New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-26
REPUBLIcANs AVID TIE MAYOR

The Washington correspondent OF ''rhe Brook
lyn Eagle" must have misunderstood Senator
Plat or else the Senator was "quizzing" the
correspondent. He quotes the Senator as say
ing that the Republican party gave TO Mayor
Low In the recent election quite as much SUD-
port as he had any right &c expect at its hands.
although Il contributed over 80 per cent of the
s'votes that made him Mayor, he did not give
''the Republican organization per cent Of the
patronage"
Now, anybody who looks over the list Of the
Mayors appointments win find that he gave
tie Republican organization a great deal more
than 3 per cent Of them In the campaign it
was charged by former reform Democrats who
had gone over 10 Tammany that he had given
the Republicans all the offices Of any political
importance. A person who has taken the trouble
10 compile catalogue Of what may be regarded
as the twenty-seven leading Offices, including
heads Of departments and magistrates, reports
that eighteen Of them were Republicans and
nine Democrats. The heads Of the Charities,
Police, Dock, Fire and Park departments. three
tax commissioners, the two other park COM
rnissioners, seven judges and the president Of
the Civil Service Commission were Republicans,
and several OF them were active organization
leaders. OF course, nobody knows this better
than the veteran Senator who is the head OF
the Republican organization, and he certainly
never could have said seriously that Mayer
Low had given the Republicans less than 3 per
cent OF the patronage which be had TO distrib-
ute. Perhaps Mr.. Plat was merely quoting the
ignorant and prejudiced views Of some dis
gruntled Republicans whom he had met and
telling OF tie difficulties Of leader in meeting
the demands OF his followers for spoils when be
Joins in an unselish political movement, and his
illustration was by mistake set down as his own
view. But the Senator himself is too well &C
ouainted with the situation here TO hold any
such opinion.
he also has too good a memory for party
pledges, and too great a devotion to party prin-
ciples, TO make the party's share OF patronage,
even IL II were disappointingly small a ground
for complaint. That viii do for petty bone
hunters and hangers-on Of the machine whose
choice between Republicanism and Tammany is
merely a matter OF expected northumberland
men as Governor odell and Senator Plat have
agreed to displace from the management of Re-
publican affairs. They viii. Of course, CON-
plain II they are not taken care of at the ex-
pense Of the taxpayers, ana no doubt Senator
Platt has heard many OF them wailing at his
doors in The last two years. and is able TO speak
feelinglv Of their bitterness toward Mayor Low
But he himself, with a larger intelligence and
longer memory, knows that the Republican or
ganIzation gave its support TO Mr.. Low IN 1901
with an express disclaimer OF any claims even
10 3 per cent OF the patronage. Mayor Low
gave Just the sort Of an administration he was
expected 10 give. just the sort the Republican
platform proclaimed the'party wanted him 10
give. lie was truly nOn-partisan in obedience
20 his pledges and the pledges Of various bodies
Of his supporters. and IN harmony with the
principles OF municipal government declared by
Republican conventions and embodied by the
Republicans in the State constitution.
His work won the favor OF the Republican
party again this year. and & renominated him
70 continue II. II there existed among the dis
trict leaders Of the party any such feeling as
this report Of Senator Platts alleged remarks in
dicates. that the party served him right I'm let
sanR him be defeated because he distributed too