Evening star., 1901-01-19
A PEN PICTURE
oi the Wan Who Controls the Empire
state.

Oi the Wan Who Controls the Empire
State.
la the lobby of the Arlington last even
iEg a group OF senators and representa-
lives were talking.
\ slender man of medium height. with
carefully trimmed iron gray beard. grave,
impsssire features. dressed with immacu-
late ncstness in silk-faced Prince Albert,
passed through to the elevator. He nodded
pleasantly to the gentlemen, who in like
manner returned the salua alton.
Senator Platt," sald one of that sena-
tors cuUfrcrcs to his companions, has
hold absolute sway the leader of the
I, publican party in New York state for
msIrly Is quarter of century. and l con-
slider his political power and control of
mon 10 be one of the remarkable instances
of Am rtcau citizenship and American poll
tics. TIE question naturally arises how he
has hccn able to do this and why.
The methods OF this American War
wick quite disSmiIar from the aver
1Ec leader in politics. You and !, and the
rest OF us in this group, will promise a
man anything within OF without reason,
according to our respective temperaments.
Promises are the stock In trade of the
average statesman and politician. He per-
tects the organization among his adher-
Cuts mainly by promises, and YIELDS their
separate strength together In the compos-
few performances spattered in the mortar
10 make il stick.
The controller of The destinies of the
republican party in New York never prom
i7tS anything. He makes no promises He
acts. Tie either does a thing or he does
not do ic. He is either for a man a
measure or against him or Ii. All
th, men in his army who enjoy his
confidence or whose confidence he has in
turu know just when and where they
may put their hands on him and he on
theR. Political leaders viii often talk as
many ways as the wind blows. He talks
but one wayto the point. indecision is
au unknown quantity with him. Moves on
tha checker board of politics are quickly
Hnd carefully considered and thought out.
~ position Is taken and there are no back
ward steps.
Absolute loyalty to his friends Is the
5 copd stone in the foundation Of his sue
c..-S as d political header and factor. \
Keen observer of men. a close and accurate
reader of human nature, "a man must get
up early in the morning to mislead or
deceive him. His lieutenants are Ike those
81 the captain Of ship where he holds
their absolute faith-it is swim sink
according to his ideas OF navigation.
''Thrse. continued the senator. as he
iightcd his after-dinner cigar, are two
ny three of the cardinal reasons why Sena-
tor Platt has ruled easily and long-the
easy boss of the big state on the other
aide Of New Jersey. For years there has
rot Il day passed that the metropolitan
him from one to half a dozen editorials
ranging from mild censure to personal
abuse. yet things go along the same as
though they We're mute. The public and
the man at whom they are directed evil
IDENTITY take them for what they are
worth and his hold on the helm has never
been even unsteady, much less shaken;
aud the great metropolis throbs and thrills
with its never-ceasing life just the same.
Low of speech calm OF demeanor quiet
Of disposition. deliberate of action, me-
thudical and systematical, Senator Pat
bears diversified responsibilities and multi
Various duties on his shoulders under
fhich many stronger men would long ago
Rave Succumbed or been overthrowp in
bower. No political victory against a real
antagonist such Is the New York de-
nocraCy has ever been won except by the
labor pt the man who controls and the
men who constitute the regular organ!za-
tion Of a party. The political machinery
Of the republican party in New York in
all OF its ramifying intricacies moves with
"a regularity and precision which has
brought many victory over It's demo-
cratic foe The man who stands on the
then and the party ship rides out the
storms on the sea OF politics.
''And the more remarkable Is II all that
this work is a self imposed avocation. The
head of a great corporation. several times
"a millionaire, politics constitutes to him
the mental relaxation that the Grea'
statesmen in England take in hunting, and
GONE of our American leaders in fishing
Who will not say that The limits of
American citizenship are endless i'll the
sum Oi human endeavor?'