New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-08
DE TICO
selfiShncSS.


The svmposia on Democratic harmony Win
which "rhc NrwYork Times daily r'sai'S i'S
readers continue TO be entertaining without eX-
element and cheerful without extreme marry
II has already been remarked as the Pccui''
feature Of this collection of harmonicS that Inc!
cmanate chiefly from thermometers VINO nave
never been unharmonous and that their Geher"i
drift has been in the direction of Willingness
70 permit all persons who have been engaged III
creating discord To cease being disc0rdaht ana
either Join in the harmoncs OF the harhohl"'i'
or listen 10 them without bringing into Inc or
chcstra stringcd or wind Instruments "i 'h'r
own The latest contribution To the entertain
mcnt leads 10 the belief that the investigation
started by our contemporary Is beginning I"
take the form OF Il commission dc lunatro
,nouircnto" 1t is from Henry \. Reeves. Stat"
Commissioner In L,Inacy, who resides at Green
mort and manages to catch and hold enough Of
the inspiring vitalZing and inyigorailng br"rz'S
which blow across that end of Long Island 10
be- able TO fill al Il single pull half column II
THE Times" with pure. cool, unadulicraicd
wind.
The Commissioner in Lunacy starts ont with
~ truism too obvious to need comment. which,
as he states IT, Is that lin the affairs of a po-
Ethical party. as OF any other voluntary associI-
''tion OF mankind. disscnsion and disaster are
''inscparablc yokrfrllows" r. jefferson could
hardly have put 1t better. 1T IS inevitable,
continues the Commissioner In Lunacy. that
when faction intrldes and associates who
should pull together begin 10 pull apart from
that moment III" weakness OF division begins
''to supplant the strength Of unity This Is a
somewhat elaborate statement Of what very few
people even on Long Island will have the hardi
hood 10 deny. We remember ~ have seen II
elsewhere, more briefly. but never more brlut-
fully set forth. II does honor 10 the head and
heart Of the Commissioner In Lunacy. Being
from his official relation a "phlosophic OBJ
server" and capable als. from his point ~ view
near the end Of Long Island Of surveying the
whole field aud 'grasplng the wider bearings
Of public affairs" he proceeds 10 say with So
lemnty that commands respectful attention, aud
n funess OF uttcrancc that calls FOR two or three
careful readings to get the sense:
To = phllosOphic observer. capable OF surveying
the Who'll. field and VI grhsping the wider bearings
OF public Affairs in country Ike ours. the con
ylcton must strengthen with time that the prInoi-
pies and policies upheld by the Democratic party
the only solvent for the dangers and iiincul-
ties through which representative" Republican gov
eminent for many millions Of men. 40 widely
scattered and divergent In u,ntal and moral
Characteristics. must Inevitably pass. Experience
Will DE apt 10 satisfy a ihoughtful mind that. In
the just application OF those principles and ia the
actual operation OF those policies rightly admin
istered. lie both the potency VI adequate redress
for grievances and disturbances among any class
OF citizens and the only and sufficient remedy
for evils which periodically an!lct the body polite
There's certain siatcllncss II movement IN
these two sentences that not only arrests Mt
tenton. but occupies all the powers Of the mind
In supreme endeavOr 10 keep step with II.
We are not quite clear ourselves as 10 the mean
Ing but from The manner In which the Com
missioner In Lunacy states II We have no doubt
that he means every word OF II. We should
be glad 10 quote the whole letter. but the Com
missioner has so much more wind than we have
space that we can only give extracts. In con
cluson he SAYS Taking 1t for granted that
harmony as u substantive force. not rs an
"empty cutlery Is and ought to De IN object Of
"jusi concern 10 every honest Democrat. there
"nccd De no serious obstacle IN the way" The
thing 10 De done Is 20 bid The ghosts Of past
land buried contentious fall back into their
native darkness" for where there is no real
cause OF division there will be no division
among level headed men"
Without inqurlng too deeply into what the
Commissioner In Lunacy IS driving al, we I'M
dertakc TO say that he HI, conveyed 10 The
readers Of The Times" clearer idea Of the
quality and volume Of the winds that blow over
the eastern end Of Long Island during dog days
than they could get IN any way short OF going
there. And say further that we know of
no man in the State who is SO we'll qualified as
he for the office he holds The lunatic who en-
Joys the superintendent OF Mr. Reeves and
has the opportunity Of listening 10 discourse Ike
that contained in this letter must be out Of his
mind indeed II he has any desire 10 return 10
sanity.