The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-27
PLAT IS DINED.
NOTABLE POLITICAL EVENT AT
ALBANY, N. z.
A Thousand at the Tables and Many
Hundreds of Spectators-What
the Republican Party Should Do.

the Repub 11can EarIy onou4o 10
Albany, Jan. 26-Hon. Thomas c
Plat was tonight honored by ban
quet rendered to the senator-elect by
the New York State League of Re
publican Clubs. Harmanus Blocker
hall was the scene of the festivities
In addition to nearly a thousand at the
banquet tables, several hundred spec
tators occupied seats in the dress circle
and the galleries.
Among the speakers were Senator
elect Thomas c. Plat, Governor FRANK
S. Black, Mr. William Pitt Kellogg OF
Louisiana, President Woodmansee OF
the National League of Republican
Clubs: General r. A. Alger of Michigan
and Hon. Chauncey NJ. DepeW-
Letters of regret were printed upon
the menu cards from Vice-Presldent-
eject Hobart, ex-President Harrison
and half q hundred United states sen
atOrs, governors of states and presl-
dents of Republican leagues. Te!egraIns
of regret were received from President
elect Mckinley and Mark A. Hanna
and many others.
1t was before the toast list was
reached. President Calvin introduced
the guest OF the event.
Mr.. Piatt received a royal welcome.
His remarks were so well received that
he was interrupted time and time again
by the VociIerouS applause OF his many
friends Mr.. Platt said:
Il is not without hesitation that I have
again accepted the responsibilities OF pup
lie office. Indeed. it seemed as though the
temptation 10 90 so had been pun pH' anu
that the remainder of my life would
have no other relation to public affairs
than sucn az becomes every citizen. Nor
could the situation have arisen in which
] should have sought even so high an
honor as the one just conferred. l shall
be acquitted, I think, of any affectatiOn
about office seeking and office holding, but
= is fact that l have not been can
didate for the senate.
1t is especially gratifying TO re-enter the
senate coincidentally with the Inaugural
ton of a Republican president. The sup
port given by the state Of New York TO
Major Mcl<inley's candidacy abundantly
testides of the high hopes which our
people base on his patriotic wisdom The
success of his administration viii be the
SUCCESS OF the Republican party. and no
contribution that / can make TO that
great cause viii be wanting.
Sufficient time has passed since the No
Ve~lber election TO permit Il close exam
'inatioE of its results. It can not be
said that they are wholly satisfactory.
The beWilCeClng programme or leElSld-
ton proposed by Mr.. Bryan obtained SO
great Il Popular SuDport us 10 tOrDln the
idea that agitation il It's favor viii be
abandoned, and our Democratic friends
Who, without giving unqualified adhe-
sion 70 Republican principles We're, new
erthelesss constrained by their conVic-
tons on the money question TO support
the Republican candidates, should give
sober consideration TO this fact. 1t is
not yet certain that any plan for the re-
lei Of the treasury can pass the senate
as ii viii he constituted after the 4th
of Ms~ch Capital will not invest, pro-
duct.on VIII not increase, labor will not
10 nd. al arste.lnH-eG
passed 70 insure the treasury against
insolvency and 20 guarantee to the bust
1.esS interests OF the country a safe and
reasonably permanent basis on which TO
operate If the changes in the compost
ton OF the senate now in progress shall
iel 10 produce a majority that can hold
together for the enactment of such leg
jSl2t-On, We ShalI nave The same fight
ont OF which we have just come to make
again four years from now. under prob
ably less favorable conditions.
People do not agitate themselves over
theories of finance when they are getting
along com fortably. The clamor for the
free coinage of silver became serious only
when an ill-considercd tariff measure
threw the business of the country into
confusion and left the treasury without
an income sufficient TO meet It's inevitable
expenditure II was Their that the peo-
pie began 10 lend an ear 10 the theorists
who told them that there was something
the matter with their dollars. It was
not in human nature for those who had
enacted TINS mistaken law 10 ADMIT IL TO
be the origin OF troubles which At once
came upon the country. and they cast
about for other causes. One OF these
they found in the greenback and they
fell 10 abusing that useful feature of the
with especial bitterness. 1t may
he n Il the greenback is not an IDEAL
form in which 10 impress 4 public debt,
or TO supply the people with a substitute
for money and Il certainly is true that
no substitute for money should be legal
tender. But ii was not the greenback
that caused the demand for gold. nor was
it the greenback that shut down mills
and reduced the opportunities of labor
ana the earnings of investment. 1t was
the Wilson tariff law which did these
things. and there would have been Just
as much gold to raise and just as much
trouble raising it had the burden been on
the banks instead of on the treasu--'.
and even then there would have been an
treasury deficit
There can be no pretenSe that the
American people do not desire TO return
to the protective policy. The people do
not want the Wilson bill patched up.
They want i repealed
II there is no other respect in which
the country is TO be congratulated upon
the result OF Mr.. CleVelands administra-
tor & may be admitted that since the
present secretary of state assumed the |
direction of our foreign affairs. the posi- /
lion of our country abroad has improved |
/ have had no fair opportunity to eX-
anime the text of the arbitration treaty |
,r TO consider the possibilities that may
arise under its various provisions. but |
with the principle involved ii seems as !
though all civilized men must be symDa- |
hectic. We neither wish to govern Cuba /
nor TO figgit Spain, and no act of govern !
nent should be performed that leads us |
n the direction OF either of these enter |
)rises.
vf1ile. Mr. Chairman. since such a cele- |
ration as this was possible. Let us
axe care that four years hence it shall /
rave no such seeming. Let US prove /
,lIrseIyes competent and honest and truly !
representative of the hopes and impulses !
Governor Black followed Mr.. Plat. |
lis response presented the usual ele- |
nent of briefnesS.
Loss, SIS, 900.