New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-22

THE CiTSE NOT ~ DANGFR.
,rh. announcement made last Thursday morn
in., mon what was considered good authority
that n the regular meeting Of the Executive
Committee Of the State Democracy on Inc prev
ous evening Mcssrs. John W. Rcppenhagcn ana
T. Lawrence Godkin had resigned from 'ha'
holy awakened an interest which might almost
he described ~ Il thrill For AT first biuSh Inc
simultaneous withdrawal Of these hwo gentlemen
from the Executive Committee OF 80 important
a, organization seemed TO forcbodc disaster 10
the Cause Of Political Reform. Men d'd h''
sion +, think of the improbabliy that either 81
the gentlemen. In the light of III" lVl>elllSh "'
vo,lou they had always shown. would do any
thing to impcril the Cause: nor ala II seem j"
ooc,,r - any one that The very fact il II were
fact-rha ihcy retired from The committee 10
c.,h.r was prcity nearly proof positive that
they had been in consultation over Tue l""''''
sl,r,,,ou and had determined 10 give The Cause
= fresh impetus 10y starting an "iilr'H h'N
movement in which The public could no' fan y"
have. confidence. ndrr the impact "f III" >"I
,rjse these things wcrc not thought OF Tn
community lust stool sim saying ia dhH'd
WAY "Hcppcnhag.n and Godkin. Both ont
Who will care Tor mother n"" !: "r ""r'- Z"
,,., oocc, This wa. the condition II ihe pub
lie mind all day Thursday. W one stopped !"
nouIrc into the truth Of The report. or even 10
ask if Messrs. Rcppcnhagon ana ''"dhih "'''
borb actually members Of The ENccutiV" com
mittec of The State Democracy. Their" was Il"
douh, in Kcppcnhagcn's case H. had confessed
! H.
I'm, there was really nothing very s'rang" or
IONS 81
that gentleman. while never losing sight ~ hi
own stcadfast purpose has found u necessary U"
make r.pcaicd changes in his political ANNA
tions But whether acting with the '"uhN ne
mocracy. the An,iSnap Democracy th" Noorh>
Democracy the State Democracy. or any DINER
Of the numerous bodies with which he has been
associated he has kept one end steadily III VIEW
The exigcnccs Of the Cause Of Reform haV"
.omnelcd him ro change his relations 80 IRE
uently tina, he may have seemed 10 the Thought
less 10 be unstable in his opinions IhiS' "'
course was a mistake II was doubtless under
the same consraint that he withdrew from 'h'
coun,v Democracy There was nothing strange
or unusual abou, 1t. The same might b' S'''
Of Mr. Godkin. with whose political career Inc
nrhlic il not SO familiar IL not having been
! mn, I'm evidence before the Lcxow commit
| , Uo has not II Is true been connected
u.,,b ca many and such varied Reform organlZi
,;o,s as his associate. but the fact i generally
r,ovn that IN whatever political movement h'
h,s hocn engaged the Grass ignorance OF those
| .hon, no has underworld to lead. and their utter
inability 10 rise 10 the level Of his high standards
~ nolitical purity and morality, have induced IL
c.r,,in resilcssncss Of temper ana unrlsncSs "i
mind IN him which kept his fellow members III
constou, anxiety lest he should suddenly ana
without warning Withdraw the prestige OF ms
character and the inspiration of his leadership
and .ither set I'D for himself attach himself
to some other party.
Ga ,bot .ven IL h.. had resigned from the
Executive Committee of the State Democracy
,vhich he frankly confessed in a letter I" Inc
Tril,uuc he had not assigning as Il reason There
for that a., was never Il member of H. when
ouybt 70 be sufficient for any candid mind II
u..d not have occ.sioncd surprise. Mr.. '"d
Lin.s consciousness Of the superiority or MS
ideals and his consequent dissatisfaction WIN MS
assocIates and surroundings. are such as To nhlt
him for permanent political relations. There
should have been-had normal conditions existed
and the Dublic mind not been unsettled by Inc
suddenncss Of the announcement greater aston
ishment al his having maintained any such re-
lation to II political organization ~ member OF
It's Executive Committee than at his abrupt
witbdrawaI The intellectual temperament Of
Mr. Godkin. and Of Mr.. Kcppenhagcn as WELL
offered sufficient explanation Of what was sup
noscd TO be their joint action. and any inquiry
into their motives WAS un1all,d for ana impertl-
nent II they had taken this step upon coIls'll'i
| tion with each other. AZ seemed probable. we
might have felt certain that IL was not done
preciplta,ely and that In the end the Cause
| which both have az heart would not suffer.
And while We are on this subject we shall
not hesitate to say that the intimaiion that the
bond OF union between these two gentlemen
may he found In the circumstance that b0lh
have had dealings with the Police. seems
| 10 us not only unjust. but absurd The NV"
cases are so decidedly dissimilar rs to remove
the least shadow Of suspicion Of community ol
interest IL has been admitted, We believe 10y
both that, In circumstances widely INHERENT
each did have. or attempt 10 have. dealings WIN
the Police. But il Is very essential fact lhai
while Mr.. Krppenhagen. In the discharge OF
purely political function. received money from
, Police Captain. Mr.. GOdkin In defence OF per
sonal liberty. merely offered money to an ordi
nary parolman And II Is TO be noted, further
that while the sum actually received by MT
Reppenhagen was $4,000. the amount Of money