The times., 1901-03-27
The PIatt-odeu Lesson.

/
The PIatt-OdeII Lesson.
We may readily suppose that the spec
! tacle in New York, presented in the tell
| ing defeat of political bossism in the per-
| son of Thomas c. Platt. at the hands of
! Governor Odell, has not been lost upon
! President Mckinley. 1t is one well
! worthy of his earnest observation and
! study. 1t is the spectacle that everybody
| who knew Theodore Roosevelt confidently
/ expected when that strenuous public man
! was elected TO preside over the destinies
| of the Empire State, but which never ma
/ terialized during the Rough Riders term
! at Albany. In those days Roosevelt had
| his say and Piatt had his way.
II was reserved for the quiet. silent
man of Newburg to declare the independ-
| enCe of the executive of despotiC control
| by the party leader, and to humble that
| leader in the dust. The circumstances
| which led up to this denouement may be
| very briefly narrated. When Mr.. Platt
| caused his hitherto obedient retainer, Mr..
! Odell to Ice nominated for the governor
| ship the latter agreed with his chief that
| New York City needed a new police law
! and he promised TO promote the enact
| ment Of such a measure. In his first mes
! sage to the Legislature Governor Olell
| recommended a single-headed police Ge-
/ partment for the metropolis one was
| introduced and passed, and from the
! viewpoint of its authors and advocates it
! proved q dismal mistake and failure.
| Upon this both Governor Odell and Sena
| tor Platt were in complete agreement.
! Nevertheless. the former had redeemed
his pledge and had done all he had prom
ised; and he was justified in feeling that,
concerning future police legislation. he
was free to act as his judgment and his
view Of the public interest might dictate.
Mr.. Plat. however, was not only dis
gusted with his single-headed offspring,
hut straishtway determined that he would
force from the Legislature and the Gov
| cruor a law which would place the metro
politan district under either State con-
stabulary. or a police force appointed and
Differed from the State at large, and gov
erned under his own direction from Al
bany. Governor Oden refused to further
such a scheme, siding with a number of
Republican representatives, Of the smaller
cities in their objection that. if New York
/ could be thus deprived of home rule, their
/ own towns might suffer the same fate
/ should their municipal governments
( chance To earn the i'll viii of the aIl-pow-
! erful boss. So Senator Platt was notified
that neither OF his pet measures" could
pass the Legislature. and that supposingI
one Of them did, it would be promptly
vetoed. In this decision which Mr. Odell|
announced as irrevocable, ne was sup
ported by so many Of the party magnates
more ado.
The shouts OF applause and congratu-
lation which have sounded for Governori
Odell all over his State, and indeed, all
over the country. for his fearless defence
of his rights and his determination not
to permit his Office to become a slot ma
chine for the benefit Of the Platt dynasty
/ ought to be sufficient to show the ma
( tional popularity of such action as his.
I He did not force the fight, but faced id
/ and won when it was forced on him Thel
american people of all classes and condi-
/ tions are thanking him for seizing his
/ first chance To land staggering blow on
! the head Of bossism.
I Now, if fearlessness and persistency in
the discharge Of a high duty in such
( comparatively limited field as a single
. Commonwealth is hailed with hearty joy
/ and acclamations from end TO end of the
/ whole country. what might we not ex-
rect We're a similar exhibition given in
/ the greater theatre Of national and in
ternationaI events? Governor OdeH $
course in refusing to be swerved from the
I path OF duty by the dictation of Platt
/ contrasted With that Of the President in
4 the matter of the Porto Rican legislation,
i viii be thought Of by millions Of Ameri-
/ cans with deep regret that Mr.. Mckinley
( did not avail himself OF his opportunity
20 throw off the yoke Of Hanna bossism,
and thereby win the undying respect and
admiration of his fellow-couutryrnen and
/ an of them.
I 10 was great chance, The nation
/ heartily agreed with its Chief Magistrate
/ when he soiemnly admonished Congress.
/ i'm his message of December, 1899. that it
was Our plain duty to Porto Rico to re-
move all tariff barriers and TO admit her
products free of duty TO our mainland
/ PORTS. \ few weeks later. when the
trusts and monopoles had swooped down
/ upon Washington and dealt with Mr.
/ Hanna, and Mr.. Mckinley was compelled
( TO eat his words. and favor unconstitu-
mended justice and the fulhllment Of our
national word of honor the applause was
not 50 great
! Thus passed the golden time for the
+ President 10 cut the Gordian knot and
make himself universally loved and ia
nous Perhaps he might have done 50
4 il there had been before his mind such
/ a noble and inspiriting example as that
/ of Governor Odel. Possibly he may
/ yet profit by IT, In his case it is not too
/ late TO mend and what a glorious thing
! it would be- for him and the country if he
/ could satisfy the people that for the re-
mslnder of his second term he would be
as free and independent of Hanna and
/ the designs. projects and influences
Hanna stands for. as Odell is Of Ptatt
The Can't of Decadence.
The New York Tribune" very sensibIy
/ condemns the cantiug talk OF certain de-
cadent authors and critics regarding the