Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-21
NEW YORK POLITICS
Empire State Conditions At
tract Attention.
PLATT- ODELL FIGHT
REPUBLICANS AT ONE ANoTHER's
THRoATs IN ANGER.
Harmony Reigns Among the Demo-
crats-Looking to the Presi-
Dental Campaign.
PLATT- ODELL FIGHT

New York politics will be very much in
the lime light from this time on. Democrats
and republicans alike will turn their atten
ton to the empire state, mainly for the rea-
son that it is the biggest political game in
sight, and existing conditions make it we'll
worth the playing.
The democrats have a chance to carry the
lower branch of the legislature in the next
state election; they are almost sure to
carry the city of New York in the mayor
atty election next fall. There is possibility
that the state can be carried by the demo-
Gratis in the presidential election.
New York will surely furnish the pres
idential candidate of the dominant party.
The state also may supply the democratic
candidate. so that the politics of New York
will continue. as in the past, to have i'm
portant national bearing.
The Platt-Odell Fight.
The fight for the local bosship now on be-
tween Senator Platt and Gov. Odell is i'm
portant to the outside world only in so far
as it may threaten to affect the solidity of
the republican vote. But there is yet time
for the friction between the factions to
abate. before the presidential elections
come along. In case it does not, the out
come may be that the democrats will nom
mate for President man who Will be re-
garded by republicans as safe on financial
questions and by the trusts even safer
than Mr.. Roosevelt from their viewpoint
In such event the cry of party uniformity
will lose force from lack of necessity for
such uniformity. and the republicans may
knife each other in good old New York
fashion.
New York politicians of both parties are
adept al knitting, as the history of the dem
ocrats and republicans shows. Nothing
short of a very vigorous exhibition of knit
ing can win the state from President
Roosevelt, but very vigorous knitting is not
out of the question.
MI. Payn's Gloomy Prophesy.
Mr. Lou Payn of New York. who is kind
of oracle among the republicans, said last
week that Mr.. Roosevelt would lose New
York by 100000 votes. Mr.. Payn, however,
is a chronic croaker since he lost good
state Job at Governor Roosevelts hands.
But in New York city astute republicans
will say that the possibilities of the stua-
ton must not be overlooked.
The bitter fighting last week between
Governor Odell and Senator Platt scared
the boys up bit and led to some hurry
calls for thermometers. The results of the
harmony efforts are seen only in appeals
for everybody to sit down; there isn't any
fire. don't get excited. But they won't
sit down for they smell the smoke and see
the sparks.
ton to the leaders bland disavowals of
factiOnal troubles. but are busying them
selves trying to estimate the outcome
as to be on the winning side. A rat can
not leave a sinking ship quicker than a
New York politician can desert standard
of twenty years following-that is, If he
feels reasonably sure that standard is
the losing side. Its THE king is dead
long live the king always with those fell
lows. but the trouble in this case is that
they are not certain the king is dead
The warning went out in New York last
week among the republicans to beware
OF jumping too soon; that Boss Platt was
not down and out: that he not going
to be defeated. and that he proposed to
fall with a heavy hand on any weak-kneed
brethren who showed signs of falterine
That intimation had great deal of effect
in bracing up the Platt lines and in serv-
ing notice the other side that il was a
fight now to the finish.
The President Keeping Neutral.
President Roosevelt is set down by the
politicians as absolutely neutral in this
factional squabble. He did his best to
avert it. to minimize its vigor and point
out the possibilities of its disastrous ef-
fects, and the last conferences held before
his departure for the west bore upon that
subject. 1t is said that ne gave both sides
to understand he would have none of their
troubles hereafter until they were ready
TO come to him s a peacemaker. He didn't
want any black eyes or bruised shins eX-
mblted TO him, nor either of them to come
for comfort.
Mr. Hill in Control.
The democratic situation in New York is
very interesting. Mr.. Hill is the absolute
master of his party in the state. He will
carry the New York delegates to the next
democratic national convention in the hol-
low of his hand, and will place them where
he pleases. The democratic machine is
more practical than it has been for ten
years, and Mr.. Hin runs it.
The general belief is that he still has
s n hankering for the presidential nomina-
ton. If lie cannot get IL he will put up
Judge Parker as his choice. The state
ment Is made on good authority that Judge
Parker is loyal to Mr.. Hill and will sink
his own ambition if there is prospect for
his chief
While the republicans of New York state
are flying at each others throats in anger
the democrats are having a regular love