New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-11
ENTER EGGLESTON ~ TEiRS.

We were premature Tho Van Allen incident
IA not closed We supposed il was. The details
of the whole infamous transaction having been
published, from the $4,000 campaign fund sub
scription TO the delivery Of the Italian mission
in payment therefor including the thrilling
narrative Of the way in which the political
economist White and the poet Glider " chipped
i'm a thousand dollars apiece TO save the Nj
ton from disgrace, the interviews and letters
In which Mr. Horace White Withdrew most
Of what he had said and tempered the resi-
TO the shorn lambs; the simple and sincere
Reputation OF the thousanddollar subscription
by the poet, accompanied by silence as 10 the
rest Of the story. as pathetic as IL was profound
and the nomination having been sent into the
Senate. where il awaited conf rmation or rcJcc-
tion-wc had reason TO suppose that the incident
WAS closed. so far rs the original bargain and
sale were concerned at least. There remained,
TO be sure, recourse 10 the Senate to defeat the
appointment and head Off the disgrace but that
seemed the only possible phase in which II
could be rcopcncd. Nor do We yet understand
why the newspapers. which have worked them
selves into n state Of mind over The impending
disgrace. do not use their influence with the
two Ncw-York Senators. whom they did ~
much TO elect. 10 ward it of 10y defeating Van
Aliens confirmation. Ii Is admitted that they
can do it il they desire to.
But now enters another literary person. Mr..
George Cary Egglcson. In great distress of
mind Apparently in tears. There are tears
between the lines Of the communication in
which he unburdcns his grief and cmits his
Loo t,vn InnHs and !. occasional sigh -
a sigh "deep as first love and wild with I'LL
regret" The wall is over a column long. and
IS printed on the editorial page Of The New
York World" 1t is in the form of " An Open
Letter TO Mr. Cleveland In which respect it
differs from the three letters apiece on tho
same subject sent 10 President Cleveland in
rapid succession by the economist and the poet.
Those were not "Opcn." There Is nothing ou
record to show that they were ever opened,
even by the President himself Mr.. Egglcsion
has been too long engaged in literary pursuits
TO take any such wastc-baskct chances. He
knew it was good copy" and that it would
thrill the public with patriotic emotions even
If it failed TO change the purpose of the OBJ
durate and self willcd Cleveland. Therefore he
printed II on the editorial page Of - The World"
Nothing could have been shrcwdcr. From that
Journals own admissions. cxtorc1 from il in
large type every morning he knew that through
its columns he could reach several millions
of thoughtful, intelligent persons, who looked
TO II for guidance and were governed by It's
revelations Of truth From the same source,
too he had learned that the President obtained
from its editorial page each morning dircc-
tons for his conduct during the day; so that he
was certain by putting his open Letter" in
that place to hit him, as one might say If the
matter were not serious, "kcrplunk in the
eye"
And yet. we are free to say. we do not pre-
ciscy understand why Mr.. Egeleston should
have waited until now; nor why he should have
addressed his doublclcadcd cxpostulation 10
Mr.. Cleveland instead OF the Senate. For Mr.
Cleveland has sent in the nomination. and
there IL no more chance for his withdrawing
it now than for his taking back his immortal
saying that Public office Is Il public trust"
Mr.. EgglcstOn's time to get In was when the
other literary persons were subscribing $1,000
apiece to save the Nation from Disgrace. 1t Is
nOw-tO adopt the lachrymosc style Of the
" Open Letter alas. too late Nor do we
observe that Mr. Eggcston advances any new
arguments In the case. Everything he says in
the "Open Letter" has been said already In
the Democratic newspapers which supported