New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-27
EyrPST OF HCMOR."


The Tribune Index none has given us greater
pleasure than the following letter from MT. IT,
J.. Godkin, of this city:
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: find the following amusing passage In your
Tribune index. under my name:
''Statc Democracy resigns from
Denies resignation.
II Will divert your readers to be reminded tha'
this refers to fiction or your own. 1t ~
YOU who made me belong to the state peihoc'a'S.
Won who made me resign. As informed !o" ~
tho time | never belonged to that organization III
any sense and, therefore. never resigned from IT,
But Il rather took your fancy as joke 10 H'N
me with n certain ward "heeier' named REOPEN
hagen who did resign at that date ana the COLO
"a 10, though pureiy OF your making, seemed
10 YOU SO dro that yci gave Il a co'umi lou
realIv were as the girls say, too funny Tor any
thing on that day. Ought you no'. however "'''e
in the index that tho reference recalls Simply one
OF your own bursts OF humor? Yours Uuy.
April 25 H. L. "
In turning Immediately to his own name III
he Index Mr. (;odkin not only followed the
nroc,,cc ~ thc eminent men Of the period. but
upplicJ at once Il most natural test OF the ac-
curacv and universally of the publication. There
is 70 be sure. tone Of criticism in Mr. Godhih
communication. but that. Of course. we had not
hopcd 70 escape Still. il Is tempered with I'M
usual amiabty. and not by any means IN TIE
mood II severity by which he Is sometimes
swaycd such an extent that from motives "i
humanity lie feels compelled TO veil his earnest
ness in the Latin language 1t comforts us I'D
think that we have not incurred the scaihinc con-
dcmnation to which the omission of MS name
entirely would have Justly exposed III. II gives
us great 10y. too. 10 have IN" assurance 'l'' H.
has found the passage in thc Index 10 Wh'h ne
,1.a, IL .
refers. or any other passage III mat pup'''i'l'"'
amusing" II Is not. Of course. one 81 the Iuh'-
lions Of ,hc Index 10 amlise AZ least mat - not
one Of the objects aimed NJ 10y IT'S coupll'rs anu
pulsbcrs But We are free 10 say that II y hll
served II, other earthly purpose than I" anus"
Mr. todkin We should feel that the pubhca'ioh
had not been in vain. Above al Is II a sour'"
~ pleasure to us that Il has Afforded Mr. Godhih
an opportunity as he says. 10 divert our read
crs with the reminder that the Index entry 10
which his attention was first turned refers !"
"Gctlon" cf our own There IS Just n suggestion
" accrb'y perhaps. In TIE use "f the worh
"nctIon" and The suggestion that We made nm
belong 10 the state Democracy and mad" MN
resign. but tina; Is only Mr.. G0lL.n's usual man
ner in diversion and contains no real bitterness.
We feel Obliged 20 say, however TINT th" re-
ported resignation u Mr.. Godkn from ihc S'li'
Democracy. which NJ the time agitAt"i po'h con
tincn,s with great Intensity. was not "hc'i'h
OF our own. II was so reported Ia all III" news
papers: and as the entire stan OF reporters wnoih
The Tribune employs TO keep tab on III" Things
Mr. Godkin resigns from and In resigned 10 were
down with the grip" we took II for granted.
Mr. Godkin is absolutely correct. and he shows
great pcrspicacity In the remark when he says
that il rather took our fancy rs Yoke 10 INK
him with a certain ward "hceler" named Rep.
penhagen We shall always count II ono OF our
greatest trumphs that Mr.. Godkn recognized II
AS a ioke We don't mind saying, now that II Is
nil over that We intended IL as such. though we
subsequently, learned that Rcppcnhngen DID not
so understand H. and was for some time quite
"mus,v" about II. We acknowledge also with
,hankfnlness Mr. Godkln's compliment TO the
article on the subject which appeared at that
time in the editorial columns OF The Tribune.
OF course when he SAYS 1T was too funny for
ANYTHING" we understand that he Is merely in
dnlhng In the language Of compliment. In which
he IS known as IN adept. and which contributes
so largely TO his popularity In the profession
which he adorns sin, we feel called upon TO
soy. since he has made this complimentary refer
cnce 20 the article. that It was really funny: so
funny, in fact, tnat IL Would ph! "h!oo'! VII"
sense OF hnmor to turn back over The Tribune
files and read IT, We have already done so. ana
desire TO thank Mr.. GOdkin for the reminder
On the whole, It reads better now than 1t did
in the time OF It. 1t WAS not appreciated then
because ~ the fever In the public mind over the
report that Mr. Godkn and Mr.. Rcppenhag"n
had both resigned from the State Democracy
As 10 Mr. Godkln's suggestion that we note in
the Index that the reference under his name IL
simply one Of our own bursts OF hnmor,' we
regret 10 say 1t is too late to amend the Index
But this we can do: We can instruct tho com
miller Of the Index for 1895 to enter this article
under the separate heads OF 'Godkln," Reopen
hagen" BURSTS" and "Iumor.' Then whoever
turns back in the files TO this article will under
stand the whole business.