Louis, from present appearances, prac
tcally unit for the nomination Of New-York
candidate for President. 1t will be wretchec
| folly and ridiculous farce If In the end 1t shal
&ha4 thu raal is To trade OBJ Qlll