Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-16
GOSSIP FROM GOTHAM
Controller Coler Makes His Debut in
National Politics.
EI SENATOR HILL HIS BACKER
Gen. F. V. Greene is Rooseve't's
Choice for Lieutenant-Governor.
ROKER MING HOME


Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
NEW YORK, May IA. 1900.
The recent visit of Controller Bird S.
Coler to Washington has attracted atten-
ton here locally principally because II 1s
believed that the conference with United
States Senator Jones. the chairman OF the
democratic national committee. was at the
instigation of ex-United States Senator
Hill. Coler is new in the field of national
politics. and consequently just the kind of
man that Hill would pick out to commence
negotiations with the national committee.
Not until this Washington trip was it
known that Coler ever sought the aid of
Hill to secure the nomination for controller
of Greater New York two years ago. 1t
generally supposed that Hugh Nc
LaughIin was the political sponsor of Golfer.
Now that it has been discovered that Hill
is really his political godfather; now that
1t has been published that Coer visited Hill
and asked that gentleman to his influ-
ence with Mclaughlin; now that it has de-
veIoped that Hill planned the campaign
which resulted in the triumphant nominal
ton of Coler. the friends of Bryan here in
New York have discovered for the first
time who they dealing with when they
are dealing with Coler.
One of the great New York city papers,
democratic in its proclivities committed
what has promised to develop into Of
the political jokes of the year the other
day, when in all seriousness 1t proposed
the name of Controller Coler for Vice Pres
ident. The boom created considerable
amusement in local political circles for the
reason that Coler is under the constitu-
tional age limit. This shows. however. how
little Coler is known in political way.
He was unknown and unheard of until he
was nominated by the democrats as the
watch dog of the citys finances two years
ago. And even were he eligible as a vice
L. :. ,..lx
full whether he could secure an indorse-
ment at the hands of the Kansas City con-
ventiun. for the reason that he is an ar
dent advocate of the gold standard. his po-
litiCal and banking associates all gold
standard men. and II will be remembered
that the Brooklyn members Of Congress
Were the only members who broke away
from the party body and voted for the
republican gold standard bill This was at
the d.ctatinu of Hugh Mclaughlin. under
whose political tutelage Coler is train
ing.
Possibilities for Mr. COIer.
If Hill. working through Coler can induce
the democrats to abandon sixteen to one
for an Endorsement in general terms of the
Chicago platform, then Coler is a bigger
man than the country has ever given him
credit for. The reports circulated here are
10 the effect that he has converted Chair
man Jones. But Bryan's last assertions, if
they mean anything, mean that sixteen to
one is To be Incorporated in the Kansas City
platform in specific terms. So If the re-
ports that Mr.. Coler has converted Chair
Jones are true in the slang of the
times il is now up to Bryan With the
issues drawn fairly and squarely between
Golfer and Bryan upon the subject of the
financial plank. 1t is easy to the
truller's finish In national politics, this year.
at least
Bryan will find it all the easier to COM
pass the downfall of Coler in national polit-
ical fields. for the reason that Tamulany
Hall is bitterly opposed TO this man from
Brooklyn Colers ambition is to become
mayor of Greater New York. To this Tam
many Will never consent and inasmuch as
Tanmany controls the situation here. no
matter what Brooklyn and the other Dor
oughs may do it is easy to see that Coler
has run up against a solid stone wall In
that direction. Hill. with his usual clever
ness induced the Rockland county conven-
ton to name Coler for governor OF New
York state, and now Coler Is being doomed
for gubcrnatorial honors this fall. II he Is
nominated. if the Chicago platform is in
dCrsed and if he is cut by Tammany Hall,
as he will be. IL Is easy to see Colers finish
in state politics this fall II he measures
swords with Roosevelt and his rough riders.
Undoubtedly Hill and the upstate deleg;t-
tons. aided by Mclaughlin and Kings
county. can force the nomination of Coier
for governor in defiance of the wishes OF
Tsmrnany Hall. But it is doubtful whether
Hill will even care to go to this extreme,
and il seems far more likely that the demo
Gratis will try to find another Cleveland IN
the person of Senator MackeE- from Bunitlo
Colers debut in national politics upon the
subject Of the trusts Is attracting less
attention than his purely personal and p9-
litical movements The New York city coh-
treller il is well known, faVorS putting all
corpnrltions in the hands of federal inspec-
tors This plan does not accord with MY
Bryans views at all, and lnasmucn as
Bryan and Bryan's friends are likely TO
u rit.. the Kansas City platform il Is doubt
f,,T hot Mr. ('pler'5 Dian Will not nle
a-burnin' at Kansas City. In the hrst place
1t is extremely doubtful whether the SUI
preme Court Of the United States would al
low the National Congress TO legislate tor
all corporations.
Views of Banker.
. lending banker of this city who is op-
posed to Bryan and the Chicago platform
has Just expressed the hope that the Kan
sas CITY platform will contain plank IA
voring the Coler scheme:
IF they will only do that will give them
$4,000 for their campaign fund. ne Is
quoted as saying. For Mr. Iran ue-
feat will be inevitable The Slp,pD or
hundred times as much could not save
them Most business men remember the IN
quisatorial features Of the federal taxation
during the civil war and the more recent
fight ON the income tax. But those Things
would not be one-thousandth part as an
moving as the Coler plan of federal super
vision Of ali corporations. Just think OF
man TRYING 10 DO business, anu an
men transact their business affairs through
CORPORATIONS nowadays. And Just think or
federal inspectors liable to swoop down on
him any day and take away MS DOCKS and
examine them. Just think of the trade
secrets that would be revealed i tell you
that when you propose TO allow a federal
examiner the right TO examine the books
Of tn. business men of this country you
have a fight on your hands that means
something. Take the county newspapers of
ih,. land for instance Most of these pa
pers are now carried on by joint stock COM
pdai-s Coler's plan includes publicity OF
receipts and Expenditures. When these
country newspaper corporations are COM
PEELED to pay for having their receipts and
the totals Of their circulations published in
the papers OF their rivals in the same
town-Sworn statements made under oath
and after an examination of the records by
th,. federal examner-Controller Coler will
think that somebody has hit him with
brick IL is all right to have federal in
spertion of the banking business, since the
banks are directly responsible to the gov
ernment. but when IL comes TO the matter