New-York tribune., 1901-03-22
PRICE THREE CENTS.
NO RUPTURE, SAYS PLATT.
ONLY \ DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
WiTH GOVERNOR ODELL.
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO CONFER HERE
TOMORROW AND SUNDAY-FRANK
H. PLAT'TS STATEMENT.

Senator Platt last night gave out the follow.
| Ing formal statement regarding the difference
| of opinion between himself and Governor Odel1
| regarding legislation to place the New-York
Police Department under State control:
| Some newspapers are trying to make a quar-
rel between the Governor and myself They will
not succeed. While have decided views about
police legislation. the Governor is an honest and
| capable man, whose only desire is TO do what he
believes to be best, and no difference Of opinion
about any question of policy can disturb the re-
lations which have existed between us for so
/ many years.
AS much has been said about police Iegis-
latlon II seems to me proper thar should state
! my own position. The laws against gambling.
/ disorderly resorts. sales of liquor under prOhib-
Hed conditions, ana other laws for the suppress
| sion of vice in the city of NewYork are not
enforced by the police The police appear to oe
can only he explained upon the theory that
money is being paid therefor by Iawbreakers-
The conditions have become so bad that citi-
/ zens have been forced To organize a committee
10 do the work which ought to be done by the
police. This committee is employing it's own de-
| tect1veS- The necessity for such committee
anu tAe projection or wee ana crime by the
| police have been cOnclusively demonstrated to
my mind by the successful raids upon gambling
houses ana PooIroomS recently made by the DIS
| trtct Attorney and the committee. II is evident
| that such Illegal resorts as gambling houses and
poOiroomS cannot exist unless their location and
| the facilities which they offer are generally
known and the claim made by high police Of
| hcials that they are unable 70 suppress illegal
| resorts which are known to the driver OF every
| cab is obviously absurd
| The police legislation enacted at the present
| session of the Legislature thought by soms
| TO be an adequate remedy for the evils then eX-
listing The only effect Of this legislation seems
| to have been TO Increase the malisn efficiency OF
| the police force as an agency for the encourage
| ment of crime and the collection of money from
/ criminals I do not understand that the Cover
nor takes issue with upon any of the facts
| above stated / understand that he does not
| desire TO propose additional police legislation
/ for the city of New-Gork during the present
/ session of the Legislature. because the promo
tion by him OF any new police legislation at this
/ session NOulu place hlm IN more or less an
/ tagOnistiC position to the views expressed bv
| him in his first message 10 the Legislature. and
because. If the citizens of New-YOrk City do not
| like police backmail. their best remedy is to be
found not by an appeal 20 the Legislature. but
| at the polls.
| The Governor considers these objections To
| additional police legislation at this session Of
| the legislature sound 7 do not This is the
/ only difference between us
| In the near future there viii probably be a
| conference Of some leaders Of the Republican
| party ! have confidence in the wisdom OF
! those leaders. have no interest in this matter
| except 10 advise what seems 10 me TO be FOR the
| public SooG. I have no pride OF opinion with
! respect to this police question. I am ready to
! accept any conclusion which may be reached
| Governor Will not he entirely uninfiuenced by
/ the views of the leaders of his party.
! The difference Of opinion Of which Senator
| Platt speaks led to the publication yesterday
4 OF many stories about y serious break between
| the Senator and the Governor IT was declared
\ that they had absolutely parted. and that there
! would be a fight between them for supremacy
in the State organization. All of these stories
| wers greatly exaggerated. The Senator has.
| ever since the passage Of the bill creating
/ single headed police commission for New-York.
| insisted that Tammany's appointments under
| that bill were SO arrogant and so distinctly in
| defiance Of good government and public opinion
| that supplemental legislation should be en-
| acted 70 take control Of the police away from
| Tammany. and place the department under
state supervision. The Governor on the other
| hand. contends that the law places re-
sponsibility for the police administration square
| " on the shoulders of the Mayor and that the
| remedy for any betrayal of this trust lies with
| the people at the polls.
| There will he, as Senator Platt indicates
| conference of the influential members of the
State Iegislature at the Fifth Avenue Hotel 70
morrow and Sunday. This conference will IN
| doubtedly have a great influence upon pros
| pective legislation at Albany. 1t is freely pre-
| dicted that the result will be. in view Of the
/ Governors unswerving opposition, 70 abandon
| any plan for further police legislation. The
| Governor Will not attend the conference.
/ Frank H. Platt yesterday gave cut the follow
ing statement regarding his interview with
| Governor OdeH on "Wednesday:
| I had an interview with the Governor yester-
| dav about the police situation in Nev-YorR
| City. Every one knows hat il is, and every
| one knows also that there be i'm
| mediate relief. except through the legislature
believe the legislature ought to take hold, and
that there is no constitutional obstacle 70 either
| a State police law metropolitan district
! police law. Either of these. carefully drawn.
! would provide chief who would prevent police
/ blackmaiI control vice. and stop Tammanys
! greatest revenue. 7 presented these views TO the
/ Governor in our interview yesterday;
| He says in substance that public opinion In
| New-York City has long favored single head
! for th, Police Department; that in a former
/ message he favored the law which has been
| passed providing a single head. and that what
| ever may be the consequences to the people of
! the city il would he better not To give them any
new law at this session
| We had no unpleasant words of any kind,
| am sure the Governor did not say 10 any one
| other matters. and separated as good friends as
| ever. with understanding that the subject.
| should be considered further.
| Colonel Dunn. chairman Of the Republican
| State Committee. said regarding the situation:
| Il am in favor of some State police bill But
as to the bill which Frank PIatt is said 70 have
taken to Albany and brought back with him TO
! New-YOrk I know nothing. l have never seen
it. and therefore can express no opinion
/ about it
/ What do YOU think of the disagreement be-
tween the Senator and the Governor upon this
| Subject?'
| oh have nothing to say about that. In
| deed know nothing about it. I do not know
I whether the reports in the morning papers
about the conversation between Mr.. PIatt and
| the Governor are correct or not But i don't
! believe there is to be any serious disagreement
| or any split in the Republican party The best
| OF friends may have honest differences of opin
| ION without Quarrelling'
/ The district leaders discussed differences ba
tween Senator Piatt and Governor OdeII among
| themselves, but none of them would talk nnuch
ICY puoiicatlon When Alexander T. Mason.