New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-24
WORKING FOR HIS REWARD.
INCEssANT ACTIVITY OF A MAN WHO
WOULD BE SENATOR

EFT. Of Utica. here several days ago as
agent for Thomas c. Platt to learn II the lat
ter's political affairs in good shape. Mr.
Hackett is said to have Mr.. Platts promise that
he shall he United States Senator II there is
Republican Legislature here next year. About
every Republican Senator and Assemblyman
one meets says "Hackett is a hot candidate for
Senator" so it is evident that he has been AT
tempting already to obtain some personal
pledges Of support
Mr.. Hackett having great reward offered
him II he is a successful agent. naturally was
very busy man while in Albany 1t was after
he had conferred with Speaker OGrady that
the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means
decided To report favorably Governor Blacks
bill creating a Canal investigating Committee
to be named by himself Mr.. Hacke't as Mr..
Platts agent. was keenly DESTROYS that the in
vestigation should be In charge Of our friends"
POWER OF CANA PATRONAGE
Mr.. Patt understands clearly the enormous
influence Of canal patronage and canal con-
tracts in all the canal counties. and IL is Inn
portant TO him that there should not be any
stop put to the canal expenditures previous 10
the next Republican State Convention. Dele
cations 10 the convention and delegates 10 AS
semby and Senate district conventions may he
controlled by tho use Of such patronage in the
4
may turn upon its employment. 1t is no won
der accordingly. that Mr. Hackett labored hard
to have a friendly" Canal Investigating Com
mttce appointed
Mr.. Iackett also had personal motiv" or
another kind in the makeup Of the Canal Com
mittee. He himself has taken part in the man
agement OF the canals through Thomas Wheeler.
Assistan. Superintendent; Of public Works. who
has charge Of the Middle Division of the Erie Ca
nal The canal appointments have been largely
dictated by him There has been Al unusually
large number Of canal employees put at work
whenever his political power was threatened IN
any canal county. and it has been an expensive
business FOR the state.
The Canal Committee If it is composed 81
good men. will discover that the cost Of in
speeding" the work done by the cana! con
tractors under the $9ooaoo) appropriation has
been large Then. too. many vertical walls have
been built. costing large amount. Was it nee
essaI, to build these walls? Such awkward
questions as this will be put 20 the Canal Com
mittee Hence the importance Of having our
friends" appointed.
THE CASE or FRANK NJ BAKER
Another object Of Nj Hackett's visit here was
70 see to it that Governor Black should reap
rolnt Frank NJ Baker Of Oweso as State Rail-
road Commissioner. Mr. Platt is greatly con
ccrned about this appointment The corner
stone Of the political edihce in which he HVes
rests upon money corporations largely railroad
companies They are generous contributors 10
rolitical campaigns Mr.. Hackeit knows all
about that as the chairman 81 the Repdphcah
State Committee. The money Of the corpora
lions controls the machinery Of the Republican
Marty in Mr. Platt's interest. Was II not thrown
into Allegany County last fall To defeat Fred
erick A Robbins as a candidate for the Repup-
ucan nomination for Assembynan? Was II
not used all over Brooklyn to reduce the num-
her Of supporters Of Seth Low in the New-fork
CITY Convention. which nominated Benjamin +.
Tracy for Mayor?
Mr. Plat first obtained vote In the Railroad
Commission. which supervses the railroad com
NAMES Of the state through Governor Norton
when the latter on December - lN'o' hI'-
polnted to the Board Frank NJ iiakci' the
superintendent OF 'one-horse IdiI""S 'Utl
tr6lled nv Mr. Fiat. Governor BACK gave MI
plat a second vote by appointing George w.
Dunn Of Binghamton. in February last as d
Railroad Commissioner. Mr. Platt mus mas wv"
~ the three votes in the Commission. me n'her
Cornroissioner is Ashley w. Cole Of Newly ork
The Commission has authority - FORBID me con
s-ructiou Of any steam railroad or street sur
face railroad Its authority over thr Ih.Maf
I|rncrarfors is tremendous SO il is no wonder
that Mr. Plat has put two OF his intimate
friends in this Board.
Mr Baker If reappointed when his term ex
hires on January % Will serve for five years.
His term would extend nearly to the end OF MT.
Patts term as United states senator ana oho, n.
could have great influence ID "i'HS'"S '"'N'
Mr. Platts reelection
FINISHING Az INDEPENDENT SENATOR
IN another direction also the Plat machine
is actively at work. namely. in the county Of
Rensselaer,. which forms the XXXth Senate
District lie Grand C. Tihbits. Republican
renresents this district Governor Black also
lives in il and is personally Interested IN the
character Of its representative Nj Ilppts Is
a man Of wealth. manager Of q large estate ana
has been faithful 10 the interests OF ihc IAN
navers II would seem that he had earned
denomination The Platt machine, nevertheiess
has determined to prevent his rcnomlhatoh II
II ran do So Mr. Tihhits voted against the con
frrnatjon Of Louis r Pawn superintendent or
the Insurance Department. That was his l!rst
offence. in Mr. Platts eyes Then ne SiEAeH -
an unpardorablc extent by voting against the
New York CITY charter. Mr.. Plat could for
give many things. but he could not forgive
man who opposed surrenderine the Republican
city Of ProOklyn into the hands ~ Hichard
Croker Mr.. Tibbits, Therefore, must he pun
lshed.
ernor Black. this week. II Is said. Will nominate
Cornelius v Collins. Of Rensselaer, County for
Superintendent of Prisons. 10 succeed Austin
Lathrop whose term will expire In ApriL MT
Collins is 4 Plat member II the Republican
state Committee The superintendent If Prls-
ons makes many appointments anG IL an in
nuential man in a political way. ne can If ne
chooses work powerfully against Senator Tib-
hits and the followers of Mr.. Plat expect him
IN take this course The Canal Department. Of
course will exert all its influence against Mr..
Tibbits Mr. Hackett also may be trusted to
uea ali the power - the Republican state Com
rittee in opposition 10 Mr.. Tibbits. As a can
didate for United States Senator. Mr. Hackett
naturally does not wish any Republican nomi-
rated for state Senator who viii not take
ders" from Mr. PPst
4 ELL TO T4I GROfND RENTS.
Albany Jan. 23.-The recent message OF the State
Controller on the subject Of taxation is bearing
,-,, already one Of its results is the prepare
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