The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-16
OLb ..IICAl HISTORY.
LETTER LEFT BY y-SENATOU
EXPOSES ALLEGED POLITI-
CAL DEAL.
New Workers. Posthumous Communi.
cation Charges Late Former Presi-
dent With Tricl1ery i'm 1888.

washington, March 1.-THE con-
troVersy as to whether President Ben
Jamln Harrison promised to appoint
the late Senator Thomas G. Plat sac-
retary of the treasury in return for
the support of the New York delega-
ton in the national Republican con-
vention of 1888 continues. The story
OF Mr.. Platt's declaration that such
a promise was made and broken is it.
self interesting
William E. Curtis. a newspaner
writer, says that shortly after the
publication of the John Sherman
memoirs, in 1895, Mr.. Platt gave him
a sealed letter not to be opened until
both he, Platt, and President Harri-
son should be dead. Mr.. Curtis saws
he opened this letter the morning Mr..
Platt died, that is Monday morning.
The alleged letter he printed in one
OF the Washington papers. In SUBJ
stance it says that at the Republican
convention Of 1888, Stephen B. Elkins.
now senator from West Virginia, went
to Senator Plat, at the head of the
New York delegation and producing a
letter from Gen. Harrison, said that
II the New York delegation would
vote for Harrison, Mr.. Platt would be
appointed secretary Of the treasury.
1T further says that for the same con-
sideration, as further payment for his
prospective job in the cabinet, Mr..
Platt gave his personal check for
S150,000 for the election of Harrison.
which s15o,ooo, Mr.. Platt says was
What turned the election in New York
for Harrison and elected him.
1t is all interesting, being very
much like the case of Roosevelt and
Hartman. Roosevelt promised Har-
rlman that if he would raise a large
fund to be used in the election i'm New
York he would invite him to WASH
'ington to assist in the preparation of
MS message to congress. And as in
the case of Hartman, Platt declared
afterwards that the bargain had been
violated.
First of all comes Mr.. eElkins and
denies that he, in the name of Gen.
Harrison, promised Mr.. Platt the
place in the cabinet. He says that he
did promise that Mr.. Platt should be
consulted about patronage in New
York. Now comes another alleged
posthumous Letter, this time from Gen.
Harrison, saying that he never prom
lSe1 Mr.. Platt a cabinet appointment.
and that he never had any idea until
after the election that Mr.. Platt want
ed such an appointment.
But J. Sloat Fassett, now repre-
sentative from New York in congress.
who was associated with Mr.. Platt
and the New York machine at that
time. declares that the alleged post
humous letter of Senator Platt is sub
stantially correct. that Mr. Platt was
promised the appointment, and that
he himself. Mr.. Fassett, went to
President Harrison and urged upon
him the keeping Of the promise.
1t is generally believed here, 50 far
as I can learn, that there was some
kind of deal with Mr. Platt for the
New York delegation and that when
he produced that $150,OO0 to elect
Harrison he had some such thing in
view, doubtless believed he would
surely get the appointment as secre-
tary Of the treasury; but it is thought
To have been a misunderstanding No
such bargain would have been put in
writing. Gen. Harrison did write a
letter during that convention of 1888
to Tom Platt, and sent it by Steve Ell
kills. But the cautious Elkins instead
Of delivering the letter outright mere
ly read it to Platt and kept it, Exact
ly what was in it Elkins does not say
though he says he has it still. Per-
haps he will produce it. And per-
haps he will not. It depends upon
what is in it.
But this is evidence to all Of the
methods of bargaining and sale used
in these Republican conventions. It
is not the first time; and it is doubt
full if it will be the last.