The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-15

valor, q,iailed and ran away. Mayor
| Knight has been his candidate for Governor
[ Mayor Knight has been the crony OF Odell
| The Governor Chairman has desired that
Mayor Knight should be close to him when
| the canal patronage was to be distributed
at Albany. But the Higginsites wouldn't
! listen to Knights nomination. Tho most
prominent friends of Mr.. Higgins stepped
| to the front. and Governor Chairman Odell
and his partner, William c. Warren, were
| routed.
The Chairman thereupon said
he would call caucus for tonight, and
that this caucus should select the candi-
date for Lieutenant Governor.
Odell and his friends announce that they
would go into the convention tomorrow
with over 200 delegates for Higgins, and
later on they said that Higgins would have
nearer 800 delegates on the first ballot. or
course this is far greater number than is
necessary to nominate Higgins.
Gov. Odell did not call on Senator Plat
to-day, but that didn't seem to make any
difference to Senator Plat, who was kept
constantly informed OF the conduct Of Odell
in using the patronage bludgeon to dissi-
pate the Woodruff forces. Senator Platt
said that in his opinion Mr.. Woodruff would
have 800 delegates, but it didn't make any
difference to him If Mr.. Woodruff had but
three delegates. Mr. Woodruff's name
would be presented to the convention.
Senator Platt had no patience with the
talk of a compromise candidate and would
not listen to the suggestion that the fight
be stopped between the Higgins men and
the Woodruff men, and that a compromise
candidate like j. Sloat Fassett or Francis
Hendricks or Hamilton Fish should be
named After Mr.. Fassett's great speech
in the convention to-day many Republi-
can delegates announced that they would
like to vote for him for Governor, and they
said that If Odell had not nailed down the
delegates to their seats Higgins could very
easily be beaten by Fassett.
PROM POVERTY TO WEALTH.
The comments and criticisms on Gov.
Odell here would fill every page of THE SUN.
In 1894, for instance, it was brought out
that because of his connection with a cor
poration in Orange county he practically
confessed bankruptcy, and now the Gov
ernor-C hairman's wealth is put down at
$4,000, 900. There is no such criticism on
Senator Platt, and neither has there been
any such criticism on David B. Hill, the
Democratic State leader.
Probably the most potent criticism.
though, was that Senator Plat, after
leadership lasting nearly twenty years,
kept the Republican party in the State in
good order and beyond the friction incident
to ordinary situations. The harmony that
prevailed was intense until Governor
Chairman Odell became the boss. From
that hour the sternest and bitterest fac
tional disputes have honeycombed the
Republican organization Of the State and
this was never more clearly demonstrated
than during the episodes which have pref
aced the work of this convention.
Even Odells followers say that his favors
are burdensome. They are the favors OF a
master, an irritable, at times unyielding,
master and at other times the favors OF an
irresponsible and timid boss. Senator Platt's
favors were distributed with knoIess, and
1t is not too much to say that his followers
from first to last held him in sincere afrec-
ton. OF course the Littaue RS, the WARDS, the
Brackets and men OF that type could have
no affection for man Ike Platt who knew
almost every thought that actuated their
motives, either at Alt any or at Washing
ton
oDELL. wHITEwAsHEs HIMSELF.
No, the bossship of Govemor-t hartman
Odell is maintained, it was asserted, only
by the power Of patronage brutally dis
tributed with the sole idea of maintaining
the boss's power, and with no thought OF
bringing cohesion to the party In the State.
Governor Chairman Odell has been 80
damaged by the assaults of Republicans
upon him that late tonight he demanded
that the convention committee on resolutions
should give him certificate of character.
For the first time in the history of the party
I'm the State, the Governor-C Chairman has in
sisted that certificate be given him testi-
flying TO his integrity. The committee on
resolutions, acting under the Governor
Chairman's orders, inserted in the platform
To be adopted by the convention tomorrow
the following plank;
We commend the firm resolution. abiding
common sense and strict integrity. unmoved
with which Gov. 0dell has conducted the
affairs of this state and safeguardedt with
jealous care. its vast and complicated interests
Governor Chairman Odell, it was posi-
lively made known late tonight, dictated
to the stenographer this plank in the plat
form which is intended to give him a GER
tificate Of character.
When Gov. Morton wen out of office
he did not ask the Republican convention
which nominated Frank s. Black for Gov
ernor to testify as to his integrity. When
Frank S. Black went out of office he did not
ask the Republican State convention which
nominated Theodore Roosevelt for Gov
ernor to testify to his integrity as Governor
OF the State. When Theodore Roosevelt
went out of office as Governor OF the State
he did not find it necessary to ask the Re
publican State convention which nominated
Odell for Governor to give him a certificate
of character or TO announce to the voters Of
the State that he had been an honest Gov
ernor and had conducted his administration
honestly.
WHY CERTIFICATE IS NECESSARY.
Nobody knew or cared to explain just
why Governor Chairman Odell insisted
that the plank testifying to his integrity
should be inserted in the platform. There
were those here, though, who had seen to-
day copies of an editorial in the Buffalo Neps
of Aug. Is, 1904, which had been circulated
broadcast among the delegates. and it was
explained that perhaps this editorial in