New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-09
NOT so VERY DULL.

Oh. well, IL lSu I so dlsHaIIy uui alt'r 'H'
though. to be sure. most Of the sensations OF
the current Olympiad have simmcred down. and
most Of tho blood-curding cxcitemcnis which
have been so long keeping the sky blood-red
have shaded off into sort of peaceful twilight.
The gayety Of nations Is not yet by any means
eclipscd, even II many things we counted on
TO keep the blood tingling and the senses alert
have not pannc1 out according 10 our expecta-
tons. The famboyant Governors OF the West
ern States who at one time threatened 10 rde
in blood to the horses brides and upset every
thing In general free-silver jamboree. have
stepped down and are no longer In eruption
The Venezuela disturbance no longer threatens
the peace-a tropical calm having succeeded the
tropical cyclone which a little while ago seemed
about to whirl us into n misunderstanding win
our Grandmother To the highly exciting move
ments Of the Beers in South Africa the soporfc
and droning demonstrations OF borcs In the
United States Senate have succeeded Instead
Of having war with Spain. which AT one time
seemed imminent. we have declared by the
mouth OF an eloquent young Ncw-iork Con
gresham that Cuba ought 10 be free must
be free" and "by the favor Of a just God
shall be free" and decided 10 let II go nj that
Mr. Bayard has been rcbukcd. and So though
he has apparently not yet heard of II, that cpl
sOde Is ended. Our foreign relations. from
brstng with all sorts Of weapons of war from
the jawbone OF an ass TO irst-cass cruisers. have
become monotonousy humdrnm
Here at home, too. the domestic situation has
within the last week or two been growing 80
desperately dull that our one-ccnt newspapers
which are under contract 10 keep everybody
stirred up 10 the highest pitch at the lowest
possible price, have been compelled 10 appcase
the public appetite for sensations with pictures
of ten-yearoh highwaymen In an attitude Of
rcpose. This Is an awful letting down. Then
too, the excise law has ceased TO excite before
il has fairly begun 10 excise. Crosse and Tam
sen and the gbberng Garoos are not on end
nightly on the East Side, dcnOunclng In broken
English the dcstroyers OF personal liberty and
the enemies of Sunday beer. The publication
Of lists OF names of enierprislng and public
spirited business men. who have been. or are
about TO be, reduced 10 want by the enforcement
of the Sunday law. has ceased 10 klndc cnthiisi-
assn or arouse Indignation. Over the state Sen
ate the dove Of peace hovers. while Grady holds
himself In leash. and in the Assembly Kenpner
and Speaker Fish observe an armed truce.
| Chauncey has gone to the Pacific Coast and only
at htful intervals agitatcs the wires. Platt has
| gone South to give himself-and all OF us-a
rest Quay Is with him. Both are resting.
| Rest is a good thing. Let us hope they will
| stick right 10 1t. In Platt's absence Lauterbach
| Is silent and IIackctt speaks seldom. Only In
| a mildly dcprecatory way then And Clarkson
well. ClarksOn talks more or less but all the time
| he seems lonesome.
| And so the conditions all contribute TO uncom-
| mon dulness. And yet. before remarked, 1t
| Is not so drcadfully dull. after all. What u
blessed boon in such time Is the dramatic pro-
| fcssion. Consider at what sacrifice Nat Good
win dropped his engagement at some onc-nlght
interior town Just to come to the metropolis and
| enlven the general gloom by smacking another
| fellow In the face. What help that was To a
| community slowly growing sugglslito cure
sluggishness by smuggling. Then Lillian Russell.
who can usually be depended upon for dis.
| polling dulness, aroused interest by appearing
| In trousers. And Richard Mansfield. too. who
| has been in repose for several weeks, rose with
with his manager. Meantime there are, no
doubt, other affairs In course Of preparation and
rehearsal which will presently contribute TO
the general JOY by divorce proceedings and dis
highest responsibility. Moreover we have the
circus. On the whole, let us be gay. 1t Is not
80 dull after all We shall worry along quite
comfortably until Plat gets back