New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-15
PLATTI IN DEFENCE OF PLATT
TRYING TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THE
REPUBLICAN DEFEAT.

rou, AND THE CITIZENS. HE REITERATEs ARE
rIoNAL ISSUES DURING THE CANVASS,
HE NOW SAYS THE RESULT WAS
PURELY LOCAL
Senator T. C. Plat gave out the following state
ment last night
az, Is the plain purpose OF those Republican fac
tonists who failing in effort repeatedly made
10 control the Republican organization. projected
Seth Low Into the municipal campaign, thereby
dividing the anti-Tammany VOTE 10 force into the
public mind the impression that the responsibility
FOR this diy lson attaches not 10 tnenl Dut 70 tne
Republican organization. And, just as during the
campaign they stopped at no act OF treachery in
order TO create dIssension, A now they are hesi-
tating at no falsehood calumny IN order 70 pro-
mote 1t and keep 1t alive.
The malicious misrepresentation or these ihcu'a-
BILE factionists must not go unchaNensed' NO ta'r-
minded Republican who viii allow MS nina 10 go
back over the events OF the last six months can
fall TO remember that the attitude OF the Repub-
lean organization up TO the very last moment az
which the law permitted nominating certificate
to be flied much more than favorable to
union with the Citizens organization. Far-mnded
men will remember that when Mr.. Qu'-y assumed
the presidency OF the County Committee he made
the offer OF union distinctly and In terms. They
will remember that his offer distinctly
refused by those 10 whom Il addressed. They
will remember, indeed. that when the Citizens As
socs ton organized. il adopted a platform which
intended to commit It's members to the 'go-it-
alone policy. This platform denied the relation OF
a National political party TO municipal affairs. II
challenged the right o; the Republican party to
make Republican nomination. 1t placed upon
tie doctrine OF craftsmanship a new interpreta-
ton. and one which forbade the possibility OF CO.
operation between the Republican party and the
Citizens Union.
This DONE must remember. away back
In the spring. and before the average citizen had
begun TO consider what his political course should
be. Nobody paid much attention TO It at the time,
for nobody supposed II could mean that the Citi-
zens were going deliberately at work TO defeat
themselves. that they could obtain candidate
who would stand with them In such a suicidal
policy. The Republican leaders. however. who had
had long experience. both OF the impractical politi
cal theorists who had devised this folly and OF the
Republican factlonlsts who were expected to adj
yocate IT. perceived It's significance and the peril
Gus situation to which It was bound TO lead II
anticipated everything which the Republican party
could do TO secure a union. and repudated Il all
In advance. II demanded the unconditional sur
render Of the Republican party. not simply to OBJ
jectionable candidates. but to impossible platforms.
! II demanded that the Republican party must Say
that in municipal affairs Il would not allow Itself
| 10 he tho Republican party. and would assert no
right to make nominations or define policies.
The Republican leaders met this insoent chal-
enge without bitterness or resentment. TheS foun1
! no fault with the candidate whom the Citizens
| Union picked out as the expression OF It's purposes
/ and ideas. They do not now deny that they then
regarded him as precisely the sort OF man he has
/ turned out 10 bo-s yaingorous self-secker mas
| qucradng a Republican. but willing at any time
| 10 wreck the Republican ship on tho ledge OF his
/ own ambitions The Republican leaders do not
| now deny that they then opposed 10 the can
ddacy Of seth Low. but they allowed their opposi-
| tlon 10 take no definite or irritating shape. They
simply Insisted that the Republican party did have
| \ Just md inevitable relation 10 municipal affairs
that It did have the right TO nominate, and that
| ~ must exercise that right: that tho views and
wishes Of It's adh'rents were entitled 10 consldcra
| ton and that there ought % be union between
the Citizens organization and the Republican party.
| but that Il ought 70 be mn honorable. friendly.
| equitable union. under IN. terms OF which both
/ should have n voice In choosing candidates and In
! defining policies.
This was the exact state o, things up 10 the
! time when tho Republican County Committee
! adopted Commissioner Collis's resolution inviting
/ all anti-Tammany organizations into conference.
IN order that day might bc AIei when they
I should an hold their nomnating conventions 30
/ might be assured Tho Citizens Union refused to
participate 10 ,hi' conieroncc frankly aS'si',h s
go-it-alouc' policy. Can any honest man; IN INC
face OF that fact. charge III" responsi2nlHy 10,
| disun.on upon the Republican party Doe, not
! every honest man know tina, II the Citizens Mon
mao sohc, ~ 'e - Inevtnblcs Is il not plain
enough that the Republicans could not POSSIBLY o.,
| have broken Up. or have allowed To be broken UP.
| : conference which they themselves had orig
ina,sd7 VA.
stil ;hc fuprcne duty OF the Republican convention
10 do anything 70 avoid the uu.PcakabH cIainl'y OK
nar, Of dutv and patriotism to overlook both the
| iusolcnce OF the Citizens Union ana the inaIl.e
! 81 the Republican faciionistS who were pToWp,-
INK and encouraging 1t. tho answer IS that thsLe
! is one calamity worse than the success or tns
Eat - us su Nor u, BYookiyn had already de-
s s d9 owe X ReSubcan CANDIDATE FOR President lie
aid II by destroying the Republican organization
than by his 30 Greats h@re To
sointo despotism unhndered by any constraint OF
RanS. ,he voters would have held the Republican
Marty directly responsible FOR his every act: liz
ppT org would have been disrupted and II
wou5 have gone into the next National campaign
loaded down with popular Pre}udees onIs 10 btr
~ ~. nisfortunes himself conspirng as he had
dopo twice before 20 complete It's ruin by the cleo
io I0 81 nary Should be false to principles. The
fact that Mr. Low was not the man ior WHOM tne
Republican party coul afford TO De responsinle was
lawn by ais personal conduct throughout the can
vass II was shown when siIor s1yns tnu, n,
OF disruption. nc made himself the leader IN IN, IN,
ctin SoS M sblsc OF General Tracy. the man who
eaVe him his first opportunity ny generously rclir'
ihg ,o when. after the two nominations had been
Ge he refused or his managers refused for him
TO consider tue pIOpoSllIuH VI i,tHItb Jpl.ti1
Tre - Inc Republican candidate. and substituting
some such man as Secretary Cornelius y. Bliss o,
s eoWavor Frederick 4. Schroeder either one Of
1870 could have been made the leader OF united
VIII. n,nIous and victorious host. The fact that ht
!. ~ sort OF man who Is capable OF this enormiy
e. Of Itself complete justification OF the Republican
,nSapiv's refusal 10 have anything TO do with him
'"The Republican defeat in New-1ork city was .
| Ill defont It's In local
T." ,hc state above the Harlem River the Repub
uon maioritles were all that could be desired In
I,ant,oms ,broughout the country proved that he
ubi,can principles have lost no part OF the stronI
hold upon tie people of which the v,Siory OF aS9
E a,G n Ncw-York and in the city OF New-fork
We less than In the country districts Is sun power
no 'a,,os, a nd devoted. In the menace or anothe
Iu campaign factlona controversies VIII sooi
he FORGOTTEN and Republicans VIII be kepuphcah
| again" .,,or,oo- .,iiod n