The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-15

the lumber business, out of which he. soon
made sufficient money to become president
of Tioga bank. a,t.A
His next venture was the investment
of money in railroad stocks.
Pretty soon thereafter Tom Platt be-
gan to be talked about as a coming man
In finance and politics. The instinct to
1ule became noticeable in him and he did
not stop until he had landed in the chair
Of the state Republican convention.
Inenceforth Tloga county commenced
growing too small for Platt. He must have
a clean and obstructed field. beyond thy
leading strings of his fellow toWnsmens
SO he moved to New York
His two ambitions now were: to be-
come very rich and a dominating power in
politics. He was about ready to graduate
leader of men,
Having settled down in New York city
he was appointed quarantine commission
err dfscharging the duties Of that office
with the same fidelity that he has done
all of those that have devolved upon him
and an with satisfaction to all concerned.
Platt ever held.
Later followed the alliance with Louis
F: Payn which accidentally landed Mr.
Platt in the United States senate This
followed just after the Republicans had,
In 1880. elected a legislature. Mr. Platt
probably in a facetious vein, proposed
himself for the senate and to most peo-
pies surprise, his. own included, it was
said, was elected to that dignified Office
Mr.. Platt had already discovered a new
route to wealth through the channels of
ordinary business and had connected him
self with a prominent express COMPANY.
Of which he soon became president and
with which up to the present time he has
always since been identified.
Then Platt retired for awhile and it
was the general impression that he would
devote his future to the building up of
one of the greatest express businesses in
the country. But his hobby was never
money for moneys sake and before long
we again ind MIN dominant force in
politics; a little later with the party in
control in his grasp.
'"Then the great ambition Of his life was
Mr. Plat sought a cabinet position, but
President Harrison refused it, paying the
penalty at the next election of finding
ton of Blaine.
But failures have only served as stimu-
lants to Thomas Collier Plat. Before an
other year had passed he held the balance
of power at Albany and had grown into
the control of the majority of his party
caucus in the legislature.
"AS the controlling power of the state
central committee Mr.. Platt dominates the
Republican party to an important extent
He is silent, often an unexpected pow
er, but his influences are always silently
working toward his ends.
When President Roosevelt was elected
governor of New York it was distinctly
Senator Platt about all the important
gubernatorial appointments. In the end
Roosevelt defied his colleague, but took
pains to do it good temperedIy OdelI. his
One-time apprentice, grew FESTIVE under
his rein, but is by NO means independent
of him today. 9E
THE worst enemies he may have will
tell you that Tom Platt never allowed
a penny of the hundreds of thousands Of
dollars passed through his hands for po-
the Kitchener of his party, knowing every
detail and the exact Republican strength
Of every ward in the state.
The mechanism of his machine, by
which he swears and to which he is ahso-
lutely true, is almost faultless and he
believes honestly that 1t Is the salvation
OF his party In a Democratic state.''