New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
PLATT A WRETCHED PILOT.
HIS PLACE IS REALLY AMONG THE COAL
BUNKERs. SAYS WORTH.

SOME INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS on THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STATE BOSS
HIS FAILURES ATTRIBUTED PRI-
MARILY TO LACK OF BRAINS.
There was large gathering Of friends OF
County Clerk Worth at his Office In the Hall
OF Records Building Brooklyn. yesterday. in
Guiding Sheriff Buttling. Controller Palmer.
Police Justice Bremen. Police Justice Lewis
Worth and William Muldoon. OF course. Mr..
Worth was there too He has been in the hands
OF his doctor friends for a number of weeks since
election and yesterday he told a Tribune re-
porter that he had not felt better in ten years.
"I notice." said he. that The Tribune is max
ing a commendable effort to make the primaries
fair and open In New-York Unless that is done
there will be no hope OF success in the city or
State for the Republican party next fall. or any
other time. So-caed leaders may go on. and by
hook or crook prevent Republicans from Joining
their district associa lions. but the punishment
for this kind of wrongdong will come at the
polls II the hidebound association men refuse
this TO the people, 1t will be a confession that
they distrust them, and when a party gets into
that condition 1t cannot win battles.
You said some time ago that you were con-
WINGED that the principal weakness OF Senator
Plat az a leader was that he lacked brains
said the reporter Have you changed your
opinion OF him."
mot in the slightest particular" was the re-
ply THAT is his worst failing. He Is never
able to tell what Is going to happen. He thought
that General Tracy would win, and kept telling
his friends so, and when the blow hit the Re-
pubcans he was so stunned that he didn't open
his mouth for week. Platt hasn't brains
enough to measure his adversary. He hasn't
the power to recognize changed conditions.
Neither morally nor mentally is he qualified for
leadership.
"Platt's place" continued the grizzled OLD
leader. as he knocked the ashes from his cigar
sis down among the coal bunkers ana not III
the pilot-house. He no sooner gets INTO inc
pilot house then he begins TO apply coal-stoA-
ing methods TO the art Of navigation, and he IS
on the rocks before he knows It, More than
once when some broad-gauge Repuphcah mas
been trying to draw him out on Nationai issues
have I seen him go into trance and be a"ah-
ened from 1t only when some ward or district
leader came UP to tell him that some o,ner
political duffer had been saying something mean
about him. That always wakes Piatt up W IN
start He likes to play the little ieiows asa.hss
each other. to see their petty schemes come 70
grief to hear them 'cuss. and then 10 feei tnat
ne is the mogul that is responsible Tor all the
fuss. 49,, a.. co-,o-
when Black was nominated Tor GoveinoI
Plat would have had himself nominated II IL
hadn't been for me. ! said to him: why. you
couldn't be elected Governor OF this state Inc
people are against you. OTTER men on tne
ticket might win bv 10000 bu; the people
would scratch you and elect Democrat Ihey
wanted me to run for Mayor In Brooklyn once
but told them that / could never be electeu
and II would be the same with you. Wen ne
thought this was a hard way OF putting IL. put
he finally came down to realizing sense OF the
truth. and Black was nominated. / told him
et the same time that the only thing he could
hone for was some Office that did not come Oh
rect from the people. He came around 70 my
way Of thinking on that point, too ana mao
himself elected United states Senator OF
course that Is all ancient history now. but II
illustrates what say about Patts lack OF
brains.
II haven't very much hope that Plat and the
men who think as he does will give up the ship
OF their own accord. They Will scuttle II hrst.
They came pretty near II this time and they
will finish the Job at the earliest opportunity
unless they are taken by the neck. From what
I hear the sentiment is just as strong to-day
against Plat as a leader as 1t was on Elecuon
Day II this sentiment Is kept alive Platt Will
finally be discarded and better order OF Things
will prevail. Sentiment is strong for new
order Of things. AS I said before. unless the
machine leaders show a fair and neighboriy
spirit In allowing Republicans and Democrats
who really want to to come Into the organiza.
ton, we shall not win battles. IT IS CRITICAL
time with the organization In this State