The evening times., 1899-03-27
MIR. pLATr FACING TROUBLE.
About to Visit Albany to Stem TIN.
! = nR

About to Visit Albany to Stem the
- Tide of Revolt.
Albany. N. Y, March 27.1Fhere has not
in recent years been a more interesting
experiment in politics than that to be at
Albany next week to try to get the senate
into line for the various business and po-
litical measures desired by his organiza-
ton.
Senator Plat has not been in Albany
since he attended the dinner given to him
in honor of his election as United States
Senator in January, 1897.
1t is common gossip here that il Senator
Platt does not succeed in queiIing this re-
beliion and passing the bills that have the
party 20. K" upon them. he will have
greater trouble next year, when there is TO
be full State ticket TO be nominated an
entire legislature to elect, thirty-four
Representatives in Congress TO send to
Washington, and a delegation to the Re
publican National Convention to control.
Various reasons have been assigned for
this rebellion against party authority.
which has unquestionably been long pre-
| meditated and carefully rehearsed. LeaY-
ing aside the scandal of the killing of the
Astoria bill on Friday morning. which will
not bear the light Of day and could not
stand well directed investigation, the
senator's who are in revolt give two rea-
sons for beating everything that Senator
Platt and Governor Roosevelt want
One of these reasons is directed against
| what has. until the crucial test came in
the senate on biennial sessions. been the
controlling faction liz the senate. This
faction has been designated by Senator
| Coggeshall as 1.-The House of Lords" By
| the house of lords he means 1g South
| Hawk street. where five prominent sena-
| tors reside-Messrs. Ellsworth. White.
| Stranahan, Humphrey. and Higgins
| Mr.. Ellsworth is Mr. Platt's leader in the
Senate. Senator White is the introdueer
OF the civil service bill. Senator Strana-
han is the introducer and warm advocate
| or the biennial sessions amendment SEN
| ator Higgins is chairman of the finance
committee. Senator Humphrey is a prom
inent member Of that committee and of the
| committee on taxation and retrenchment
and chairman OF the committee on hanks.
| Senators now in revolt declare that these
five senators have tried to control the en-
| tire senate. Senator Ellsworth was welded
| to the single-headed police bill. under or
| ders from Senator Platt He wanted that
| made caucus measure. Senators White
| and Stranahan wanted their pet measures
| driven through the caucus.
! Another reason given by the boiling SEN
/
| to the machine is that the organization it
/ self has set the example of being interested
in business as well as in political legisla-
| tion.
| This system has been growing The way
it is manged apparently is this: 4 great
| organization at the height of the campaign,
when money is badly needed, makes a
heavy contribution to the State committee.
When the legislature meets this corporation
comes forward with a request that certain
| bills be passed or that certain other bills
| be killed. Almost invariably the organi-
| zation undertakes TO do what the corpora
| tion wants.
Almost invariably also the corporation
| employs one firm of lawyers who are un-
| dersrood 10 be a part of the organization.
| to appear at Albany Recently in addi-
| tion to the firm of Tracy. Boardman &
| Platt Elihu Root who is known every
where as the governors counsel, has been
| taken in.
This is one of the things that is the mat
| ter with the senate. Senators declare that
there is a close corporation engaged in
buying and selling legislation. and they
| think they have a right to engage in the
business, too. The market is very active