The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-24
A PLATT'S PUPPETS PERFoR-
NANCE.

newspaper readers are aware llldt an
attempt was made in the New York
legislature to pass law that would
completely gag the press and make po-
litical bosses tyrants whose acts could
not be exposed or denounced. The very
proposition was an outrage itself, and
was Indignantly received by the people
as we'll as the press. So formidable
became this Indignation that even the
political bosses who had had the meas
ure prepared and introduced. finally
qUailed before it and withdrew it. The
author Of the bill was Senator Els
worth. Of course it is well understood
that ne is nothing but a henchman for
Plat, the Republican boss. When he
withdrew the bill he said:
The responsibility upon which rested
its introduction does not now deem il
wise that this bill should be pressed to
passage, and without. on my part, as
Stunning any further responsibility as to
that than 1 had for its introduction, 1
withdraw it.
Was there ever such a confession of
self-abasement as this? And Mr.. Ellis
worth is the Republican leader of the
New York state senate! The bill
was a most Infamous thing, and it
seems it was put in charge of the right
man. He is being roundly denounced
by the New York papers, as he should
be; and the denunciation is not con-
fined to papers of different political
faith. Thus the Tribune says:
But who is the Responsibility? p"
What is the force which stands back
of Mr.. Ellsworth, performs his thinking
functions as a leader and lawmaker.
and uses him for the voting and speak
ing parts? Is ii the governor of the
state to whom a Republican senator
might naturally defer? No. Governor
Black has been opposed TO the bill Is
it the lieutenant governor? No. He
has spoken against it. Is it the secre-
taTy of state or the controller or any
state officer? No. They have no hand
IL the matter. Is it Mr.. Ellsworth's col
leagues for whom he is spokesman?
No. They were in revolt against it. Is
il the dictUm of a legislative caucus?
No. There has been no caucus. Is it
the recommendation of the state COM
mittee? No. The committeeman were
frightened at the thought of the bills
passage. Is it the power of a party
platform? No. There is no conven-
tion minute to that effect. Is it the
voice Of the Republican press? No.
The rarity papers have been wildly in
opposition. Is it the prayer of Republic
can masses? No. They declared that
the bill would wreck the party. What
then, is the force which moulds Mr.
Ellsworth as clay in the hands of the
potter? Who is the Responsibility"
Nobody on earth but Thomas c. Platt
Mr.. EllswOrth's Responsibility is
only another name for Quigg's Mas
ter" and Gruber's "Old Man" The
spcrsibility," and other aliases mean
simply the domination of one person
and he holding no place in the state
gOvernment-over legislation at Albany
in perfect contempt of popular inter
ests and republican institutions. The
pes pies representatives proclaim their
slavery to him and confess themselves
the impotent creatures of his will. SO
Ellsworth tried to pass the gag law to
friend, Croker, and now when that at
tempt has failed he is pushing for
Flat bill to give Croker the plumber
of rapid transit contracts. The people
are the voters, but Plat is the Re
sponsibility."
A severe scoring that. but not severer
than the case justifies; in fact, there
could be no scoring too severe for such
a man as Senator Ellsworth has shown
himself to be. The New York papers
rarely tire of making the most insolent
ami contemptuous remarks about the
far western states which it pleases
them to term rotten silver boroughs."
But was there ever witnessed in any
far western legislature such a scene as
that when Senator Ellsworth withdrew
his gag bill and confessed himself a
mere puppet of Platt's? There never
WAS, and may there never be.