New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-02
PLlTTS LITEST CONCESSION.

The announcement is made in "The Ncw-YOrk
SUM-" whose sources of information as to MI
Platt's purposes continue to be unimpcachable,
that fair and honest primaries are not an issue
IN this State so far as Rare Old Tom" Is con
cerned "All Republicans believe in that. said
"Rare Old Tom" according to THE sun land
Il would willingly sign declaration Tor such
primaries" We do not quite understand
whether our lively contemporary in It's COM
paratively new relation as rcprescntative-not
to say organ-of Mr.. Platt's regular Repub-
lcan organization offers this as concession in
the nature of an olive branch to the Anti-Ma-
chine Republicans. or only gives It as Il matter
of news. 1t is evident, however, that Mr. Platt
himself considers that he yields point in max
ing the declaration that he is in favor of fair
and honest primaries And it does have that
oppearancc perhaps at first blush, to innocent
and supplemented persons, who know that
Platt's powcr-in this county. for instance-has
been attained by unfair and dishonest primal
ries. and is dependent upon the same Tor IT'S
continuance 1t sounds like repentance and
conversion. But it sounds differently 10 one
who stops to consider that Mr.. Patt has never
admitted that the primaries conducted under
his auspices were anything else but fair and
honest
Fair and honest primarics.' says Rare Old
Tom" ..Why. cert. There can't be any differ
.cnccs of opinion in the Republican party on
that question | am willing myself to sign Il
declaration in favor of them. Let Us come to-
"gcther and harmonic upon that understand
ling: that we shall have fair and honest pri-
"marcs" But the difference between honest
Anti-Machinc Republicans and Rare Old Tom
hat NIT "a
and honest primaries. Rare Old Tom" says
we have been having fair ami honest primaries
all along: and that so long as the authority of
the regular County Committee is recognized,
and the Republicans whom it permits to BE-
enrolled are allowed to vote, and all whom II
refuses 10 enroll are prevented from voting.
there cannot be anything else Tie majority OF
honest Republican voters differ with Rare Old
Tom" upon precisely that point They say that
Rare Old Toms" organization in this county
Is based on fraudulent cnrOlments and dishon-
est primaries, and they want a change. They
want an organization in which every Repub-
lican voter shall have opportunity for enrol
ment and the privilege Of casting his vote at
opcn and publicly advertised primaries, in ac-
cessiblc locations, and having that vote hon
estly counted And when Rare Old Tom" says
lie Is III favor OF 1aT ana hottest iilt!
want to know more definitely what he means.
! If he rcpcnts Of and repudatcs the primaries
whose unfairness and dishonesty have aroused
Indignation that's one thing; if he persists In
saying that they have been fair and honest, and
so defines his notion of fairness and honesty.
| it is quite another
Meanwhile let no Republican be deceived by
any such prctcnce Of fairness or proifcr Of
| empty concession. Rare Old Tom is shifty
| bird. When he says he Is in favor of harmony
| he means that he is in favor Of everybody $
| harmonizing with him. and falling in under his
| leadership. When lie says he Is in favor of fair
! and honest primaries he means just such pri-
/ maries as his icutenants -Iauterbach. Thorn
! ton. Gibbs and the rest-have managed under
/ his inspiration and guidance Furthermore, let
no Republican take counsel of his timidlty
In the fear that the harmony Of the party may
! be disturbed by an honest, straightforward and
sturdy protest against the misuse of power by
men who have obtained it by fraud, and seek
to retain it by dishonest prctences and empty
concessions TO what they 1crisvely call 1.-THE
! better element Still further let no Rcpub-
/ lican forget that in the redemption Of the
partys organization from rogue rule. and the
/ partys name from dishopor. he has an individ-
ual duty TO perform as Republican and Il
patriot Rare Old Tom Platt' is well enough
in his way; rare enough. end old enough; but
there are serious objections 10 his being recog-
nizcd as 1.-The Republican master Of the State "