New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-18
THE STOKER IN POLITICS.

| Apparently there is 10 end 10 the short-slght
ed folly Of Senator Platt's leadership of the
| Republican machine Of this State. Not satisfied
| with turning the chief cities of the State
against him. and unwarned by the falling off
Of support in the country. shown last fall and
again this month, he Is encouraging his chosen
| mouthpieces in Senate and Assembly 10 push
measures that must ALLEVIATE friends who have
been the buwarIS Of his power. He Is doing
| his best to prove that Jacob Worth knew what
| he was talking about when ne said: "Platt
| hasn't the power 10 recognize changed cond-
'tlons. Neither morally nor mentally Is he
qualified for leadership. Platts place is
"down among the coal-bunkers, and not In the
"pilothouse He no sooner gets into the pilot
"house than he begins TO apply coal-stcdng
methods to the art of navigation"
! There never was a better example Of coal
stocking methods than his man Ellsworth's bill
! for making newspapers liable to conviction for
| crime on general principles" 1t is an Illus
traton of the characteristic which Worth hit
| off when he said More than once when some
"broad-gauge Republican has been trying to
"draw him out on National issues have seen
him 60 into trance and be awakened from
"it only when some ward or district leader came
Cup to tell him that some other political duff
FER had been saying something mean about
him" Some Of the papers have been saying
something mean about him." and he has start
cd up from the trance nc had in the Senate
| Chamber while postal facilities for this city.
currency measures, Cuban relations and Ha-
waiian annexation were before the country.
He dozed along if he were private citizen
taking a rest cure, instead Of the representa-
tive of five million people. But people began
TO say something mean about him, and so he
called Ellsworth to pass a law to shut them up.
and he seems bound to do ii, in spite Of ali his
wlsest supporters say. He does not seem TO
know that his strength has rested In the sup
port of the country newspapers They in
fuenced masses Of voters who read nothing
else. and but for their favor the more pro-
grcssve elements Of the party would long ago
have abolished leadership potent only for disas-
ter Yet he is bent on offending them. making
them subject 10 the same annoyance he longs
to give his enemies, regardless Of the fact that
their enemies can annoy them and that for the
most part. they are small papers and poor and
unable to bear the annoyance
Then through Mr.. NixoL he is allowing every
farmer and villager whose town meetings have
come down 10 them from colonial times TO be
alienated by threats TO make local government
a part of the general machinery Of State adj
ministration and to invade all questions OF
nciGhborly discussion with MS imperinent po-
lltcal organization. To abolish the town meet
ing and elect country officers at general cleo
tons would overthrow time -honored nsttu-
lions and compcate every question about a
country road or creek bridge with the Gov
ernorship and Presidency. Even the Plat
papers are denouncing the scheme, but still.
it Is said, II will be passed. Plat has de-
cared for thoroughgoinC parisanship. New
York could not have n Mayor who was not his
servant or Cookers. and the country towns
must be brought into line. He seems to think
that the only way to preserve despotsm is
to stamp out every vestlge Of freedom, lest It
spread. SO he is trying TO stamp it out in the
town meeting.
Such schemes are natural for a stoker put In
power, but what kind of politics and states
manship do they reveal? Are they the folly
Of a brain tagged out, or the madness Of an
adventurer smoothing his own road to ruin?