New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-14
THE LOST BOSS.
BRIEF REVIEW OF PLATTs RUINoUs
BOSSISM.
FUNDAMENTAL FAILACY OF HIS METHODS We
PARTY oRaANIzATIoN-RIPE OPPORTUNITY
FOR PARTY REORGANIZATION ON
SATISFACTORY AND sue

CESSFUL BASIS
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir The story goes that an Eastern monarch
Of antiquity, being about TO engage IN war
with a powerful rival. and being also anxious 10
ascertain what would be the result consulted an
oracle The response was Thou shat oeSu'S
a great empire He Interpreted TINS 10 INCA"
that he would conquer his rival ana destroy
his rivals empire Alas, the prediction Oh Tue
oracle was literally fulfilled but it was MS own
empire he destroyed. His hated rival trlumpheo
In the strife.
Had Mr. Platt consulted an oracle on the eve
Of the la:e municipal election in New-1o rK ne
perhaps would have received similar reply Al
any rate the result very similar IN pom
cases Mr. Plat destroyed a great organization
and politically killed great politician. 1t was
however himself that he killed and his own or
ganization that he destroyed.
The result was foreseen and predicted by
those having any knowledge whatever OF pohu-
cal affairs From the moment Of General
rracv's nomination 1t was perfectly apparent
that Tammany would elect its municipal ticket
in Greater New-York and its county ticket in
New-Yorx County. II was apparent, also that
the Democrats would elect their candidate Tor
Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. 1t was
also apparent that Mr. Low would receive
much larger vote than General Tracy. 1t was
repeatedly stated in The Tribune. both edltorl-
ally and In communications. that Mr.. PIatt
own political fortunes were at stake, ana 'hal
the party would not condone the suicidal poilcy
that, having damned through" the Greater
New-York bill. deliberately delivered the city
and the State. bound hand and foot. to their
worst enemies.
All this has come TO pass. The party Is every
where in revolt against the fat-witted, though
arbitrary leader whose fatal faulty overthrew
his party in the city and State and put S'o'Voo'-
600 Of revenues in the hands Of it's implacable
and INSCRIPTIONS adversaries. from which TO
create a corruption fund that will for years
swamp the Republican vote in the State and
perhaps in the Nation. The demand of the
marty is universal that Mr.. Plat step down
and out and leave it's leadership TO others who
will be more iudicous and successful and who
will lead IT along entirely different lines.
Mr. Plat at last fully realizes this condition.
He didn't at first He tried to brazen 1t out by
deuouncing the leaders Of the Citizens party
and by attempting TO hold them responsible Tor
the great disaster on account or the 1aIure
through their alleged perversity to unite the
anti-Tammany forces The folly of attempting
~ hold the party responsible for failure TO
unite that cost very nearly so per cent more
votes than the party of the accuser was 50 OBJ
vious that It entirely abandoned. and Quisg
was instructed to open wide the door to harmony
and unity.
Mr. Platt utterly and completely failed 10 real
tze the responsibilities that devolved upon him
as the leader of the party; and especially as the
leadar that compelled the passage Of the Greater
New-York bill by q reluctant Legislature. The
onnonents of the measure predicted precisely
what has happened. They said that the Repuo-
lican- Reform government Of Brooklyn would De
elininated that Tammany would control the
consolidated city. and from the revenues ana
the patronage this would place in It's hands COL
lect a corruption fund that would enable II 10
control the State and the Nation 1t was MI
PIatt's duty to prevent this at every hazard
and at every cost He might not be able to con-
troll all Mr. Lows distribution OF patronage, but
II was better to take what he could than 10 lose
It all TO Tammany and encounter TaInmany's
wall Of money In every county and In every city
and large village in the State That is why the
Republicans in the rural districts of the State
who have encountered Tammany's money In the
past are so severe in their condemnation Of Mr.
Plat Conceding that the Citizens party was
headstrong and cranky; conceding even that
Mr. Low was unrea sonable and too precpitate
IN taking the nomination OF that party. It was.
nevertheless Mr.. Platts duty TO concentrate the
united opposition 10 Tanmany and elect the
candidate Of the opposition. 1t was his duty to
stoop to conquer. If the mountain wouldn't go
TO Mahomet Mahomet should have gone TO the
mountain. It perfectly childish to throw
away every chance Of success when success was
so vital and essential and so completely certain
It might do under some circumstances to stand
off and pout because the other fellow wouldn't
play with you. and so you wouldn't play with
him. But the stakes were too great and the
consequences too mighty In this crisis for such
petty Juvenile conduct
Mr. Plat has always been disorganiZer and
a disrupter of the party. Never was the party
In better shape in the State and Nation than at
the Inauguration OF President Garfield IN 1881.
In less than two months after that event It was
torn and tattered and rent in twain because
Senator Platt was dissatisfied with the dstribu-
ton In the State OF patronage by the President.
He ned from Albany under circumstances that
ended his canvass for reelection, and also
made that of his great colleague. Senator Conk-
ling. impossible The discussions growing out Of
his quarrel with the President ended the Repub-
loan control Of the State for twelve years In
1884 he went back on his former associates and
supported Baine's candidacy for the Presiden-
tial nomination instead OF that of General Ar
thur and so the Presidential election in 1884
was lost He has always managed 10 leave his
friends and the party In the lurch.
Mr.. Platt's idea is to control the party by a
faction instead Of holding It together as an en-
tirety and of recognizing the whole party. He
builds up faction Of his INSCRIPTIONS thick
and thin supporters. and with this band of UNI
questioning followers held together by spells
and patronage seeks to dominate the party
and 10 govern the State AS he Wills 30 he
orders. The people will stand this kind Of die
tation about 80 long; then they revolt They
have reached this stage now. when they fully
realize the great disaster which has befalen
them In the humiliatng and most unnecessary
defeat In the recent State and municipal election.