The sun., 1919-08-31
A LEAF FROM THE PAST.
Memories Of Platt, Mckinley and
Roosevelt BY the Dean Of Politl>
cal Correspondents-Flrst Article.

| Ahc ucdth VI Wlihatn n. Oulybn, eul'
tor and proprietor of the Owego Times
which occurred several days ago Al
his home in Owego, has recalled WV
idly two political episodes In my life
when l was a member of The SUM-
stan, which may be of passing pres
ent day interest to political readers
They concerned. and have their start.
ing point, In the first Inauguration o.
President Mckinley, on March 4, 1897
Mr.. smyth. as the confidential adviser
and representative Of the late United
States Senator Thomas c. Plat as tc
Republican affairs In the southern tiel
of the State, journeyed to Washing
ton several days befsre the inaugu-
ration in company with Mr.. Plat,
Representative Benjamin b Odell-
later twice Governor OF the State;
Joseph M. Diclkey and others. and
went along accompanied by the late
Wilbur ]. Chamberlin. also OF Thu
| Suns stan in those days. Mr.. Cham
berlin and had been assigned TO
write the inaugural ceremonies In the
United States Senate and the scenes
IN Washington incident to the inaugu-
ration.
! twill be recalled easily by old time
Republicans like Chauncey NJ. Depew,
Francis Hendricks, ]. Sloat Fassett.
Bernard Biglin. John w. Dwight,
George w. Aldridge and others now
living that Senator Plat had been
very much opposed to the nomination
Of Mr.. Mckinley at st. Louis in
1896. Indeed his opposition had been
almost vicious. II took the form, be-
fore he appeared on the scenes In St
Louis. Of issuing froms the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel vitriolic statements to the
New York city newspapers in opposi-
| ton to Mr.. McKinley's nomination.
Most Of these interviews and state
ments ran along for several months
before the convention and were partic-
ularly specific in their charge that
Mr.. Mckinley was not sound on the
money question. Mr.. Plat had been
conversant with all the political move
ments and policies in Mr.. McKinley's
career. Mr.. Plat az St Louis favored
either the nomination for President Of
the late Thomas B. Reed or Of Levi p.
Morton, former Vice-President and
then, 1896, Governor of New York.
Mr.. Morton is still living in New York
| city at the hale old age of 81. But
Mark Hanna was too strong for the
Platt- Reed Morton forces. For several
years Mr.. Hanna, the personal friend
| and intimate of MIR. Mckinley, had
been organizing Republican forces in
the nation in favor of McKinley's NOM
ination, and Mr.. Plat and his friends
were easily defeated at st. Louis. II
was from that convention that forty
delegates imbued with the 16 to 1 sill
yer doctrine retired. After the NOM
nation of Mr.. Mckinley no Republic
can then alive worked harder or con-
tributed more than Mr.. Plat In effort
to the election OF Mr.. Mckinley. And
1. was in that year. 1896. that the Re-
publicans elected Legislature at AL
bany in which they had a majority ON
Joint ballot. In the following Janu-
airy, 1897, Mr.. Plat in the joint eau
| Gus of Assemblymen and Senators re-
ceived all but a few votes as the can
didate of his party for United States
Senator. and was elected the following
day at the joint session OF the Legis-
lature to succeed his old time political
| adversary David B. Hill. So Mr..
Platt was to be inaugurated as a
United States Senator on March 4,
1897. the dav on which Mr.. Mckinley
was to be inaugurated as President.
During the campaign which elected
Mr., Mckinley President there had
been no communication between Mr..
Mckinley and Mr. Plat, and yet Mark
J Hanna, the vigorous, forceful and de-
20, Cd ,Aaf af
Kinley's interests, was in constant
communication personally and other
wise with Mr.. Plat. When we
reached Washington most OF the New
York Republicans put up at the old
| Arlington Hotel and Mr.. Plat had a
fine suite for himself The day after
we arrived Mr.. Smyth and myself
were sitting in the big sitting room of
the suite with Mr.. Plat when in
| hurried the late Cornelius n. Bliss,
for many years treasurer of the Re-
publican National Committee and the
personal friend of Mr.. Mckinley.
1.-THE Major wouldslpxe to see you"
said Mr.. Bliss to Mr. Plat. HE Is
! around at the Ebbitt House."
Mr.. Plat was quite surprised. He
| knew fun well how bitterly he had
! attacked Mr.. Mckinley and how
earnestly he had striven to defeat Nc
Kinleys nomination. Grasping his hat
from a nearby. table he turned to Mr..
Smyth and myself and said. Wait
here until return and I may have
something OF interest 10 tell you"
Mr.. Smyth and i awaited Mr.. Piatt's
return, meantime wondering what was
happening around at thesEbbitt House.
After an hour Mr.. Plat returned and
entering his sitting room Mr. Smyth
and 1 noticed that he was under a
deep stress of feeling. AS a matter OF
fact moisture was In his eyes. In a
hating voice he said Boys, / am
his friend from this second, his strong
friend, and I wish you would remem-
Der 1t in anything that. you may have
to say in the future"
Mr.. Plat then went ON to speak of
his visit to Major Mckinley. He said:
THE President-elect received me
with such gracious courtesy and kind
ness and apparent friendship that I
was utterly and Immediately disarmed.
1 thought he was to bring up my
vicious attacks on him before his
nomination, but he never alluded to
the subject: not by inference or by
any method whereby men communi-
cate with one another did he even
refer to the matter. He merely said,
Mr.. Plat. you afS to be sworn in as
United States Senator of this Gov
erhment tomorrow, Just a few mo-
u a.