New-York tribune., 1899-12-03
pOIJTTCAL TRUST ILLUSTRATION.

POLITICAL TRUST ILLUSTRATORS
In Yesterdays issue we referred In somewhat
general terms TO the evolution OF n polltlcal
trust. as exemplifed In the organization ol IN
Assembly not yet In existence by speaker WIN
hos vet to be elected. On the same day Inc
Tribune and other papers reported the prevalent
understanding Of those who are admitted 10 he-
nuhlican organization counsels that Mr.. Edward
n Fallows is not to be chairman OF the COM
mittne ON Cities. A rumor to that effect had
heon In circulation for week. but many we're
d;cinclined 10 credit Ii in consideration OF Mr
Platt's recent tribute to Mr.. Fallows as young
man Of excellent character and abilities, VINO
had already made an enviable record by his con-
duct of the investigation of the Surrogate's ONCE
ond otherwise On Friday evening, however,
oll doubt had disappeared, even from the mind
of Mr. Fallows. who said that he did not know
who WAS to be chairman Of the Cities Commit
tee but he knew that he was not to be. mas
much as he had Just emerged from Mr. Platts
rooms at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, the announce
ment was presumably authentic.
Naturally Mr.. Fallows furnished no e1plana-
tion of what seems to have been a rather sudden
change of arrangements on the part Of the AS
sembly organizers, but others were less reticent
WAS subject to the condition that he should sup
port all measures which the Republican machine
favored. without regard to his own opinion of
their merits, and that he declined 1t Tor that
reason If this is a truthful account Of the mat
ter he is to be congratulated, but the incident
may possibly cause the successful candidate for
q place of great importance some embarrass-
ment. 1t should be understood that Mr.. Fal-
| IL nont tnn or
prone to suspect it of unworthy purposes. we
suppose that, on the contrary, the machines
recommendation of a measure would predispose
him to think we'll Of 1t. He Is certainly very far
from agreeing with Mr. Cornelius \. Bliss that
Mr. Platt is a man with whom 1t is Impossible
for self-respecting men to be allied even for
good purpose. He Is understood to hold pretty
strict views Of regularity" and party govern
ment, and we believe it has never been alleged
against him that sudden prominence had LED
him TO conceive an exaggerated idea of his own
importance. Doubtless he would always have
been ready, as chairman Of the Cities Commit
tee to give careful attention to the views OF the
organization and his political proclivlties would
have inclined him to adopt and promote them.
But apparently that was not enough. a gen
orally sympathetic disposition might answer to
the requirements of a less important place, but
1t did not qualify an otherwise acceptable man
for the craftsmanship of the Committee on Cities.
The experience of Mr. Fallows would seem to be
an official announcement that Mr.. Platt wants
nobody in that station who is capable of form
ing views of his own, and consequently 1t Will
be difficult to resist certain conclusions concern
ing the man whom he will finally select. In the
mean time it is gratifying to reflect that Mr..
Fallows will have a voice and a vote in the As
sembly and to be able TO hope that he will make
| a good use of them. He has lost nothing which
he cannot very well do without, while he has
kept the power Of winning much more than Mr..
! Platt could have bestowed.