Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-04
LOU PAWN.

Lou PAWN.
This sporty New Yorker IS victorious.
great battle has been fought around
and about him, and he has "downed" his
enemies.
Our people are not so well acquainted
with the name of Payn as they are with
that of Corbett or Fitzsimmons, or those
of the chief baseball players; but, for
all that, Payn is a famous man. His
distinction was won at Albany. where
he piled his business as a lobbyist. and
where he was well-known TO legislators,
and to such persons as wished to trade
with the legislators.
Ii is on record we believe, that Lou
Pawn once admitted upon examination
that he was a lobbyist. He was not only
a lobbyist but he was. and is
an "all-'round sport" More-he is
a successful politician of the Tom Plat
faction. and through his connection with
that all-powerful New York boss, has
just succeeded in capturing the Office of
Insurance Commissioner of that State.
When 1t was first suggested that Tom
Platt would cause Governor Black to
nominate Lou Payn as Insurance Com
missioner, a mighty chorus of groans
and yells OF derison went up from the
New York press And from that time
TO this the abest and best of the New
York papers, without distinction of party.
have fought bitterly against the appoint
ment But all in vain. Useless was
their presentation of the unsavory re-
cord OF Payn. Futile the proof they
presented that Payn was incapable of
filling the place. Platt's decree had to
be executed. Governor Black bowed TO
the mandate from Platts Headquarters.
and thus at one stroke separated him
self from the anti-Platt faction, which
IT.. had Heretofore looked upon him with
liberation, at least. Black saw that he
was bound to offend one side or the other,
and ne chose, rather, to serve Platt
than the more respectable element of his
party. In due season, also. the nomi-
nation was ratified by the State Senate
but not without bitter fight. And now
the Hon. Thomas Plat knows that he Is
not only the senator-elect to succeed
Dave Hill, but is also the absolute boss
of the executive and legislative depart
ments at Albany.
So II is that Mr.. Plat to-day Yields
a power second only to that of the Presi-
dent of the United States. Indeed, in
some respects he is mightier man than
the President. The President cannot
control Federal legislation. But Mr.
Plat and his coterie can say absolutely
which bills shall and which shall not
become laws in the State of New York.
Great cities and great private corpora
lions alike have to go to him for per-
mission to get any legislation that they
may need.
This is no fiction; 1t is a fact--a fact
aiscreditable to the Empire State. and
one which goes to show that it has not
q real republican form of government.
However we must do our friends. the
enemy. the Republicans Of the State Of
New York, the justice to say that they
are unceasing In their opposition 10
Platt bossism. They have on their side
the most influential organs Of public
opinion In New York, and have some
other very active and capable leaders
BY holding up TO public gaze the odious
personality Of Lou Payn, they may hope
20 bring Plat and Black TO terms. But
It all depends upon what Mckinley will
do. He may use his patronage against
Platt-but we doubt IL he will.
Major Mckinley may be disposed to
Kick against the pricks at first. but if
he does, Plat may organize the United
States Senate against him. What with
senatorial courtesy" and what with
Platt's transcendent genius as an or
ganizer, we do not expect that afcKin-
ley viii be able TO ''cail him down"
easily.
The unappeasabie opposition Of so
many Republicans 10 the rule OF Plat,
Black, and Lou Payn would give the
Democrats OF the Empire State fine
opportunity 10 walk In and relieve the
people; but alas. our party IN the En-
pire State II almost wreck. II can ac-
eomp'ish nothing until It II reunited.