New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-13
MR.. PLATT AS A VOTE GETTER.

Mr.. Plat is going over to Philadelphia next
week to tell the Republican party OF the Nation
what New-York wants. He will advise the
Administration leaders how they must act to
secure the victory In this State which all see is
SO necessary for President McKinley's re-elec-
ton. Before the party gives itself up to his
guidance and lets him pilot the ship through the
most critical part of the channel it would be
well for those responsible for the outcome and
having most staked on success to ask his repu-
tation as a helmsman and inquire of the ships he
has wrecked. The President, for instance, might
consult his trusted friend and former Secretary
of the Interior Mr.. Cornelius n. Bliss, and
learn from him that Mr.. Plat deliberately acts
so as to make it impossible for self-respecting
men to be allied with him even for a good
purpose" before trusting him to fill up the
second place on the ticket or delegating to him
the task of commencing that ticket to the self
respecting voters of this State. Before letting
him manage the New-York campaign for his
personal ends the President might recall Mr..
Bsss public charge of January 2S 1896, that
Mr. Platt was regularly a traitor to his party,
that 'he bolted from Garfield, from Arthur,
from Conkling and Harrison, and finally from
1.-The organization in this city, when it was
''rehabilitated by the Committee of Thirty" He
might also recall as another instance Of Mr..
Platt's party treachery the reputation of Re
publican pledges and platforms concerning mu-
nicipal elections and the turning over of this
city TO Tammany Hall in 1897.
AS matter of fact Mr.. Plat does not repre-
sent the people of New-York whose votes are
necessary 70 win an election. He does boss an
organization by the use of patronage and, as
President McKinleys Ambassador to England,
Mr.. Choate, in 1897 publicly charged, by a cor
rupt use of legislators under his control for the
|
torts tribute. He may be useful to the Presi-
dent in that machine capacity. Perhaps he is
so useful that for his sake the President can
afford to bear the burden of appointments like
that of Hazel, which shock the better sense of
the community But the National leaders who
| in this and other instances have seen how ready
he was for his own petty schemes to damage
Republican interests with the people should not
make the mistake of trusting to his judgment
as 10 what is best for New-York in an elective
campaign
Mr.. Plat has never yet won New-York by his
policy. Almost invariably when he has forced
his narrow machine ways upon the party he has
merely organized defeat The Republican vic
tories of the last fifteen years have been won by
others, sometimes in spite of him. His activ-
tiles have been largely devoted to grasping the
spoiIs. Getting firmly in the saddle after his
ME Too eclipse. his first important campaign
was that of 1888. Then he BETRAYED Warner
Miller. Though General Harrison carried the
State by 1900, the Governorship went to Hill
by 10000, largely owing TO the corrupt trades
made by his organization with the Tammany
and other Democratic city machines
In 1891 Mr.. Plat ran Mr.. Fassett for Gov
ernor The chief cry OF the Democrats was I'm
'the hands of Thomas c. Plat the Republican
party is menace" and the result was Mr.
Fassett's defeat by $4,000
In 1898 the Republicans elected State ticket
for the first time after Mr. Platt had attained
leadership The reason was moral uprising
against Maynard of which Mr.. Platt had no
conception. Nominations that year went beg
ging. and were given TO others than Mr. Platts
particular friends in expectation of defeat The
people buried Maynard by 101 900 and elected
the whole Republican ticket In his first sur
prise Mr.. Plat even forgot TO call the victory
his, but attributed II to Providence Soon how
ever. he claimed all the fruits
The next year Governor Morton was chosen
by 10000 and Mayor Strong was elected in this
city. Mr. Platt organized neither victory. ANY
Republican could have been elected Governor.
ana Mr.. Platt's only problem was TO keep the
nomination in his own hands. Hill was on trial
ike Maynard. for the theft of the State Senate
III the city IammanY corruption had driven all