New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-20

THE PLATT CONFERENCE.

I There seems TO have been hitch somewhere
i, the arrangements for a mass meeting OF ne
publIcan leaders Of the several communities
comprisipp the Greater NewYork in Senator
Tromas c. Platt's rooms at Washington. One
p tho reasons given for this unusual gathering
of representative statesmen at point so 1ar
away from the scene Of their present and pro-
suectiye activities was that 1t would demon
s,rate 20 all the world the fact that the Repub-
rcan leaders of Greater New York recognized
,uthoritatively and fully the headship OF Sen
a.or Plat in the party and his absolute power
r., direct it's policies choose its candidates ana
control its machinery 1t does not appear 10
bav. heen a success in this respect. The same
men or some of them, who have always been
snhseryient 10 his dictation were there, and
dopbtless repeated their attesations OF Loyalty
ond allegiance. but there were none from the
outlving districts and only few from New
York County. and what they did or said has
utt,a or M Significance SO far as can be learned
they are ashamed OF il themselves, and senator
Plat for his part must look upon 1t as a piece
of foolshncss and a failure. The newspapers
nronounce il n fizzle And it was that. obvious
" ~ serious effort was intended TO exploit the
Senator as the duly recognized and ofnclaLy de-
clared Boss of the new municipality. The Sig
ni6cance of il was not so much in the number
ond imnortance of the Senator's visitors as in
tho number and importance Of those who were
expected to &C. but who hung back, stayed at
home and made explanations.
II is not going 10 be so easy for Mr.. Plat TO
extend his dominion over the new city as 1t was
10 create the city, or as Mr.. Lauterbach and his
coadiutors supposed ii would be. There are
others: other Bosses, other views Of policy and
candidates. and other and conflicting claims for
precedence We shall hear more of them later.
To Mr. Lauterbach and Mr. Gruber and the other
plIgrIms doubtless nothing seemed easier than
to summon the Republican leaders of Brooklyn
and the other localities shortly TO be consolidated
under the new charter 10 Washington 10 receive
orders from the Boss whom they recognized as
supreme. And it probably did not occur to them
that any one of these leaders would either re-
fuse 10 answer the summons or make excuses
for s,ayjng away. Ii may have been a revea
ton TO them that Messrs. Worth and Buttling, OF
BROOKLYN. and other leaders even in their own
baYIwick did not think it worth while 10 go to
Washington 10 get orders from Mr.. Plat for
the coming municipal campaign. Their non
appearance may not be a sign Of revolt but 1t
indicates at least that they are not quite ready
TO merge their local importance and influence as
leaders in the supremacy Of New-York County
and the Boss-ship OF Mr.. Plat. They are not
kicking, perhaps. but they are in waiting
mood. and IN no hurry 10 abdicate.
The only result that seems TO have been
reached was what was known before. that Mr.
Lauterbacn could not be persuaded to remain In
the presidency of the County Committee. This
had been announced and repeated over and over
again. Even Senator Plat could not swerve him
from his determination. II there any ex
pectation that his successor would be agreed
upon at this meeting it was disappointed. The
Hon. Lemuel Ely Quigg. who is most talked of
for the succession. manifested, If not unwilling
ness at least reluctance Ii could hardly he
pected that he would do otherwise. Under the
precedent, established by Mr.. Lauterbach the
Office cannot be filed except with the utmost
reluctance and II would be highly improper for
Mr. Qugg to accept il until his reluctance had
been manifested and overcome As soon as Mr.
Lauterbach's resignation Is formally accepted
we have no doubt that effective measures VIII