New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-20
AN IMPOTENT FACTIONIST.

DR.. Johnson said that patriotism was the
I last refuge Of the scOundre Were he living
he might apply the same Idea to the struggles
of a repudiated boss. The self-respecting Re-
publcans who refuse to have any part In Mr..
I'latt's fraudulent and illegal machine are just
now being appealed to by the machinists to
forego their demands for the reformation OF
the party and told that even though Plat may
be Objectionable and the machine bad, they
should stand by 1t FOR the sake of the Admin
istration and the country. Some timid souls
who at one minute are convinced that it Is i'm
possible for self-respecting men 10 be allied
with Plat even for good purpose, as soon as
the fight against him grows hot, quaver: NO.
mo. Don't anger him. He's bad man, and
''we'd like TO get rid of him as much as any
"body, but If we make him mad he'll carry out
that rule-or-ruin policy Of which we've told
you. He'll smash up the patty, and he'll use
Ibis position in the Senate TO block Republican
measures and hurt the President"
To these weak-knced persons who have not
The courage of their own convictions It may
be said that Mr.. Plat has already done all
that he can do in the direction Of their fears
He has carried out his rule-or-ruin policy he
has done his best TO smash the party, he has
done all he could do TO injure the President he
has made his position In the Senate an instr,-
ment of bla ckmail with which to extor. from
the party at large tolerance Of his selfish schem
ing. His power In this direction is exhausted:
he has done mis- utmost, and no provocation Of
desperation can make him more harmful to the
party in open warfare than he has been In blum
derlng and vindictive leadership.
Mr. Platt has injured Mr.. McKinley's Admin
istraton all that was In his power. 1t was he who
in May, 1895, declared that Mr.. Mckinley was
simply a clever gentleman, much too amlable
and much too impressonable to be safely i'll
trusted with great executive Office" who
charged that he "acted in every situation not
"from settled principles and convictions, but In
accordance with what he considered at the
'time TO be popular" and who In n last desper-
ate attempt TO beat him said
The Republican delegates should find the cam
didate who viii take Office with the confidence
Of the country. and not with its apprehension
and disgust; who Is known to be free agent
and not mortgaged UP TO his eyes with pledges
that can never be performed and expectations
that can never he satisfied: who Is safe nd not
erratic: conservative and not impusiv, n these
general principles are agreed 10 they .ider the
selection Of Major Mckinley impossible
These phrases that he invented were used
10y the Democrats against Mr.. Mckinley In the
campaign, and since have been the bIllingsgate
most ready OH the tongue Of his enemies.
Cowed by Mr.. McKinley's success, Plat be-
came vociferous in pretence Of devotion, but his
devotion to party and President has been at
every stage that Of the road agent. Instead of
working to carry out the party policy he men,
iced 1t with "hold-up" every time he wanted
anything. and sought TO make the public think
he Administration was his creature by os-
tentatously claiming that he dictated actions
that came Oily to his knowledge after they