New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-21
NEH.YORK " TIE SENATE.

It's not impossible that the published reports
OF The debate in the Senate over the resolution
offered by Senator Hoar concerning the pro-
posed reduction in the force OF ietter-carr'ers
and consequent cut in the delivery service
nav lead 10 Il misrepresentation as 10 the atu-
tude of our two Senators on tina; question. IL
is known of course. that the proposed acuoA
on The part of the Postotfice Department uas
created considerable feeling in this city wheTe
the abridcnent Of the service Wou'C "Orh
great inconvenience 10 all classes. AS mat
ter Of fact, this city. which furnishes most
revenue 10 the Department, would be the great
est sufferer by the change. The injustice OF IL
&c 50 apparent that very earnest and vigorous
protests have been made by our citizens against
II In this state Of things there may have
been disappointment in some quarters because
after Senator Hoar OF Massachusetts. represent
,pr the New-Engand metropolis. whose posta!
facilities were also threatened. had made an
earnest plea Oh behalf Of his constituents. there
was no one on the floor Of the Senate willing
or competent either 10 give expression 10 the
feeling on this subject or a least to rise ana
make a plain, straightforward statement OF the
facts in the case And persons or crlticai
temper knowing that this city and State had
two representatives in the Senate. may nave
said sneerincly. OF what Use are these states
men? What are they drawing pay for: Is
II the junction Of a Senator representing the
lal cest constituency in the Union ana the coun-
try's commercial metropolis 10 81 liz" DUMP
on log and say nothing when the interests OF
his constituents are a. stake!
This would be misrepresentation of the sltua-
ton Mr. Plat. is not by any means bump
On log Discussion and argument are not his
forte So ne does not engage in debate But
when the discussion is over and the DEBATE
ended and the thing done a cloud of witnesses
of great volubilty and adamantine cheek rise
up and say he did it. And then his New-lor
organ points to him with pride. kowtcws TO him,
turns reverental fip-fops in front OF him. ana
calls on all the elements to knock down. blow
out eliminate and exterminate everybody VINO
does not acknowledge his greatness. There was
some discussion. it mag be rememb cred, before
the 81. Louis Convention met and during It's
sessions concerning the financial plank III the
Republican platform a great many statesmen
took part in II. both in committee and in the
convention but there is no record that Platt
ever said word anywhere except in the Sc
clusion Of his apartments or the ear OF the
mccaphone Ouigg He was as silent and I'M
administrative in public as he was yesterday
and the day before in the Senate. 1t might
hove been supposed that he was bump on a
log AT St Louis But he wasn't. No sooner
did the convention adopt financial plank which
he never saw or heard Of till ii was definitely
agreed on. than Quigg and the whole retnue
rose I'D with a shout and said Platt did it, and
his New-York organ broke out in Mysteries pro-
claiming that Plat had saved the party from
self destruction.
In this matter Of postal facilities. although
while the debate was Cd there's no denying
that he did sit there dumb, like bump on q
log. IL is pretty certain that when the furry
is over and It is settled that there shall be no
curtailment in the delivery-as now seems
proba be-the ebullient Quigg will at once start
hosannas 10 Plat as the statesman who de-
serves the profound gratitude OF his constlt-
uents. the man who did II all; and we may also
expect Platt's New-York organ TO tell in its
own UNIQUE veracious way how Platt brought
the Postoffice Department TO terms by threat
ening TO resign or to let Quigg loose on them. or
some such thing as that. Oh, no; Plat is no
bump on a log, much as he looks 1t. He is
Great Silent Man. who without saying word,
after thing is done, did it himself. The great
State OF New-York never had two such Sena-
tors as Plat and Murphy at the same time.
True 1t hasn't much voice in the proceedings,
bur II holds down two chairs with uncommon
assduity and steadiness Of purpose