New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-17
TuE ZONE DOLLdR ELL" STORl

THE ZONE DOLLIR BILL' STORY
: 1t seems TO us that Mr.. Croker has taken Il
narrow and partisan view of the story which
| Governor Flower told the reporters the other
night about the onc-dollar bill with the rail
road train on ii. Mr. Croker is said To have
expressed the opinion that in telling this story
10 illustrate Maynard's position he made Il
mess Of it. inasmuch as the point Of the story
lay in the admission that Maynard was thief.
but that he WAS justified in stealing. tpon
careful examination of the anccdotc we are
compelled TO admit that as Il campaign docu-
ment il can hardly be accounted success.
Mr.. Cookers view of il in that light Is I'M
dOubtcdly correct. 1t is not calculated to
strengthen the ticket. And Mr.. Croker being
responsible for the politics of the State, it was
not strange perhaps that he should have let
fall an ejaculation or two indicative OF impa-
ticncc But we must confess our surprise That
a man Of Mr.. Crokcrs usual taciturnity should
have been betrayed into expressions Of opin-
ion which can only be understood rs meaning
that the Governor needs Il guardian, and that
his private secretary, Colonel Williams, who
ordinarily acts in that capacity, had no bust
ness 10 let him get away from Albany ana
come to New York alone. There was really no
sufficient prOvocation for such unkind remarks.
The suspicion that Governor Flower is not the
author Of his own public uttcranccs Is likely
TO do harm. Particularly at this time. For
since the Van Allen appointment Democrats are
taking high ground against putting men in
office who have nothing but great wealth to
commend them. We believe that Mr.. Croker
will presently be sorry he spoke so hastily, and
will withdraw his reflections upon the Gov
errors ability TO go alone
But whatever may be the partisan view of
the wisdom or discretion of the Governors
frank and ingenious disclosure of an incident
Of his boyhood. one thing is certain: that as
pure literature il is destined 10 become classic.
Nothing so interests the rising generation as
anecdotes concerning the early boyhood and
youth of our great men. The influence of the
hatchct and cherry tree incident in the life OF
Washington. rs told by the Rev. Mr.. Wecms,
has been incaculablc. II is now generally be-
icvod that what Washington said he could
not do. Wcems could; but several generations
of American citizens have grown up under the
influence of those two examples. and most OF
them have followed one or the other Some
such men. say rs Russell Sage. have at differ
cnt times followed both II is well 10 have
such things permanently cmbalmcd in liter
AZURE II is not always good politics. 10 he
sure There WAS the Of the Tamnany
statesman. candidate Il few months ago for -
appointment. Of whom siory was
found in the records of the Ncw-Icrscy courts
TO the effect that he had served term for
~ l.. III
The story himself He WAS not 50 ingenious /
rs Governor Flower And when some one
else told 1t he did moi boast Of H. but modcsily /
1isclaimcd any credit for it, saving it was only /
" a schoolboy episode" II WAS not good poll /
tics, perhaps. 10 bring ont the story Just then.
but think Of the effect of il upon Young men /
growing up who hope Ia get al office from ,
rammany
The dollar bill " story. H. told in the |
plain and simple language Of the Governor. IN
by the presence of his private sccrc-
larry, i liable 10 live forever. How ~ the age
If thirteen he had saved u onc-doar bill with
, train Of ears on how one night another
BOY slept with him. and after the boy went
,way h. missed The onc-dullar hill how he in
riicd the other boy To sleep with him the next
iis clothes and finding onc-dollar bill with
railroad train OH il joyfully took possession
how all these things happened to Roswell
'cttibonc Flower in his boyhood that story
will be read with profit and delight 10y many
generations Of American youth. True. pucs-
ions may arise as 10 whether This was the
MY onc-dollar bill in circulation that had n
rain OF ears on 1t that Roswell should have
o certainly identified il. and inquisrivc young
crsons may inquire what became Of the other
'oy and whether Roswell continued in after
fc 10 sleep with that kind of boy and get
ven with him by going through his clothes
mt nothing of that sort can dull the interest
t the story or oblitrrac its obvious moral
nd some time i'm the twentieth or twcniy-iirst
cntury. when the instructor Of the youth Of
leader he will ask: What is the great moral
,sson conveyed by this incident in the early
fc Of that eminent statesman. Roswell Petit
one FlowcrE' Then the whole class will an
ycr in concert: The moral Is that when an
Their boy sleeps with You. and you miss Il
nclollar bill after he has gone invite him
sleep with you the next night and 90 through
is clothes while he H. snoring
Mr.. Croker may be- right about its being bad
pltics. but we repeat that il is going To make
mighty interesting reading" for generations ]
IT unborn
AFFRONTiNG Az HONORED JCDGE ,