Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-07

"a DnNStCltil tUtltu upon nm NNllN.
Thursday at breakfast the senator had
a momentary fainting spell, bur rallied
quickly a year ago his feebieness
was markedly accentuated and his life
was dcspaired of for period but
With remarkable vitality he recovered
and went about his business as usual.
Dr Auterbrdge sald tonight that
the vitality of his patient was truly
+ unusual In spite Of his feebleness,
I he took an active interest in affairs
and refused to neglect his business
until the dictates or nature imposed a
rest. He was out of bed at I O'Clock
every morning and always early at
his office,
Thomas Collier Plat. the easy
boss of earlier and brighter days,
was for many years not only the re-
publican leader of his state, but fig
ure in national politics. shoulder to
shoulder with men of such rank and
reputation as the late Matthew stan
( ley Quay Of. PENNSYLVANIA.
Both were men of exceptional intel
F ectual attamments and both turned
them. with signal success. 10 party or
sanitation, quay died still n power
Platt ontlived his time and felt him
self Of late years out of touch with
the moving spirit of events.
IN Twenty Years In Congress,
James G. Blaine described Platt as "a
business man Of personal popularity
He has an aptitude for public affairs
and is q man of strong influence IN
his state He is no debater, but has
strong common sense and quick
Judgment OF men.
Yet, with all his native judgment.
wide experience and skill ms an or
ganizer, il became the fate OF Platt to
win remembrance more for his asso-
Citations with others than for anything
he did of his own initiative.
Twice in his life Platt was the cen
ter Of the national stage-onoe when
he resigned with Roscoe Conkling
from the senate and was nicknamed
Me TOO" Plat, and once when he
induced Theodore Roosevelt to run for
vice. president with Mckinley, very
much against Rooscvelt's better judg-
mcnt in the face of his repeated dec
larations that nothing could induce
him to accept the nomination.
There could not be a better instance
Of Platt's skill in persuasion and man
ipulation or OF the irony that Knocked
his ripest wisdom. Mckinley was
shot, Roosevelt became president and
the days of Platt's domination in the
state lapsed into senility
His bodily strength declined rap
Idly. He made second marriage
which ended in the courts and he was
sued by Mae Wood, formerly a clerk
in the government employ, for di-
vorce on the strength of a third mar
riage, never proved TO have taken
place.
The episode with Conkling which
was not extended in public excitement,
say the newspaper files OF that day, by
any event in the civil war was as fol-
lows.
Platt was elected to the senate in
1891. He and his colleague, Conkling,
became embroiled with Garfield in
bitter controversy over the appoint
snngt Of Wiilian1 ii. ROBERTSON 70 be-
collector Of the port OF New York. The
selection WAS distasteful To the New
York organization and both Plat and
Conkling refused to confirm 1t In the
senate. Thereupon President Garfield
withdrew all other New York NOM
nations made at their instance.
among which were those OF Stewart
L. Woodford TO be United states
district attorney and Lou r. Payn, re
Gently remembered as an "accelerator
or public opinion" to be United states
marshal.
Finding themselves in hopeless
deadlock, Platt and Conkling both re-
signed. Conklng was caught in the
great blizzard Of 1883 and died OF cX-
posure. Plat was supposed to be
frozen out II politics. Nothing OF the
sort-he turned his attention to build
ing Influence in the southern tier of /
New York county. became state leader
again in 1894 ana 1897 was elected a
second time to the United States SEN .
ate. succeeding David Bennett Hill.
He fell out with Governor Frank |
Black and to defeat his denomination /
put forward Theodore Roosevelt, a 4
type whose undeveloped possibilities (
he did not justly estimate. It WAS I
Rocsevelts rapid progress toward /
and power that later led
Plat to suggest him or the vice.
hoping that in the quiet I
of that dignified office, he might be /
forgotten.
Platt was born in Owego, Tiosa I
county, n. ", July 5, 1888, Of Puri- /
tan ancestry. He entered Yale col |
lege with the class of lSf9, but left in /
the middle of his junior year because 4
of III health. His father wished him /
to study for the ministry, but he T
never advanced further in that dircc /
ton than to sing in the church choir.
A brief apprenticeship at literature
was succeeded by more cOngenial EN-
ployment In business. He prospered
In Michigan in the lumber trade, re-
turned to Owego and became presi
dent OF the Tioga National bank, was
chosen director and later prcsi-
dent of the Southern Central Railroad
company and in 1879 was elected gem
ernl manager and secretary Of the
United states Express company. Of
which he became president in 1850,
so remaining until death.
In physique, Platt as young man
was pleasant in appearance, delicately
built. restless and nervous. In later
years his visage took on grimness. By /
his first marriage to Ellen Barstow o
Owego he had three Frank H..
Edward T. and Harry p Platt. He
had been in feeble health some years
before his death.
Thomas Collier Plat was born in Il
Owego ~ Y, July -, 1888; was pre-
pared for college al the Oswego Aca-
denny vas a memner Of the class of
1853 at Yale college. but was com
PEELED to give up the course in that
institution on account Of i'll health;
received the honorary degree of NJ.
A. from that college In iS16, entered
mercantile life soon after leaving
school, and has been in active bus-
ness ever since; was president OF the
Tioga National Bank at It's organiza-
lion. became largely interested in the
umbering business in Michigan; was
county clerk OF the county of Tioga in
1859. 1850 and 1861. was elected to
he fOrtV-third and fOrtV-fnrth con-