New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-21
PLATT IN A DILEMMA.
IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS GRIP AT
SARATOGA
HOW THE ALDRIDGE BOOM GREW OUT OF ALL
BOUNDS TO PLATT's D1sCOMFfTURE-AN
AMUSING COMBINATION OF JEAL-
oUsIEs AND BITTERNESS.


be exciting and interesting than any that has
been held since Conlng and Fenton struggled for
supremacy at Syracuse quarter OF century ago
! The inevitable conflict between the machine and the
reform wing OF the party, which has been on for TWO
years would in Itself be sufficient to warrant
| lively session. But there are other conributory
causes tina. make this assurance douby sure and
| dspel all notions Of cut-and-dred proceedings In
connection with the Republican nomination for Gov
ernor.
Mr. Plat will arrive Tomorrow. At least so 1t
is reported here tonight. lie is needed The sua-
ton is complicated and perplexing and hourly grow
ing mere confused. The machine is In a bad way.
| He Is aware OF the fact. and his avowed determiha-
ton to be here three four days before the ballot
ing Il evidence Of it,
This troubIous condition of things Ia not entirely
due Mr.. Platts anti-machine enemies HIS
| friends and followers also responsible Tor II.
! Too many OF them want TO be Governor They are
not satisfied TO take turns or walt for one another
! They all insist upon having the office at the same
/ time.
| or course Mr. Plat expects to control the con-
| vention BY means OF enrolment in New-York.
! Albany and elsewhere. under the peculiar mathe'
NAUTICAL operations of the machine. whereby minori
ties made majorities. and by the skiful use or
| State patronage and an obedent Credentials Com
mttee. he feels certain that he will have at least
two-thrds of the delegates. This ought to make 1t
| easy for him to nominate his candidates. SO 1t
would under ordinary circumstances.
ALDRIDGE TROUBLES PLATT.
! But ordinary circumstances do not prevail at
present. If they did the various machine asprants
would drop out of the race the moment continu-
ance in the fight had become embarrassing to Mr..
Plat. They do not do so, and. what is more, they
are actually manfestlng rebelous spirit
George W. Aldridge, for example, who has been
breaking the hearts OF the Civil Service Reformers
by the way in which he has satisfied the hungry
and thirsty constituents Of Thomas Wheeler and
Charles w. Hdckett in Oneida has taken his own
candidacy for Governor entirely seriously to
suit the Boss. Two years ago. 1t will be remem-
bered, Mr.. Adrdge insisted being considered in
the fight for Lieutenant-Governor. In jocular
spirit Mr.. Plat assented. But there fun
about 1t with Mr. Adrdge and when he appeared
at the convention and found he had nothing but
gold brick" In the way Of nomination. he raised
such q that Mr.. Plat was only too glad TO
pacfy him by promise. subsequently redeemed,
OF the Superintendency OF Public Works. Unfor-
tunately there are no more lucrative offices OF this
kind pass around. and how Mr.. Plat is going to
buy off Mr.. Aldrldge this time is question that Is
now perpexing the minds of the eminent states
men who direct the machine OF the party in this
State.
Mr.. Aldridge IS very much in earnest. lie has
been working Industrousy for himself since
he obtained control of the canals He fixed his eve
on the Executive Mansion two years ago and he has
never avertcd his gaze from that objective point
All the Offices at his disposal have been distributed
In the light OF his browning ambition The result is
obvious. He has. as he claims. upward OF two hum
dred delegates In his favor and the worst of it, from
Mr. Patts point of view. is that most of these dele
gates for Mr. Aldridge regardless of Mr. Platts
wishes in the matter.
A realization OF this truth. ten days ago. led Mr.
Plat to bestir himself Up to that time Adrdge
had been carrying everything before him. The
canal counties were nocking his standard. His
boom had the proportions OF an Andree balloon. In
compa rison with IL Mr. Fishs strength was a soap
bubble while Wadsworths was geometrical point
position without magnitude. Ode had dropped
out OF the race entirely Secretary Palmer refused
to be bled by the Albany leeches who placed him
in nominatio Louis f. Payn's candidate. Con-
gresham Black, promised to rely for success en-
tirely on the exercise of his oratorcal powers as
temporary chairman. and Congressman Quigg
agreed to abide by the decision Of the Convention.
CHECKING A BOOM
Suddenly IT came . Mr. Platt's ears that the
Civil Service Commissioners were investigating
AIdrdges dongs They have unearthed such
mass OF evidence against the way in when the
Civil Service laws have been set at naught, par
ticuary in the oneida district that II Is said, they
arc going to ask for Adrldges removal by The
Governor on next Monday. Platt knew that this
would not trouble Aldrdge very much, but it
would lead to a bolt in the convention in case OF
Aldridge's nomination A bolt is the one thing
that he fears. So he set about to Kill off Aldrdge
hint was dropped officially about that time de-
poring the election OF canal employees as delegates
70 the State convention. Upon this hint his followers
began 10 act throughout the State. week before
Plat had told Wadsworths friends to keep that gen
t,euan ont of the race the contest being between
Fish and Aldridge. But before this information mad
reached Wadsworth word came for him TO be OF bet
ter cheer Plat had In the mean time. tried to en-
lven Fish's canvass. but somehow or other the
Speaker did not take very well The most obedient
machine men were reluctant to declare for him
They contended that it was bad politics TO nominate
a man who had been read out Of the Republican party
five years before and who wore Tammany diamond
studs in his shirt bosom. Plat soon became salts
hed that Fish would fill the BILL and cast his eye
over the State for better material.
ernor Morton first. but he did not. for he has a
grievance against the Governor-seyerli Of them. in
TACT Ills neutenants have many The Gov
ernor apparently gave up everything, but. with
characteristic ngratitude, they are not satlshed
Payn has never forgiven him for the way in which
his claims were passed over Worth remembers
mo wildly the veto OF the Brooklyn Charities biz,
and privately declares that he VIII bolt Morton rs
nomination. Gibbs tells a similar starry. Ills DIS
trict will rebel Morton; Others are equally hos
own lie made a crusade for Morton in the South
States las! winter i va Tss SAD IaHre 6 6Ht
most emphatically to the way in which the Gov.
Messrs simms. Anderson and Fortunes expense
accounts. .,. ,,,. J., ,,,
sable to the he machine and as neither Fish nor Gov
ernor Morton would do. Plat decided to take up
cial position Aldridge was quick TO the change
and he resented II at once but, nevertheless. Plat
continues push Wadsworth 1t is the best he
can DO lust now che action OF the Hendricks
Hiscock people in coming out for Wadsworth solid
lv is taken by the faithful as conclusive evidence
this point.
ALDRIDGE DEFIANT
Aldridgc's friends up in They de-
nounce Plati bitterly. declaring that whatever Aid
ridge has done I'm violation OF the Ciyi.-Seryice law
has been done in accordance with Platt's wishes
and at lis urgent request The most fagran. viola
tons OF the law were in Oneida County. where
every effort was put forth TO save Platts tool,
Uackett. from defeat Aldridge regrets this bit
tery now. and IT Is rumored that he will put the
RESPONSIBLE for this wrongdong on the shoulders
OF the staiwart Thomas Wheeler, Utica's ex-
10. the asalsiAnf slInerlnt ndenf In