The evening times., 1899-05-24
PLArr.s POWER WANING.
Signs That HIs Political MaeAine In
BeginnlnG to TOtter.

signs That His Political Machine In
Begisninx to Totter.
Albany. N. Y. May A.-since the return
Of the members Of the legislature and
other politicians to Albany q great deal Of
talk has been heard here about what Is
called the growing weakness of Senator
Piatt as the leader of the Republican
party in the State, and predictions are
freely made that IL franchise tax bill.
either the Ford measure or one drawn on
lines suggested by Gov. Roosevelt, be-
comes law. the Senator will lay down the
reins before the next national convention
is held. Chief among the evidences OF
weakness pointed out is Pia,t's inability
TO protect the corporations whose contri-
buttons have for 30 many years enabled
him to hold the Republican Legislators
from the country districts. He was not
only unable to prevent the passage Of the
Ford bill at the regular session, but he is
today unable to have a single amendment
inserted Id it In the interest Of his friends.
In fact. he confessed his helplessness after
the recent conference in New York, and
lay down." as the politicians express it.
This situation has a great dea: Sf sig
nihcance to those who are familiar with
the inside workings Of the machine. To
them IL means that the foundation OF
Platt's power In the politics OF the State
has been undermined and that the edifce
is likely to fall In the near future. AS is
well known. the charge has been made
frequently. and Platt has declined numer-
Gus invitations to answer it, that. during
the last eight or ten years. he has received
personally the campaign contributions of
corporations which desired legislation or
protection at Albany. and has personally
paid. from those contributions. the expens-
es Of candidates for the legislature. thus
securing the hold on them which made
him the undisputed boss OF the State The
corporations, il appears, believe that Platt
could give them what they wanted and
their calculations seem to have been pref
ty nearly correct in former years. Now.
however, they are threatened with a law
which means a vast increase in taxation.
and Platt can do nothing for them. What
the result will be remains to be seen, but
shrewd politicians say that the corpora
tions do not give something for nothing,
and that having lost confidence in Platts
power to protect them. their contributions.
the source Of that power up to this time,
will cease.
Another evidence of weakness of the
same kind, pointed out by the politicians.
is the failure CT Platt to pass the Astoria
heat, light. and power bill. The story of
that bill is familiar to newspaper readers.
The whole power Of the machine was used
to put it through. yet it was oyerwheIm-
ingiy beaten in the Senate. That was the
first evidence that Plat was losing his
power to give the corporations what they
wanted. The passage of the Ford bill gave
further evidence. and Platt's present help
lessness. according to some politicians.
has satisfied campaign contributors that
contributions sent to T. c. PIatt PERSONAL
ly Will not hereafter be paying invest
ments.
In this connection. 1t may be mentioned
that Lemuel E. Quigg has helped to di-
minish the confidence in Platt's strength.
Last week. at a meeting Of the Republican
county committee of New York, he made q
pitfful confession Of the weakness Of the
machine when he invited the independents
TO nominate candidates for the assembly
and the board of aldermen next fall, and
promised the support of the organization
il the candidate were reasonably Repub-
iicah-" Everybody believes that the ap-
peal was made by the direction of Platt
or with his consent. and. in the opinion of
the politicians generally. il is only fur
ther confession of weakness.
Democratic Senator expressed the opin-
ion Of many members of the legislature
Republican and Democratic, today when
he said: Governor Roosevelt dealt death
blow to Platt's power when he forced
through the Ford bill. He didn't mean to
hit Plat. He was thinking only of the
interests Of the public. and don't believe
il ever occurred to him how the bill would
affect Platt. But the blow went home all
the same. The failure OF the so-called par
ty measures at the last session did not
hurt Platt at all. I do not believe he cared
to have any of them passed. But the I'M
expected passage Of the Ford bill on the
last day Of the session was the worst blow
he ever received. 1t destroyed the conf
dence which the corporations reposed in
him and the loss Of confidence will be fol-
lowed by big falling off in campaign con-
tributions. l would not be surprised it,
within few months. Piatt announces that
ill-health compeis him to abandon active
leadership of his party