Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-21
The OD[[[P[ATI War
Its Inception and Probable In
fluence on the Political For
tunes of Roosevelt
WILL INTEREST THE PRESIDENT
PIatt's A%ppointee Knitted in the Albany
senate-The Executives Political
Relations With the contendins Lead.
ers and His Personal Estimate of
Their Characters.

snowy wilds of the Yellowstone, of all
the news which has been collecting
while he has been remote from news
the reports that will especially inter-
est him will be the messages telling OF
the defeat Of one OF Governor OdelTs
nominations. And it is probable tina,
the president will be even more inter-
ested in the details that tell 10Y that
defeat was consummated by a union
of all the democratic senators with
four republican senator's of the Albany
legislature than he would be if he read
that the nomination had been pitched
out OF the senate door by a revolt
OF a majority of republican senator's.
To the public 1t is of small conse-
quence that the nominstion thus repu-
dated by the senate at Albany was that
of a railroad commissioner. For. al
tho the office itself is one of those
longed for-since the salary is large
for a state officer, $4,000, and the term
is for five years-nevertheless, it Is
probable that all but a very few of the
voters of the state could not give the
names of any of the railroad com
m%issioners, thereby showing the small
public interest taken in this commits
sion.
But as an incident of the fine, If not
high, politics that have for a a or
characterized the career of Gov
ernor t0dell as well as that OF Senator
Plat, and as a confederation of the
views Of those who have for o than
a year insisted that the governor was
hewhly his own pathway according
to his own will, without particular care
that he in doing that also followed the
whim or view of Senator Piatt. this
rejection by the senator of the nomin-
alton OF a railroad commissioner is of
much political Importance.
The president will understand the
meaning of this action. and doubtless
has a clear perception of all that led to
posed upon by any of those who have
professed to believe that there has
been no breach between Senator Plat
and Governor Odell. President Roose-
velt's term as governor las been of
great service to him in skillfully ana
tactfully directing his course with re-
spect to this factional trouble in New
York state. II begins to be understood
that in his term as Governor Roosevelt
surpassed Governor Odell in tact,
especially in his relations with Senator
Platt. For instance, upon one occasion
Roosevelt found that he could
co~nscientiously nominate for a
certain Office one who had been earn
estly sponsored for that Office by Sem
ator Plat. Instead. however, of dis
that recommendation go
ing his own way without any thought
Senator Plat, Governor Roosevelt
said that he could not appoint the man
Senator Plat had recommended for
reasons affecting the mans character.
There,upCn nat Platt asked the
il he had any one in mind,
and Roosevelt mentioned two men.
Senator Plat caressed his beard
t~houghtfully for i moment. as is his
when his mind is concentrated,
and then said:
Well, Governor, I don't mind If you
either one OF those you have
named. provided only you let it be
known that l recommended him.
RooseveIt's Tact.
Tact and consideration won a tri-
umph for Governor Roosevelt in this
casc. Mo- only cheerfullg, but with es-
pecial care, he caused Il to be under
stood that the appointment which he
did make had been fixed upon after the
recommendation of Senator Platt.
But President Roosevelt when gov
of New York was not ambitious to
for himself a personal following,
IN the that he was 10Th the nomi-
and actual master OF the party ma
chint,ry of the state. II he had been
dominated by an ambition of that kind.
he must sooner or later have found
at the parting of the ways with
Plat. since that ambition
would have crossed the cherished pur-
pose and the long. maintained pride of
senator involving common recogni-
ton of him az the actual master of the
party machinery in this state.
1t is impossible for any one who has
been either a participant or an observer
of politics not at first to have been sus-
and at last convinced that Gov
Odell-in addition 20 a fine ambi-
ton to pass into history as a success
full executive of New York, identified
with a policy designed to free the state
from direct taxation-also has been
dominated by the sense of power, po-
Iitical avarice, the mastery of the ma
,hinery in fact as we'll IS the titular
of his party. AS a legislative ca
feer has no fascination for him, 1T is
presumed that the ambition for political
power is in the direction of executive
offices.
But if he is ambitious for executive
,istency that does not fail to command
l reluctant admiration aiming TO con-
within his grasp all the pat
of the state. why should he do
hat, having already been chosen twice
20 the highest Office the state can give?
Those who are not friendly to Governor
0deil insist that he looks ahead five
years, contemplating the possession by
hat time of so much pow er that he may
De able to command The republican
nomination for president. 1t must be
said that this is a not unreasonable in
In the natural course of events Sen
ator Platt cannot longer than his pres
ant term in the federal senate maintain
the power which he obtained so skill
fully in 1888 and which has not been
wrested from him since. although a
for his scepter is certainly un-
der way. His friends insist that he
looks forward to the day when, by
reasOn of his years, gracefully, and of
MS own volition. he may transfer his
authority to some one Of his own