The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-28
HIS INPUDENCE.


Thomas c. Plat has made his way to
a position of great prominence and
power was never exhibited to the coun-
try in a more striking way than in his
speech at a dinner rendered to him by
his party henchmen in New York. We
all know what Mr.. Plat is. He is one
of the big party bosses, who holds his
position by virtue of the efficiency Of
whatever. In politics he recognizes no
moral obligation. He is not bothered
by theories Of right and wrong, but
conducts his affairs with a cold and
calculating mind. His system is as
simple as it has proved successful. He
relies upon the power Of organized
Doodle. He has not, as far as the pub
lie is aware, used public Office to en-
rich himself, but has made himself an
autocrat by enriching others and claim
ing and receiving their support as long
as they are the beneficiaries Of politi-
cal cOrruptiOns. Mr. Platt has in his
employ all the mercenaries of the state
They select certain representatives to
go to Albany and to introduce and
pass, or threaten to pass, bills affecting
injuriOusly the interests of the large
corporations which are so plentiful in
that commonwealth. Each one Of these
is practically ordered to stand and de-
liver, and, to save itself from legisla-
tive ruin, it gives up the sum that is
required Of it. The total proceeds,
which are very large, are then dis
tributed. by Mr.. Platt's orders, to the
various members of the machine, &C
cOrding to the value of their services
to him. Granting the absence of a
moral sense, the scheme is simplicity
itself, and its wonderful success is pat
ent to all. To those who have a
moral sense, to those who do not be-
lieve that the whole of life is a part
Of the boodling business, such a man
is to American politics what the arch
fiend himself was to the primitive
church. To such persons a lecture by
this man on the present aspect Of po-
litical life is at once disgusting and in
sulting.
The speech is not remarkable in any
way, as one may expect. A man who
has been engaged in the construction
Of such a machine as that which Mr..
Platt operates has little time to study
political economy or to fool with the
D7-in ciD1aS Of crov,orp,,ooo+ HvIo,,. l..
an idea in Mr.. Platt's head, relating
to the conduct of national affairs, that
is above the commonplace. He does,
however, touch the climax Of impu-
derce when he asserts that, in view of
the possibly continued agitation Of the
money question, the sound money
Democrats must come into the Repub-
Hcan party, exert their due influence
upon its policies and accept their share
Of the responsibility for it's work" If
the sound money Democrats had ever
had any such idea, and nothing has
been further from their thoughts or
more utterly beyond the bounds Of DOS
slblIty, 1t would be enough for them
to see that the Republican party is
now in the hands of such men as
Tom Plat and Matt Quay. The
sound money Democrats are not at all
concerned about their future, because
they propose to stand exactly where
they have stood in the past, as the ad-
Vocates OF those principles, and those
only, by which people can remain free
and their institutions endure. If they
should ever again be driven to a choice
between honest, but mistaken men.
who do believe in the people, who do
hope for the future Of self-government
but who have accepted fatally false
economic doctrines, and that organiza-
ton whose consummate type and
flower is represented by the bosses that
dictate Republican policy today, that
worship Doodle and that have already
inaugurated policy Of depressing the
people that they may have more mill
lions to lavish upon corrupt jobs, there
will be no hesitation. Already, before
the recently elected president has taken
his seat, every Democrat who trusted
Republican promises and was induced
to vote for Mr.. Mckinley must feel
both sorrowful and ashamed.
It is at least safe to say that, with