The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-20
A FIGHT TO A FINISH
In New York State Between PLATE
and OdelI.
By r. NJ. Larner.

Washington, April 19.--Of porten-
tious import to the administration and
to the Republican party is the split be-
tween the Republican factions of New
York which had developed during the
past few days. The rundown of
nominated for reappointment as a
member of the State Railroad Com
mission and the reappointment of
Morgan as inspector of elections, is
construed by those familiar with the
inside of New York politics as mean
ing the final breach between Senator
Plat and Gov. Odell.
The appointment of Morgan is di-
rect and open reputation of Senator
Platts plans. Senator Platt himself
charges openly that Gov. Odell is re-
sponsible for the action of the Senate
in defeating Baker, and there can be
no question that this is the case.
All hands talk harmony, but there is
no harmony. President Roosevelt, re-
alizing the deep significance to him.
self of a divided Republican party in
the face of an united Democracy, had
endeavored to patch up peace between
Odell and Platt, but it has become evil
dent that Odell wants no peace.
The situation in a nutshell is this:
Gov. Odell is determined that he shall
be recognized as the Republican leader
of New York, and to that end is will
ing to resort to any extremity to build
up his personal machine. Senator
Platt would avoid a fight if he could
but he does not propose to be ousted
in his old age from the proud position
he has long held as dictator of Repub-
lican affairs in the Empire State. Dur
ing the past year there have been fire.
quent clashes over the all-important
question of patronage and upon sew
eral different occasions it has required
the fullest power of the President and
the national leaders to patch up peace
between these men who not many
years ago were thick as the proverbial
thieves There has never been any
love between Plat and Roosevelt, but
the President has more than once in
terVened in this Republican family
quarrel on the side of the Senator be-
cause he realized that his chances for
reelection to the presidency were at
stake.
Now apparently Gov. Odell has
reached a point where he feels able to
defy Senator Platt and all of the har-
monizers, from President Roosevelt
down.
These latter gentlemen have en-
deavored to make it clear to the Gov
ernor that the acknowledgment of his
leadership was but a question of but
short time, arguing that as Senator
Plat is feeble as we'll as old, he must
soon pass from the scene of active
VO1ifia0 ndaH
much about politics to bank very
strongly on futures. The opportunity
presents itself for his forcing acknowl-
edgelnent of his leadership and of
chnching it by building up a strong
personal machine and such an oppor-
tunity he does not propose to let pass
by. He is forcing the fighting all
along the line and apparently with
success. He is putting himself in a
position to dictate Republican politics.
Signs are not wanting to show that in
this he is having the cooperation, Of
at least the assistance, of Mayor Low
of New York city. Platt is being
fought from both sides. There has
been much talk at other times of a
split between the old and the young
leader of New York Republicans but
that talk has had no open rupture for
its basis. Now such a rupture has oc-
CURED. 1t is the real thing. The bat
tie is on and it is to be battle to the
political death of either Odell or Platt.
Administration politicians in Wash
ington are deeply concerned over the
outlook for they realize that President
Roosevelt will be seriously handicap
ped if 1t becomes apparent that his
state will go against him in the cleo
ton. They are doing some very strong
talking against Odell, whom they hold
responsible for this condition of af-
fairs. Incidentally they are charging
the Governor with the Interior motive
of desire to defeat Roosevelt's nom
ination. They point to his action as
indicating a desire to control the New
York delegation to the next Republic
can national convention and they
know that if Odell is in that position
he will do everything in his power to
so complicate things as to prevent the
nomination of Roosevelt in the hope
that he himself may become the resid-
uary legature of the strife thus Gre
ated. The best political opinion here
is that they have full cause for their