The times., 1897-03-28
THE LOUNGER ON THE AVENUE.

1 think we were discussing, two or three
| weeks ago,-were We nOt?-the difference
| between having, in this matter OF seeking
| office, an influence that is really for you
| and one that is merely for you, and IL
! hasn't surprised me bit To find out that
| Thomas Collier Platt is going to be one Of
| the influential persons who Will really
| be for you If he pretends to be. He
| has already sent word to the President, To
| his secretary and TO the various Cabinet
officers that they are not to pay any at
tention 10 any recommendations that pre-
tend to be brought to them from him. He
has recommended nobody and isn't yet
ready TO DO so He is going first to see
what the Republicans of New York want
and then he will submit siate-w tlch OF
course, the President and his advisers can
follow or not, as they choose. At any rate,
he is going to tote fair with the office
seekers of New York.
When the slate is first roughly made Mr..
Platt is going to try to determine with
his own advisers who are the most deserv-
in ng among all the candidates from a party
point of view. From these he Will sift
those who might turn out to be incom-
petent or not thoroughly efficient. Out
of the remaining ones he will pick as
many as he thinks New York State is en-
titled to, and these he win urge upon the
President In that way Mr. Platt avoids
hothering Mr. Mckinley and his Cabinet
officers, he escapes a tremendous amount
Of worry himself and he acts on the square
with everybody.
We have known things to be far differ
W. L..
many persons of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. among
them-to take eager constituents and ill
advised ones, as wen as friends and ac-
quaintanees from everywhere else out
side of their constituencies, up to the White
House and around to some of the depart |
nents nearly every day. They may not
intend to deceive these people, but they |
surely do deceive most of them; for I |
don't think it would be bad guess to !
say that every one of these men appear |
interested In ten times as many persons
as can possibly be appointed. The result |
IS that the poor, deceived devils hang /
around build their hopes on nothing. and
finally. go home disgusted, out of temper |
and out of money. l have known prOmi /
nent people to give applicants for favor
strong letters of Endorsement or OF intro
duction, and then dispatch messenger
to the officer to whom the introduction
was given, to say to him. before the ap-
plicant got there, that no attention was to
be paid to the letter
The way of the Easy Boss is surely bet
ter; and if you ever stop to think Of it,
probably the President and Mr.. PIatt Hn-
derstand each other thoroughly. Later
on you Will find Mr. Mckinley, Mr.. Bliss
and Mr. Platt sitting down together
quietly. and deciding all Of a sudden about
two or three bushels of New York appoint
ments.
There is no doubt that chickens come
home to roost. Recall the case of the
Northwestern governor whose wife is said
10 have snubbed the wife OF q North west
,rn Senator on one occasion? 1t Is prob
.bly a true bill; and probably it is true
hat Senator Davis, who is chairman of
Foreign Affairs in the Senate now, and
about as big a toad as there is in the Sen
4torial puddle, prevented the appointment
f ex-Gov. Merriamto auyimportant place.
And now hear that this same Mr. Merriam
las received all the recognition he viii get
rom this Administration in the promotion
ntendent of the stationery room in the
Pension Office. The gentleman's name is ,
fohn Hancock, surely a distinguished name;
or doesn'tit suggest to any Of US who have
ver dined on the south side of the Avenue
be finest of chicken dinners, with no end
f white gravy, and the finest of cocktails ,
,ith no end OF sugar fringe and fruit de-
ending from the tops of the glasses? ,
Marcus Aureiius Hanna Is seen standing I
n the corner talking to constituent. A
eaceful and fatherIy smile iTradiates his
ace. 'You wish something in the Treas I
ry," Mr.. Hanna is saying Another peace
I'll and fatheriy smile iEufninates the mid
lie distance on the face of the approach
e Roberto. IngeTsoll. Passers-by knowing Y
9th these distinguished gentlemen hesi- {
ate second in expectation of happy '
leeting. 1t does not come. sfr. Ingersoli !