New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-08
THE PLATT MASS MEETING.

As we have heretofore remarked. Ihc Tribune
lays no claim TO infalliblity or inerrancy II Is
sometimes in error and frankly admits II. Here
| is n case in hand When Mr.. Thomas 4. Flhtf.
who has been somewhat In evidence of late. re-
marked last Sunday that he had but on" ambl-
| ton for the next twcniy-four hours ana that
was that the gentlemen attending the cooper
Union meeting the following evening would de-
nouncc him roundly. we did think his ambition
would be graiihcd We were not mistaken III
that But when he added. why not have the
Republicans get up Il ma>sincrfing: W" can
get nh mass-mcciings ~ easily as these gentle
men" W" are free to sly We were incr'dul"u>
of his ahility-for when ne speaks OF kcpuh'
licans he means Mr. Thomas {. alto gel
I'D n mass meeting H. his own behalf ana III
opposition to the gang II rcformcrs who met
on Monday night And when he actually ana
f.. we do not shrink from saying that II gave
Us something Of a surprise We were prepared
If course. as our readers very well know. for
almost anvthjnr in the form ~ diversion from
Mr. Plat To his versatility in that regard ana
his fertility in devices We have had frequent
occasion 10 pay tribute. But We dill not sup
BOSE even after the ab0vcquoi"d expression OF
confidence in his ability 10 get ny mass meet
Ing that he would actually venture upon that
sort of demonstration. II was :" unlike MIN
So al variance with his wcllknown methods
So unusual for him 10 invoke The aid Of brass
band and eloquent orators In direct appeal
To the public for sympathy and support We
knew. of course. that uncXprcc,lncss was his
strong hold But we were quite unpr'pared for
this particular kind ~ unrxpcc'cdn"~s.
The meeting Wednesday night In Cooper
Union was a very great success. II would u"
idle 10 deny il. and il may as well he admitted
unr,servclly Tn" hall was not crowded, l" ne
sure for the night cold Bui ih"r" were
many persons present. and they wcr" very much
IN earnest, Among them were seven women
who stayed and gave tone Ia the meeting un'il
the peculiar pathos Of Mr. Thomas Roman 80
affected their feminine s"nslbillies ana siirr'-i
their emotions that they rose ~ II suddenly re-
minded Of domestic duties and prcclpitately re-
fired There were over five hundred vicc-prcsi-
dents several If whom were present III person
The chairman. who said he was n Republican
Of the type Of Lincoln. Mckinley and Blaine.
announced tha, this was the first "pr'Sentaiiv"
"Rcpublican gathering ever held To protest
against sclfconstitutoi bodies liz" IN" Com
..mittcc Of seventy. who only controlled their
"own votes trying 10 run the whole city IN"
oratory which followed was Of nm uncnliiin"niy
high order. The same may b. said OF The music
bv the band. for which no cncomi'lms can be
too ardent Beginning gayly with The well
known East Side air. 'Googan DIDN'T CIV"
D-n," It cnlivcncd the occasion through the
entire evening with Il style ana variety "i
musical strains that both bcwillcrrd ana De
ruilcd a more industrious brass band never
blew horn or took one. However Mr.. flatt
NAV affect the Legislature by the "raioIlcal
demonstration. it j. quite certain That he got
his moneys worth out Of III" band. Mr. TEAL
who should not be COMPOUNDED with the aquatic
fowl Of that name. being an entirely different
order Of duck was The first orator. IL" dld tx
cccdingy well II was Mr. T"Hlls Intention al
one time 10 clean the streets. hui upon r"nsuIia-
tiop with Mayor Strong he changed his mind
Not being otherwise employed ~ the moment he
overcamc his natural lnodcsty and cnvcned
the occasion with remarks which elected ap
pla,lsc II is not III" least Of MIR Platts recent
trlumphs that he induced Mr.. TEAL 10 appear
In public.
He was followed by Mr.. Murphy. who gave
eloquent expression 10 the sentiment OF the
mass meeting when he said with somewhat
homcly but evidently heartfelt earncStness:
I'm looking for no job. bu, ] want To see the
bows VIVA, done the work get II. To The VIE
TORS belong the spells. That's me. The spirit
of the mass meeting could hardly have been
EXPRESSED with more tcrsrncss or force We are
not certain but that Mr. Murphy was as good
an investment for Mr.. Plat AZ the brass band.
His utteranccs were so direct and 50 devoid Of
crcunloclltion. Blu, Mr. Thomas Roman was,
after all the orator beyond compare When
that gentleman started in with The remark that
..tbc biggest mimbug In Ncw-York is DR.. Park
hurst" and added. ~ want that gentleman To
''dstinctly understand that Fun a Republican
and that done rs much as he for the party,
he struck a chord that vibraicd all through the
highest pitch was his statement that 'fourhfths
''of the Republicans chOOsed their lender that
Napoleon of politics. Thomas e. Plnti. and a
full hand Is better than pair Of Jacks and Il
queen" Mr. Roman. rs may be- gathered from
his opening all,ison 10 that gentleman. does not
approve Of DR.. ParkhurSt. large part Of his
address was devoted 10 remarks concerning the
times impassioncd II was during this portion
Of the entertainment that the seven women pre-
cipitacly retired. Women have such queer no.
tions about politics. 1t may be- said of Mr.
Romans speech taken ~ a whole. that few such
have ever been delivered. And II may also be-
said Of the whole affair that II was a great and
startling success. II was not suspected that
Mr.. Plat would indulge in such II dcmonstra-
ton Nor was 1t accurately known before just
what sort " support he could suaIInVn Ia an