Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-08
PACT WAS NOT KEPT
CONTINUED from First PaEeD

had never known it SO difficult to raise
funds but he agreed to try still further.
He called upon every man In New 1ork
he thought would contribute, but was
able to collect only few thousand dol
lars Mr.. Quay came to him again. and
t taI him that unless he had money i'm
mrfliateix-- the election was lost
:" -.IIoy much do you want? asked Mr..
Platt.
lars at least We must have that amount
or close the headquarters, replied Mr.
Quay. - :;
credit is good, and he went out and Dor
rowed $4,000 upon his own personal
note, and turned the money over TO the
treasurer of the national committee. Mr.
Ouay has frequently asserted that that
money elected President Harrison.
..Seyeral weeks after the election there
appeared In the newspapers certain re-
ports from Indiana that caused Mr.. Platt
and his friends considerable surprise, and
they were confirmed by private advlces.
So Senator Hiscock, who had been one OF
the delegates at large to the Chicago con-
Of the arrangement made by Mr.. Elkins.
went to Indianapolis, and in the name or
the republicans of New York formally
asked the appointment OF MI Pratt as
Secretary of the Treasury. He supported
this request by letters and petitions sign
ed by all the delegates from that state
to the Chicago convention, by hundreds
of editors of republican newspapers, by
most Of the republican representatives
from New York in Congress and by
many other prominent members OF the
party These letters and petitions were
prepared. not because they were thought
necessary, but to assure the President
that Mr. Platt's appointment would De
approved by the republicans OF his state.
Alleged Bargain Ignored.
sTo the establishment of Senator His
cock the President-elect said he could not
offer Mr.. Platt seat in his cabinet, and
when pressed for his reasons declined to
give them Senator Hiscock then re-
ferred to the pledge made by Mr.. Elkins
at Chicago, and said that was the in
ducement which led the New York dele
CATION to give Gen. Harrison their sup
port. The .President-elect admitted that
he had authorized Mr.. Eikins to say that
New York should be recognized In the
formation of the cabinet, and that Mr..
Platt would be consulted in the distrtbu-
ton Of federal patronage in his state, but
Mr.. Elkins had positively informed him
that Mr.. Plat desired nothing for HIM
self; that he had no personal ambition
and that his circumstances would not al
low him to accept a cabinet appointment.
Mr.. Hiscock replied that on the con-
trary Mr.. Plat had been arranging his
standing that he was to be a member OF
the cabinet. and that such an expectation
was general among the working repub-
licans Of the state. They had voted for
Gen Harrison's nomination and had con-
tributed their money. time and talents for
his election with that understanding, and
would be greatly disappointed II the
agreement were not carried out. Gen.
tended to invite New York man into the
cabinet and he would be glad to confer
with Mr.. Plat about the selection. but it
was impossible for him to offer the Treas
ury portfolio or any other to that gentle
man.
misunderstanding" Says Harrison.
"There was no further communication
on the subject until Cen Harrison came
to Washington shortly before his inau-
guration. when ex-Speaker J. Sloat Fas-
sett of the New York legislature called
upon him at the Arlington Hotel to see il
the decision given Mr.. Hiscock had been
reconsidered. Mr.. Fassett had q pleasant
talk with the President-elect and repeated
to him in detail what had transpired at
the Chicago convention between Mr.. FL
kins and the members OF the New York
delegation. The President-elect regretted
there had been a misunderstanding, which
he was not responsible Tor. but 1t was i'm
possible for him to offer Mr. Plat a cabi-
net position. At the same time he would
like to have the New York republicans
furnish him q list of gentlemen competent
to perform the duties of Secretary Of the
Navy Mr. Fassett replied that the New
York republicans asked the appointment
Of Mr.. Plat as Secretary of the Treas
ury and had no other candidate for the
cabinet.
Later in the day the President-eiect
sent for Mr.. Fassett and explained that
Gen. B. F. Tracy OF Brooklyn and Cen
Seward of Auburn were being considered
for the Navy Department, and that he
would like to know which would be more
agreeable to MIR. Platt. The reply came
very promptly that Mr.. Tracy was pre-
ferred, as Brooklyn had sent thirty-three
republicans regularly to republican con-
ventions and never had been recognized
in any way Gen. Tracy was then sent
for and informed that he had been sc.