The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-09

Continued from Page One.
ator EIkIns, of West Virginia. who was
factor in the Republican National Con-
vention Of 1855
"Mr Plat is dead. 1t Is a delicate
matter to discuss. His influence did much
toward nominating Harrison at that con-
vention. lie felt disappointed, and never
quite recovered from it. because he was
not made Secretary of the Treasury. He
felt hurt at me. but he never insisted to
me that I promised him that Office. He
simply felt that lie ought to have had
| It, But it was impossible.
Republican Presidents, as a rule al
most invariably, I think, selected Secre-
taries of the Treasury from the West or
Middle West. President Harrison never
considered but two men for Secretary of
the Treasury-William Mckinley and
William Window. He decided in favor
of Window"
Mr. Platt was an important. almost
! controlling factor in the convention that
nominated Harrison. On Sunday before
Harrison was nominated / took drive
with Plat 1 induced him to come to the
support of Harrison with the New York
delegation Blaine was already for Harri-
son. I had told Mr. Blaine before he
went abroad as the guest of Andrew Car
niegie that Harrison was the most avail
/ able man.
"Mr. Blaine had been favorably i'm
pressed with Gen. Harrison while the lat
| ter was in the Senate. but said he had
never been able TO get we'll acquainted
with him. But he agreed TO turn over his
| delegates whenever they were needed to
nominate Harrison. He did this by a
| code cablegram. Come to Scotland which
| Carnegie sent to me.
Fifteen of the New York State dele
gates. headed by Lou Payn. had been for
Harrison all along We needed only
Platts influence and the solid New York
delegation to nominate him.
PIatt's Aid Needed.
Before I went to the Chicago conven-
| ton 1 called on Gen. Harrison at Indian
apolis I told him We needed Plat. Gen.
Harrison gave me three letters addressed
to New York politicians. One was adj
dressed to Plat. one TO Whitelaw Reid.
and-I have forgotten TO whom the third
was addressed. 1 read these letters to
/ the men TO whom they were addressed,
/ but retained the letters. 1 have them
now. In them Gen. Harrison explained
his attitude, but made no promises.
| He said TO Senator Eiatt that he would
consider favorably any recommendations
Plat might submit as to New York
patronage. But he did not promise him
| the Secretaryship. nor did / promise 1t.
Whenever 1 confronted Plat with the
matter in after years he had to admit
that I made no specific promise TO him
of any Office.
When Plat expressed a desire, after
the election 10 be Secretary OF the
| Treasury l saw the President Gen Har-
rison said promptly IL was out OF the
question. and he could not appoint him
/ 1t was then agreed that If Plat would
| recommend B. F. Tracy for the Cabinet
! Tracy would be appointed / saw Plat
at the Arlington Hotel in this city He
was disappointed. and declined 10 go 20
the White House, but authorized me to
| say to Gen Harrison that Tracy was
satisfactory
/ Senator Elkins' interview was called
out by an article in the Chicago Record
Herald. from William e. Curtis. declar-
| ing that Plat charged in his lifetime
| that Elkins obtained the support OF the
| New York delegation for Harrison at
the Chicago convention Of 1855 by a
promise to make Plat Secretary of the
Treasury. which promise was broken.
Uepevv Adds Interest.
Senator Depew contributed an interest
| ing chapter yesterday afternoon TO the
current controversy over whether the late
T. &. Platt was promised the Secretary
ship of the Treasury in return for the
support of Gen. Harrison by the New
York delegation to the Chicago conven-
| ton Of 1883.
Il was the candidate of New York in
| the convention" said the Senator. 81 had
received as high as ninety-nine votes.
Then a situation arose that took my name
out of consideration. Delegates from
/ Iowa. Kansas. and Nebraska came to me
/ and declared that me nomination for
| President. in view OF the anti-railroad
| sentiment in those states, would make the
three States Democratic. I was president
of the New York Central I decided to
withdraw and called the New York dele
gates together for q conference.
| There was a diversity of sentiment.
Lou Payn favored Alger. Other delegates
had other favorites. Finally the matter
OF determining the future course of the
delegation was left to the four delegates
at-lerge Thereupon Plat, Warner, Mil
/ Ter, Hiseock. and / retired for a con-
| ference. Plat and Hiscock expressed
themselves for Allison; Warner and
Miller were for John Sherman. The con-
ference became acrimonious, and Plat
finally declared that he would not sup
port Sherman IL he were nominated.
Il had been silent up to that point.
/ Ny views were then called for. 1 de-
clared for Gen. Harrison as the most
available man. although had never met
him. Plat and the others asked for
conference. When they saw me again
they authorized me to pledge the dele
gates to Gen. Harrison. and I did so.
offered Him Position.
After the convention and before the
election Plat expressed TO me a desire
to be Secretary Of the Treasury. He
told me he had some sort of promise that
he should have it. Before I was able TO
submit the matter to Gen. Harrison and
after the election, Harrison sent a Re
publican member of Congress, one of
his closest friends. to me to offer me anv
place in the Cabinet except Secretary of
State. which had been promised to
Blaine