The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-07

paper devoted to the interests Of Gen.
Grant. The Tribune was out of favor
with the Republican party, and the Times
was altogether too independent to suit
the Grant administration and its friends.
The Republic was shortlived In 1873 Mr.
Plat was made secretary and general
manager of the United States Express
Company. with Offices at So Broadway.
In 1879 he became president and moved
10 New York. taking up his residence at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Some years ago
he was made receiver Of the New York
and New England Railroad Company, and
al about the same time also was presi-
dent Of the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company Among his other business
ventures, he at one time held small iron
interests in Ohio, and he lived in that
State for a short time.
His Beginning I'm Politics.
II mas been said that Mr. Platt's taste
for politics was part of his inheritance.
As Yale freshman. he thought and
talked politics. Zachary Taylor. the last
Wing President. had just beaten out
Lewis Cass, Of Michigan. the Democratic
candidate. and Martin Van Buren,. of
New York. the Free Soil candidate. From
! boyhood Mr.. Plat had been interested in
the subject. but it was when he was
elected county clerk of Tioga. in 1855. that
he had his first lesson in practical poll
tics. From that day he never quit the
game until he quit it for good He never
even took vacations in the summer time
He had summer home at Highland
Mills, in Orange County, but he spent
but one summer there. preferring his old
spot. the Oriental Hotel. at Manhattan
Beach. Manhattan Beach was nearer the
political centers of things
Mr.. Platts start in politics was made
partly. at least, through his singing.
1 With more or less vocal training and
| experience, he organized a glee club for
the Fremont campaign and used to sing
between the speeches at rallies of his
party. In this way he became known TO
all in the county who took an interest In
public affairs. He also wrote campaign
songs and verses in those days. There
was little Office in the rear OF the drug
store, and there most of the political
work for the county was done. Mr..
Platt was Lincoln man, but also was a
great admirer of William H. Seward Mr.
/ Llncolns chief rival for the nomination
IN the Chicago convention of 1860 Will
| lam NJ. Evarts presented Mr.. Seward s
name TO that convention on behalf of the
| New York delegation. and IL was the an
pointment of Mr.. Evarts to be Secretary
Of State. by Hayes in 1876, that first
started the war of Conkling and plat on
Hayes The back room in the up-State
drug store was to Mr.. Pratt from 1856 10
| 1872 what 50 Broadway and ~ BROADWAY
were to him in after life.
Swan I'm State Politics,
Early in the SOS Mr. Plat becaue
chairman of the Tioga Republican
County committee. and late in that dee
ade he began to assume prominence in
the politics of the State. He had beer
a Grant man. and was a strong sun.
porter of Fenton, who succeeded Thur.
low Weed and Seward, as the States
Republican chieftain. State matters
gradually were added to local affairs in
the conferences in the little back Office
Roscoe Conking and Alonzo B. Cornell
were among those who went to Owego
and found their way to the back room
Another was Gen. Benjamin f. Tracy
President Harrison's Secretary of the
Navy, and Mr.. Platts candidate for first
mayor of Greater New York in 1897.
In 1870 the nominating convention for
the Twenty-sixth Congressional district
comprising Broome, Schuyler. Tompkins
| and CaVuga oorntfaS .ras 5eadlo.txas /
tween Miles W. Hotchkiss and Milo w
Goodrich Mr.. Plat. one of the Good
rich delegates. was called to Big Rap