New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-01
"THOUS1ND MILES LONG,"

Next 10 being witty ones self Is the satisfac-
ton which Sir John Falstaff seemed to derive
In the compliment he bestowed upon himself
from being 1.-THE cause that wit Is in other men.
The Tribune IS lust now in the enjoyment of that
norticular sensation When II began TO appear
toward the close Of the late session of the Legs
lature that most Of Mr.. Platt's schemes for play
ing into the hands Of his Tammany allies ana
defeating the movement for municipal reform
had failed: that his own followers had fallen ont
among themselves; that the only Republican
powsnaper I'm this town which had been favor
ob,v disposcd toward him had turned against
him and taken up the task Of exposing the cor
rnpt practices Of his most active lieutenant ana
intimate confidential friends; that he had been
rs he aftcrward said to newspaper CORE
spondcnt, disappointed in Governor Morton;
that his hold upon the sources OF power III 'h's
CITY was about TO be weakened by the removal
OF the two Police Commissioners whom Ia'"-
many Mayor had appointed upon his recon-
mendation and that the common tax among
his most devoted adherents was mat the ola
man" had done nothing but blunder ana butt HIS
head against manifest public opinion IN the most
astonishing way from the very opening or Inc
vcar-when all these things were perfectly clear
10 the most opaque intelligence and nobody pre-
tended to make on the part of the old man
other denial or defence. we felt warranted Ill
describing the occasion as The Passing oi
Plat" We should have been derelict In duty
nc faithful chronklcrs Of the time had we done
otherwise.
We are nleascd 10 observe that the phrase has
been .the cause that wit Is in other men, WIFI
ont taking thought that physical disappearance
does not invariably follow the passing ava! oi
n mans political predomnance forgetting 'ha'
n mans funeral may be several hours passlns
given point and the man just as dead as 'u.'uS
Caesar all the same some persons, seeing 'hit
Mr. Plat was occasionally In evidence III person.
or bv attorney, began 10 indulge IN frivolous IT,
marks upon the subject And some onc-i' -
not known precisely who. for the Jest Is credi''"
IN several statesmen OF humorous propcnsiu's
said something like this Il read IN news
"naner the other day an article on The Passing
.of Platt.' | should judge by the way people
.keep talking about him that he was 'honsanh
",ri,os long" IL was worth saying ana well
said We rejoice. rs already said. IN having
ciren occasion for II; In being the cause that
wi, IL In other men" And II adds 10 our JOY now
thu, The lest has had considerable currency III
.,o nross ~ the South and West: that II Is en-
uveninp the columns 81 that able AMI influential
pcvsnaper. 1.-The Albany Evening Journal
,rhere 4, is embelilshcd with comments OF high'
IL complimentary character TO Mr.. fhtts use
fitness and staying power. and accompanied 10y
language OF great severity touching the empty
and ineffective blaihcrskiics' who talk about MS
passing .,-
Moreover. we desire 10 say now In explanation
OF the phrase which has provoked such )oc'-''
comment that, although we continue IN the CON
6dent belief that the real significance 81 the
events of the last five months Is THE Passing of
Plat" we are not by any means disposed 10
DENY that he may be, or seems TO be. n thousand
miles long" And yet appearances are sometimes
dcccntIyc. We recall a remark made by our Ola
correspondent, "John Paul." several years ago.
when there was a whale on exhibition al one al
the docks. Sitting at n Iotos Club dinner. the
gentleman next him asked II he had seen the
whale. Receiving an affirmative answer, the
gentleman said: ITS n big thing, isn't IL!
"yvery." said John Paul" who had an impcdi-
ment in his speech. "Ffhfiy fleet long ana
smells as though twas ff-hve hundred stu
the whale was dead.