The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-15
TOM PlATT'S HOT WORDS
He Calls Seth Low a Vainglori-
GUS Self-Seeker.
CITIZENS UNION SCORED
Columbias President MasQueraded as q
Republican Willing TO Wreck the
Republican Ship on the Ledge
of His Own Ambition.

New York. Nov Ex-senator Plat to-
night gave out the following statement:
1t is the plain purpose Of those repub-
lican factionsts who. failing i'm every
effort repeatedly made Ia control the
republican organization projected Seth
Low into the municipal campaign.
thereby dividing the anti-Tammany
Vote To force into the public mind the
impression that the responsibility for
this division attaches not 10 them, but
Ia the republican organization. And
Just as during the campaign, they
stopped al no act of treachery in order
10 create dissensinn. so now they are
hesitating at no falsehood nor calumny
IN order Ia promote IL and keep IL alive.
The malicious misrepresentation of
these incurable factionists must not go
unchallenged. No fair-mlnded repub-
lean who will look back over the events
Of the last six months can fail TO re-
member that the attitude Of the repub-
lican organization up to the very last
moment at which the law permitted a
nominating certificate To be filed was
much more than favorable TO a union
with the citizens organization. Fair
minded men viii remember that when
Mr.. Quigg assumed the presidency Of
the county committee he made an offer
to the union. They viii remember that
his ohcr was rs distinctly refused 10y
those To whom Il was addressed They
will remember. indeed. that when the
citizens association organized IL adopt
ed platform which was intended to
commit its members 10 the go IL alone
policy.
This platform denied the relation Of
national political party To municipal
affairs. II challenged the right OF the
republican party to make a republican
nomination. II placed upon the doc
trine of -partisanship' a new inter-
pretati"n, and one which forbade the
possibility OF cooperation between the
republican party and the citizens
union.
This Was done. we must remember
away back In the spring and before the
average citizen had begun to consider
what his political course should he. Mo-
body paid any attention at the time, for
nobody supposed IL would mean that
the citizens were going deliberately 20
work To defeat themselves, or that they
could obtain candidate who would
stand with theD in such a suicidal
policy.
=. ".
who had long experience, perceived its
significance and the perilous situation
to which IL Was hound TO lead. il an
ticipated everything which the repub-
lican party would do Ia secure a union
and repudiated all in advance. IL de-
manded the unconditional surrender nf
the republican party not simply Ia OBJ
| je-tionahle candidates but 10 impos-
siblc platforms. II demanded that the
republican party must say that i'm mu-
nicipal affairs II would not allow itself
/ Ia be the republican party and would
assert no right 10 make nominations on
define policies.
The republican leaders met an in
solent charge without bitterness and
- sentiment. They found no fault with
the candidate whom the citizens union
picked nui as the expression of It's our-
pose and ideas. They do not now deny
that they regard him as practically the
sort of man he has turned out tn be.
Nainglorious self seeker masuuerad-
ing as a republican. but willing at any
time Ia wreck the republican ship on
ledge of his own ambitions.
The republican leaders do not deny
that they were then opposed To the
candidacy of Seth Low. hut they al
lowed their opposition 10 take no defn-
ite or irritating shape. They simply
Insisted that the republican party did
have just and inevitable relation 10
municipal affairs. that II did have the
right To nominate and IL must ,Aegrise
that right. ihaS the views and wishes
Of it's adherents were entitled g con
sideration and thai there ought t1 he
union between the citizens nrglniza-
tion and the republican party, but that
II ought tn be an honorable. fricndly
aud .anltfful.la
| of which both should have n voice in
choosing candidates and in de lining
! policies.
This was the exact state of things
up To the time when the republican
county committee adopted Commits
sioner Coils resolution inviting all
anti-Tammany organizations into a
conference and harmonious action
be fixed when they should all hold their
nominating conventions. 50 that ready
confert nee and harmonious action
might be assured. The citizens union
refused tn participate I'm any confer
encc. frankly assigning as it's reason
the fact that II was committed to the
! 'eo-it-alone' policy. can any homes,
| man. I'm the face Of that fact. chargs
! the responsibility for disunion upon
! tk" republican partyg Does not every
honest man know that IL the cit,zcns'
union had gone into the proposed con
ference. united action would have been
\ Inevitable L. II not plain onnugh thai
! the republicans c,alld not have possibly
broken up, or have allowed 10 be
broken up. a conference which they
the mselves had originated?
The republican organization I'm the
| city Of New York. no less than in tho
! country districts. is still powerful.
! earnest and devote a. IN the menace II
/ another Rryanitc campaign factional
| controversies viii soon ha forgotten and
the republicans viii he republicans
| au1fn 20