New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-15

when the Republican legislative caucus nomi-
mated on the first ballot the Hon. Thomas e.
Plat for United States Senator by the very de-
cisive vote of 142 against for the Hon. Joseph
H. Choate The conditions leading up to this
result had been ceverly arranged by shrewd
political managers, in the midst of Presidential
campaign which offered unusual opportunities
for the exercise of their peculiar talents, that
there has not been doubt In the mind OF any
intelligent observer since the election as 10 the
ultimate outcome. Entertaining no doubt OF his
election Mr. Platts friends have manifested ex-
IRENE anxiety that there should he no opposl-
ton to him. but that the choice should he unan-
nous. The intensity of their desires In this re-
gard has led some of them into expressions OF
hostility toward those who differed with them
as unnecessary as they were unworthy ana uh
becoming Now that the contest Is over. we be-
lieve that with returning reason these gentlemen
will he willing to cOncedc that the supporters OF
Mr. Choate are entitled to respect for the manly
courage and steadfastness with which they stood
ND for their conscientious convictions and right
cons sense of duty in what they knew was for
lorn hope
Mr. Plat needs no introduction to the readers
of The Tribune. In the twenty-five years or MS
political career this journal has had frequent
occasion to comment not only upon his official
acts when engaged in the public service. but
upon the practices and methods Of his political
management when not in office by which ne Is
chiefly known That these comments have been
almost invariably unfavorable to his character
as a broad mnded statesman, or as discreet,
sagacous and clcar-sighted party leader. our
readers do not need to be told His career I'D
Congress from 1872 to 1876 was inconspcnOus
and uneventful. His activities were confined en-
tirely to the discharge Of functions connected
with the distribution Of official patronage. Inc
advent of the Hayes Administration in 1871
found him a hopeful candidate for Cabinet hon.
ors in the expectation Of which he was disap-
pointed. In September Of that year he was put
forward by Senator Conkllng as president OF the
Republican State Convention at ROCHESTER, and
upon taking the chair read a carefully prepared
speech attacking the Republican Administration
On January Is. 1881, he was elected United
States Senator to succeed Francis Herman. He
took his seat on March 4 and addressed himself
at once to the task of directing the Federal ap-
poir. tments in this State. FOreseeng his failure
TO defeat the confirm ltiOn Of President Garhelds
appointee as Collector of the Port Of New-YOrk,
he angry resigned his seat on May 16, and, Sen
ator Conklng having taken the same action for
the same cause. the State was left unrepresented
in the Senate until July. Defeated for re-elec-
tion ever since except for Quarantine Commits
sionershp. he has been in retirement so far as
public office is concerned, though very much IN
evidence during the last eight years leader.
adviser and manager. In 1883 he was again can
didate for n Cabinet position. and being disap-
pointed. became a personal enemy of President
Harrison He has been member Of every Re
publican National Convention since 1876.
During all this time he has been constant and
interchangeable IN his activities as political man.
ager and. naturally enough as the leader OF
faction. The claim Of his friends that he has
always been Republican, In so far as relates
to the support of regular nominations and voting
the ticket at the polls. will not be disputed. But
that his management has been fractional, his poll
cies devious and his methods questionable is
unfortunately equally true. That he carried
these practices so far as to put himself and 10
some extent the party organization. on trading
terms with Tammany when that body was Mt
the height Of its power and doing It's worst was
so generally believed by the better class of Re
pubcanS that popular uprising against the
rule of Bosses and the whole system Of Bossism
took place in 1892. That the main purpose of
the inharmonious and misdrected efforts which
chine of this county. which had fallen into dis
reputc and dcpose Mr.. Plat as its leader was
obvious from the outset Mr.. Plat not
only sacacous enough to see 1t. but shrewd
enough TO fall in with first one and then the
other of the two organizations. whose divided
counsels furnished him the opportunity, and in
the end defeat both. re-establlshing the machine
and rehabilitatng himself with greater power
and prestige than ever The remssness and
lack of conference of his opponents gave him the
opportunity to put himself at the head Of the
movement for Levi 7. Morton for Governor, and
his hold upon the State machinery gave him con-
troll Of the Legislature. So for the last three
wears he has been more than ever the Boss, with
all the power and all the opportunities which
the term implies.
II is useless to deny the possession Of certain
kind of talent to a man who has accomplished
what Mr. Plat has during the last three years.
But il is talent of that kind better described as
"smartness." and not that Of a statesman, or
even of hgh-class politician In his vigorous
and vituperatve campaign against Mckinley
before the ST. Louis Convention he made seri-
oIs blunder, but in the agility with which he
came to the front afterward, and the cool au-
dacity with which he claimed the credit for
shaping the most important plank in the plat
form. he showed readiness Of resource with the
versatility and fexibility Of the professional poll
tican. 1t is because Of the record he has made
for himself. the salient points Of which have
been briefly touched upon, that The Tribune has
opposed his leadership OF the party, which 1t be-
eved TO be demoralizing and debasing. and OPP
posed his election TO the United States Senate,
where it is to be feared lie will repeat his former
experience in antagonzing President whose
nomination he opposed. And yet 1t may be that.
remembering the disasters to the party and to
himself which followed his attempt to hold up
a former Administration because It refused to
do his bidding. he will hardly care to incur the
risk Of renewing that experience. However that