The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-22

No one here knows how much money
Mr.. Huntington spent in California pol
tiles, but it must have been a large
sum, for his railway interests were the
continual object of attack and it was
necessary for him to have the good will
of both parties so far as possible. On
several occasions he controlled the Cal
ifornia legislature, which was an ex-
pensive luxury.
Mr. Huntington contributed $500 TO
the election of President Mckinley, and
raised a large amount among his bust
ness associates I am getting uD
little purse for Hanna's committee he
would say to them, and have put you
down for $1,000 Cor $4,000 or 81 goo, as
the case might be) You can give me
your check this morning or send it over
TO my office, payable to my, order" AS
the persons for whom he subscribed in
this way were under obligations to him
and dependent on him directly or in
directly, very few had the courage to
refuse, and he was able to send in a
handsome sum in addition to his own
contribution. He always asked Sen
atOr Platt to act as his representative
in political affairs, and usually for
warded his contributions through him
so that he should not be publicly
authorized to explain to those who had
the right to know where the money
came from. but Mr. HuntingtOn's name
never appeared on the records of any
political committee.
Last night Mr.. PIatt told me two in
tereSting stories of Mr.. HuntingtOn'S
contributions in the Garfield and the
first Harrison campaigns. Both years
he gave his S25, 900 as usually early in
the campaign. and later added 100000
to help the Republican committee OUT
of a dilemma.
On the eve of the October election in
Indiana in 1880, s W Dorsey, who was
secretary of the Republican committee,
telegraphed from Indianapolis that he
must have 100000 at once or the Dem
Ocrats would carry the state. Marshall
Jewell. chairman of the committee.
called upon WhiteIaW Reid who went
TO Mr.. Huntington and asked him to
provide the money. After considerable
negotiation, covering several days, Mr..
Huntington agreed TO furnish the funds
provided Mr.. Platt would take them TO
Indianapolis and supervise their dis
bursement. Mr.. Plat was given absO-
lutte authority and was to act accord
ing to his own judgment.
The money was brought to Mr.. Platt'S
Office in small bills and packed into a
trunk Mr.. Reid took the trunk upon
q carriage to the railway station and
escorted it as far as Cleveland, where
Mr.. Platt met him, and Reid then re-
turned. Upon his arrival at Indianap
oils Mr.. Plat took the trunk to his
room, after going over the situation
with Mr.. Dorsey and the chairman Of
the state committee gave them only
$50, 600, which he said was sufficient for
their needs.
General Garfield, who was passing
through Indianapolis on a speaking
tour, was informed Of the transaction
and asked that the rest of the money
be turned over to the Ohio committee.
Mr. Plat refused because he was with
out authority, but after a telegraphic
correspondence with Mr. Huntington
gave General Garfield $4,000 and car
ried the remaining $4,000 back TO New
York. where it was deposited to Mr..
HuntingtOn's credit.
The story of the Harrison contribu-
ton is even more interesting. A few
days before the election in 1888 Mr.. FL
kinS. Mr. CIarkSOn. Mr.. Carter, Mr..
Jones and other members of the Re
publican campaign committee called
upon Mr.. Huntington, describe to him
their predicament and asked him to as
sist them in raising 800 600. which they
must have at once or lose the election.
Mr.. huntingdon listened carefully to them
and advised them TO consult Mr.. PIatt-
They did so, and Mr.. Plat came to see
Mr.. Huntington the next day. support
ing their appeals with great earnest
ness and making it personal matter
When Mr.. Huntington inquired why
he was so much interested, MIR. Platt
explained that in the event of Har-
riSOn's election he was to be secretary
of the treasury.
IF 1 was sure you would be secre-
tary of the treasury 1 would give them
that 100000" said Mr.. Huntington.
L have General Harrison's assur-
ance," Mr.. Plat replied, and then re-
lated the circumstance that occurred
at the Chicago convention. where the
New York delegation left Sherman and
supported Harrison upon the assuT-
ance of the latter, brought by Senator
Elkins, that Mr.. Platt might have his
pick of all the appointments under the
administration. Mr. Platt Informed Mr..
Elkins that there was only one Office
he would accept. and that was the
head of the treasury department Mr..
EIkins carried the message to Indian
aDOlis, and returned the next morning,
threw its vote for Harrison and he was
nominated.
After the election. when he was
making uD his cabinet, General Har-
rison refused to appoint Mr.. Plat. He
claimed that there had been a misUn-
derStanding; that Mr.. ElkinS was not
authorized to promise the treasury de-
paTtment; that no candidate ever
pledged the positions of cabinet officers,
for they where members OF his official
family, occupied confidential relations
to the president, who could not be eX-
pected to offer them as rewards for
political service or use them to pay
political debts. Mr.. Plat might select
any other Office. but he could not be
admitted to the cabinet and that was
the cause of the GOODNESS between Pres
ident Harrison and the easy boss" Of
New York.
When Mr.. Plat related TO Mr.. Hunt
ingtOn the negotiations that had beer
carried on through Mr.. Elkins al the
national convention and the assurances
that had been given, Mr.. Huntington
said:
4 viii give you my check for 100000
if you will give me YOUR notes for that
amount, payable on demand in case you
are not appointed secretary of the
treasury