New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-22
WOES OF THE ESOTERIC.

We all have our troubles. but our old frlend,
"The Springfield Republican" appears to have
more than its share 1t has so long been accus-
toned 10 being one of a select and choice COM
many lost in n world of wrong and mediocrlty.
and so much ia the habit of saying. like the OLD
Quaker to the few 1t could bring itself to asso-
cate with, All but thee and me Is corrupt ana
thee is little corrupt" that 1t does not quite
know what 10 do when il finds itself working Tor
the right with n large number or common anu
unregenerate mortals. Its esoteric ana Ily-wnlte
soul Is distressed at seeing people accepted ms
workers for National honor and arousing en-
thuslasm for the right who do not belong TO the
sacred circle through whom alone political saliva
ton ought to come TO n benighted people.
The Republican has discovered that the
Cochran meeting a big mistake. 1t was
boysh, absurd performance. Nothing ike II
could have taken place in the Springfield lyceun
and Literary Union. There Professor Socrates
Aristotle Buck would have assembled the elect
and. with wealth Of figures and free quotation
from the original Greek. have showed that the
slater aureus was infinitely superior TO any sill
yer coin known to the anclents and that all the
laws of mneraogy. anthropology, logic, rhetoric,
alchemy and astrology pointed in the direction
of sound money. But in New-Iork an orator,
who had not always supported causes which met
the approval Of The Republican, who may
even be said 10 have worked with spoilsnen-
q course by no means to be approved-who prob
ably knows no Sanskrit. was put forward with
vulgar shouting and bred enthusiasm. Then
he had the audacity to deliver an eXtemporane-
Gus address, in violation Of the scholastic pro-
prieties. which the deeply learned find lacking in
that scientific precision which would nave ap-
pealed to the Springfield Lyceum and Literary
Union. 1t Is true that there are more people In
New-York thin in Springfield, that they are not
so learned. and that crude thought and loose ora
tory appeal to them more easily. that Madison
Square Garden is larger than the average sa-
wants cabinet. and Professor Socrates a.
Buck would have difficulty in holding an audi
ence in It, 1t is true that George Fred Williams
had deserted TO silver and his refined voice could
not be called in from Massachusetts, 1t is true
that the people who heard Mr.. Cochran were en-
thusiastc, that his speech is generally thought
to have made many votes for the sound-moncy
cause and that the financial situation improved
because Of It. Nevertheless. 1t was a boysh per-
formance AMI. If it did good. then that IS a sad
commentary on the culture Of the Newlork
masses THE Republican is evidently glad it
does not move in such common crowd.
We are sorry for our old friend II is too bad
that q crisis can never come when good cause
is at stake but that n lot Of ordinary mortals.
some of whom have been on the wrong side In
the past come around and support 1t. That was
the case in 1861 There were a lot of men who
had approved of the bred Scott Decision and
supported the Fugitive Slave law, who, when
Sumter was fired on, stood up to fight for the
Union OF course they made it particularly dis
agreeable for exalted souls who had always seen
their duty clearly. If they had minded their
business and remained blind, there might have
been few rare heroes Of an American Their
mopylae instead of the common thousands Of
Gettysburg and Shiloh. The struggle might
have been lost in that case. but the distinction
of the few true souls would have been deathess
and untarnished by contact with eeventh-hour
conversions SO now thousands are shouting for
sound money who could not prove a proposition
In Euclid and are threatening 10 carry the cleo
ton. lust as If there were high priests Of
esotcrc Mugwumpery. Even the few Mug
wumps who were only "a little queer" have ac-
cepted the situation and work side by side
with former supporters of Tammany. and even
with believers in Protection. But THE Repub-
lcan" holds aloof on its icy pinnacle OF purity.
II is for sound money. but l. wants to do its work
with garments untouched by anything common
or unclean. Never mind, though. neghb0r.
Take all the room you want. Your vote for
sound money will be welcome, even If you do
come to the polls "holding your nose"