The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-06
"reminiscences OF
Thomas {. PIaft

Walter Wellman, in 1imes-Herald.
One of the last things l heard before
leaving New York was that President
Mckinley and Tom Platt are getting on
so well together that the New York poll
ticians are simply amazed. They had
been expecting trouble, and some of them
are disappointed that it has not come.
Unconsciously they look back to the stor-
my days of 1881, when Conkling and Ar
thur and Platt were fighting Garfield and
Blaine. They are unable to see any rea-
son why President Mckinley should go
out of his way to please Tom Piatt, who
was the only bitter and unfair opponent
Mr.. Mckinley had before the st. Louis
convention. Nor can they understand
why Plat, who Is reputed TO be so much
of a fighter. should be willing to "knuc-
kle" to Mckinley, whom he SO savagcly
denounced a year ago. AS n matter OF
fact, whether these marveling politicians
understand 1t or not, Mckinley and Platt
are both men of peace. The former is
giving the country fine example of what
"a little tact and fairness will do toward
destroying factions within the party and
building strongly for the future.
Mr.. Platt loves peace, too He is much
more of peace man than he is generally
credited with being. A fellow passenger,
Chief Justice Goodrich, OF New York,
tells me a most interesting and 1 think
hitherto unpublished stcry of the Gar
field d-Conklng-Platt episode. 1t was on a
Monday that Garfield sent to the senate
the nomination of Robertson to be col
lector The next day Mr.. Platt went to
New York, and Wednesday morning told
Mr.. Goodrich the story which he now tells
me.
When the nomination of Robertson
reached the senate chamber Conkling and
ia W. "a
in the chair, and when the message was
handed him by the veteran Bassett he
opened the envelope in nonchalant,
| matter of course way, never dreaming
| that it contained the bit of political dyna-
mite which was to kill Garfield, ruin the
career of Conkling and shorten his days,
| and make himself president and lead in
| directly to mis- early death.
| When Arthur opened the envelope and
| his eye alishted upon the fatal words he
| turned as pale as a sheet He clenched
| the gavel convulsively, as If he would
| use it as a weapon. Then he beckoned
| to Conkling and Platt, and they both
| walked up to the vice presidents desk.
Arthur handed them the sheet of pap er
bearing Garfield's signature. Conkling
| looked at it, and an mdescribably fierce
| expression came over his face. Arthur
| was simply speechless and now livid with
| rage. Platt alone met the most unex-
pected situation with something like a
| calm and practical view.
Il shall resign my seat In the senate"
said he.
| "Why do you say that?" asked Arthur,
row recovering his speech.
| Because this nomination means war"
| replied Platt, land because l came here
for peace and am physically unable to go
| through such a war as this is going 10
| ln II tpin lyil MO hn
can save my life is by resigning."
| "P.att," said CCnkling, 1t will be fatal
| to my plans if you resign now. Promise
me you will withhold your resignation
for a few weeks, and if you are then of
the same mind / will resign with you"
Platt agreed to this and the bargain
was made Some weeks later Plat in
sisted upon resigning, ana Conkling's re-
signation, he being the senior senator,
| was offered first. Plat told his friend
and counsel, Judge Goodrich, of this
| agreement mado at the vice presidents
| desk in that dramatic moment before
the nomination was laid before the sena-
ate, within forty hours. The story told
here is as Plat himself narrated II, and
it effectually disposes Of the "Me-too'
sneer under which Platt rested in silence
for many years.
There has never been anything more re-
markable in the history of our politics
than Platts return to power in New York
and in the country. He is now more
nearly absolutely master of his party'S
affairs in his state thar any other Re
publican leader OF the north. If he car
win the Greater New York campaign ncXt
fall his place I'm be fixed in history as
the greatest Political captain of his time
He survived ne faux pas which killed
Garfield. ruiz "a Conkling, kept Blaine
| tf
tho White House, and caused such a great
upheaval in the politics of the country
He has risen above personal, politlca
and legislative scandals at Albany whicf
would have ruined almost any other man
He has more than once been near bank
ruptcy as a man of business, and as {
politician he has often risked everything
upon the turn Of a card,
Much of his time he has been fighting
for his life. He has often been so neal
deaths door that his family and Friends
thought all was over. Four or five times
he was picked up from the floor of hi
private room, where he had fallen in
| faint from sheer exhaustion caused bl
passage of blood. For more than a yea
he lived on peptoniZed milk, nothing els
passing his lips. For several years th
fight for life and health continued, with
varying success. All this time he wa
directing the affairs OF great corpora
ton and resuming his political leadership
| am told that Mr. Piatt has been I,
| more than one state or national conVen
tion from which Mrs. Platt feared h
Would not return alive He owes not onl!
his life but much of his success to tn
faithful care and unfailing good advic
OF his wife.
Under these circumstances, haying wol
his battle for political leadership and 70
health, is ii any wonder that Mr., Plat