The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
FLOWER BROADWAY
kEW ATMOSPHERIC IN PLATT'S
OLD HEADQUARTERS

NHHL ANNAI- w ~
Days Of HSlf'Breed stalwart quarrel
The banking house Of Flower 4 Co.
moved yesterday from It's old quarters
81 As Broadway TO. 40 Broadway, for many
ayears the main .ofhoe Of the United States
Express Company, where Senator Thomas
e. Platt put in the nrodigious political
bciivities which made the Republican
party Of the State victorious in many am
IpaiRns. The old building at 40 Broadway
has been thoroughly changed inside and
u out. There is a handsome front and
ell Of the Offices in the building have been
m~odernized. The offices OF the banking
firm Of Flower j. Co. are OIL the FIRST and
second floors. o on the first floor
are for general use by the firm and it's
patrons. They are handsomely adorned.
Those on the second floor are to be the
private Offices Of member of. the firm.
But IL Is not 80 much of the fact that the
banking firm has moved, but that It has
moved to the old headquarters which for
so many years was practi6ally the political
citadel OF Senator Platt, that hnanciers
and politicians talked yesterday. 3
Early in the 1908 the late Governor Ros-
well p. Flower. founder OF the firm, de-
cided to take a hand in politics inc he
& heat William Waldorf Aston for Congress
IN a New York city district. It was in
that campaign that Mr.. Aston flung the
twenty dollar gold pieces about the dis
trict with a p~rodigality which is still re-
membered and still desired. It was then
that Gov. Flower first ran up against SEN
ator Plat and his lieutenants In the New
York Republican county committee. Sem
etor Plat had just had his memorable
quarrel with President Garfield and Presi-
g Arthur, and he wasn't very strong
In either New York city or in the State,
but. anyway, Gov, Flower beat Mr.. Aston
IN the Congress district by a, handsome
plurality. Floyd Vail, now managing clerk
Cor Flower 4 Co., was Gov. Flowers right
hand man in the management Of that
Congress contest.
In 1884 Gov. Flower was a candidate
for the Democratic Presidential nomina-
ton and he had many ardent supporters
IN the National Convention. But the Demo
cratic powers of the State, headed by Daniel
Manning. later on to. become Cleveland's
Hrst Secretary of the Treasury, favored
Cleveland, and with the aid OF William c.
Whitney and other Democratic chieftains
Of renown Cleveland captured the nomi-
nation. Senator Platt on his side was
actively engaged lin the Presidential con-
test OF that year, but Blaine. whom Platt
helped 10 nominate. was beaten in New
York State by the labors Of Cleveland's
Friends and by those of Roswell p. Flower
and his friends.
As time advanced it became evident
that the Cleveland men were taking every
opportunity possible to attempt to injure
Roswell p. Flower. By innuendos that
Gov. Flower was a Wall Street banker
be did not represent the poor men Of the
arky - ~ Are 80 - ~
former. the Cleveland men in the State
attempted to thwart Roswell P.'s political
aspirations. The fact was that Roswell
r. Flower was very popular with the people
aware Of it. He had been a poor boy.
raised on a farm and knew the wishes and
desires Of the humber class OF voters, and
he was always in complete sympathy
with them: Senator Plat at that time
was struggling to his feet after the terrific
stalwart-half breed war in his party.
In 1885 Flower supported David b. Hill
for Governor and Platt stood by Ira Daven-
port. The Cleveland people were not very
Enthusiastic for Hill. but all Of Flowers
strength was. thrown. in Hills favor and
Flower had thousands OF friends all over
the State. Hill beat Davenport 10y IL 600:
Roswell p. Flower all OF this time divided
his untiring energies between his banking
1888 Warner Miller was nominated for
Governor by the Republicans. mainly
through the efforts OF Senator Platt. Flower
again stood for Hills denomination and
feeleotion. Flower made many notable
npeeches in that campaign against Warner
Miller. All this time Flower and Platt
were personally on very friendly terms.
They used TO joke and jolly each other as
70 the progress of the political warfare
In which they were engaged, but Platt al
ways admired Flower as a banker and a
public man and Flower always said that
Platt was as keen a political warrior as
ever crossed his path.
Hill defeated Miller, and in 1890 Flower
was nominated for Governor. Platt put
up j. Sloat Fassett. Plat told Fassett
before the latter's nomination at Rochester
hat he couldn't beat Flower, that Flower
was TOO strong in the State, was too well
thought Of by Democrats. rich and poor,
and also by platoons of Republicans. But
Fasaett thought 10 was his year and he
wanted the nomination; Flower retired
10 his country home at Watertown and re-
manned there, making a few speeches TO
visiting delegations. He proved himself
q oampaigner OF conspicuous tact. Fas-
setf, accompanied by John Vrooman,.
candidate for Governor, spoke
in about every county in the State. but
Flower won overwhelmingly by 5000
plurality. Flower declined a denomination
Plat nominated Levi p. Morton and
won with him.
In 1895 Gov. Flower headed the New York
delegation to the Democratic national CON
vention at Chicago which nominated Bryan.
After Hill had been turned down Tor tenn
porary chairman Of the convention and the
committee on resolutions had reported the
platform containing the 10 to I silver plank
tov. Flower and the entire New York State
delegation held aloof from all further pro-
ceedings in the convention. Plat that year
was opposed to the nomination Of Mckinley, |
but he promptly swung into line after the
national convention adjourned. Flower
would not have any OF Bryan in his. and he
presided at the Indianapolis gold Demo-
cratic convention which nominated Palmer !
and Buckner. All over the middle West.
the Northwest and the Far West Gov. flower
spoke for Palmer and BucTner.
In ts9S Plat nominated Roosevelt for
Governor, and some OF the most prominent
leaders in the Democratic State organiza-,
ton wanted 10 nominate Flower against
Roosevelt on the ground that Flower was
known to be- n conservative in biz financial
and commercial views. whereas Roosevelt
was looked upon as %erratic. Brit Gov.
Flowers course in 1907 In opposing Bryan
for President made his friend tlmid, and
the convention nominated Augustus Van
Wyck. whom Roosevelt. beat hy 1900.
Senator Plat and Gov Flower and their
fyiends at Albany ioiped hands in opposing
the state franchise tax bill, which Roosevelt
advanced and which only within the last
te.,r hna haan dnclarCd pnnsti tutionaI nv |