Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-28
Senator Platt Apparently Full
Of Vitality.
STILL AT THE WHEEL
AsToNIst1Es THOSE WHO DO NOT
KNOW HIM INTIMATELY.
Discusses the Purposes Of the Meeting
Of the Joint Committee on Print
ing Next Week.

Senator Platt of New York was at the
New Willard most of today seeing visitors
and attending to his senatorial business in
way to astonish the people who do not
know him intimately and therefore indulge
in visions of broken man ready to topple
over into the grave. A man very much
alive is Senator Plat, and If any of those
who are casting wistfu1 glances at his
shoes, senatorial or otherwise could have
observed him today, they would have grown
discouraged and started out to get some
other statesman's footwear. He looked and
acted the part of a man likely to wear out
| good many shoes before his effects go to
the rummage sale.
Possessed Of Great Vitality.
1t is necessary to look the New York
senator in the face and to talk with hin,
In order to realize what an amount of vi
tality there is in that body that suffers
| some physical infirmities. The people who
know Senator Platt by seeing him walk
into the Senate. slowly. with many mis-
givings finding IT difficult to turn this way
or that, his frame at times quivering as
with weakness until he settles down with
apparent exhaustion into his senatorial
chair. can not Judge of the vitality that has
kept the New York boss in command of his
forces in the Empire state.
Those who have seen these exhibitions OF
clusion that the ''old man" hasn't long to
stay That idea has set on his trail a host
of ambitious politicians, with their eyes
fastened on his old shoes, his senatorial and
state leadership shoes. Now and then 1t
has led some of his followers to desert him.
But somehow he has managed to grapple
with all the complicated situations that
have confronted him. and there he is still
at the wheel. 1t is only when one talks to
the senator, watches his expressive face
and sees how quickly he grasps every
question and sends back pointed answer
that the force that has kept him to the
front is fully understood.
Many Callers on the Senator
The senator saw many callers today. He
affected no exclusiveness. He saw every
body and dispatched all his affairs, whether
Of a semi-social nature, relating to the
business of his constituents OF otherwise.
He has a suite of apartments on the cor
ner of Pennsylvania avenue and 14th street,
on the eighth floor. above the flies. the
mosquitoes and every other kind of pest
except those chat use the elevators.
The senator occupied sofa and did not
rise for any of bis visitors. They came in
numbers. He greeted them all cordially.
No young man starting out on the hust-
ings and making friends could be more
agreeable. Those who saw him today were
not surprised that he has recently declared
that he doesn't propose to die until after
the next political campaign in New York,
in which he is intensely interested.
Economy in Printing.
The congressional business in which the
senator finds immediate interest relates to
the investigation that the joint committee
on printing proposes making into the econ
omies that may be effected by Congress in
relation to public printing. When asked
by Star representative today as to the
scope that would be taken in this investi-
cation. he replied that that could not be
determined until after the committee gets
together In New York next Thursday in
response to his call for meeting, which
was outlined in The Star yesterday.
The committee will meet and will then
determine what it will do" he said today.
We can't tell anything about it until after
the first meeting"
WIN you call witnesses to go into the
manner of conducting the business of the
printing officer? he was asked.
"Oh. no., he said; that will not be neces-
sary. The committee will determine what
changes should be made in respect to the
printing Of government documents. We
win not call witnesses"
The senator stated that he didn't think
there would be any meetings of the COM
mfttee in this city later and before the meet
nesses before It, It's entire business, he
expected, would be transacted in New York
Asked what he was looking forward to in
respect to rate Legislation and tariff revis
too far ahead to permit him to take them
up for discussion at this time
what will Congress probably do in re-
spect to railroad legislation he was asked
II must leave that for Senator Foraker
to answer" he replied promptly. TT is too
much for me-"
Awaiting the President.
The fact is the senator is too greatly in
terested at this time in the events in New
York state to get down to congressional
problems two months ahead of the time
when they will be imperative. He Is look
ing forward to the campaign in New York
as most New Workers look forward to 1t
as rather the most important thing that
faces the country just now. He will be here
all of this week and will probably remain
until after the President comes. It Is like
ly that he will have interesting talks with
the. President before he returns to New
York. In the meantime he will remain at
the New Willard and will continue to oc-
cupy his luxurious apartments on the
eighth floor of that hotel. where from his
windows he could get view OF Mount Yer
non II he should supply himself with a
strong enough field glass. He will be en-
gagged in business connected with such con-