New-York tribune., 1896-05-05
AN ANGRY BOSS.

It Is the part of wisdom to recognize palpable
facts even when they contravene our hopes and
derange our plans And II is the height OF I'M
wisdom to get angry at them. Bor this reason
il seems to us that Mr.. Platt made n mistake
when in preparing the somewhat elaborate in
terview issued to the press on Sunday and print
ed In Monday mornings papers, he not only ig-
nored papable facts within the knowledge Of
every intelligent observer Of current events. but
INDUCED in an ebution of temper on account
Of them. A great leader like Mr.. Platt, en-
gagged rs he is in somewhat desperate encoun-
ter against great odds. should always bear it in
mim, that the really great and ultimately sue
cessful leader never permits himself to get rat
tied, and, above all things. never loses his tenn
per. He must exhibit in large measure the quail
ity of patience. and accustom himself TO bear
up against revcrscs with philosophc cquaniinliy.
In great emergencies for instance, In lead
ing forlorn hope-he should remember that
silence is not only becoming but absolutely es-
sental
1t was not necessary for Mr.. Platt to emit an
Interview on Sunday with the final adjourn
mcnt of the Legislature his sunday y-school
class had adjourned sine die 10 he sure. and 1t
may be that the habit OF issuing instructions TO
1.-The class" has grown upon him that he can
not resist the temptation to continue the cxcr-
else Of his functions, addressing his statesman
like outgivings to the general public instead of
the select few In 'the class" But II WAS not
really necessary. For with the adjournment of
Mr. Platt's Legislature and "Sunday-school
class it may he said that public Interest in
Mr.. Platt's views had pretty much ceased. III
there was any excuse for his proirlldlns his opln-
ions and forecasts II In connection with
the candidacy Of Governor Morton. OF which he
is understood TO be the originator and chief
promoter. Interest in that enterprise IL only
languid at the best and rapidly dying out; but
II Mr. Platt had emitted some observations, en-
cOuraging or otherwise, on that subject they
would not have seemed SO supcriuous or 80
forced Or, indeed. II he had confined hlmself
to pure mathematics anl undertaken 10 demon
strate that two and two in the Mckinley col
umn made only one. while the already
hooked In the Anti-McKinley column added 81
q positive nibble now in hand and two expected
bites would make five the interview would have
attracted attention purely as n scientific novelty.
Instead Of doing this he INDUCED In loose as
scrtions 10 the effect that Mex inlcy was In dan
ger Of losing twenty votes In his own state, and
equally wild statements about other State dele
cations. This was such an ignoring Of palpablc
facts, because they happened 10 be disagree
able, as TO any candid mind not only discrelts
their author. but makes him appear ridiculous
| But the most ludicrous feature OF this uncallcd
| for proclamation Is In the closing paragraphs
| containing homiy on Bosses and ''Bossism'
and the fooshness Of the outcry against them
winding up with the startling antthcsis. In
which there is no attempt to veil the satire, thai
II am held up as the terrible example Of the
"'boss' sort, but Mr. Cornelius " Bliss Is 4
| gentleman whose presence In the field Of poll
"tics Is a remarkable instance Of sclf-sacrlfce.'
| 1t occurs to us that this Is IN unfortunate com
parlson for Mr. Patt TO make in the first place
and still more unfortunate In It's manifestation
OF ill-temper. There Is. however. something
like recovery of amiability and complacenc,
shown in what follows, which Is that those lr
"touch with the people, and who carefully strive
"to act as wise leaders. are not concerned as tt
"the outcome Of the st. Louis Convention. The
"wou,d-be bosses may well be alarmed. for II
"the end calm reason must assert It's sway, ant
| ''the right must therefore surely prevail" Thi,
Is quite beautiful. The only trouble with 1t Il
that this freedom from concern OF Mr.. Piatt ant
the others who are "in touch with the people
does not dovetail with the angry manner IL
which he butts against well-known and ncon
| trovertible facts.
Mr. Platt needs conservntor. Some ab
statesman in whose Judgment he has confidence
-Amasa Thornton. for instance--should taxi
him In hand and tell him that, at a time wheI
the Republican masses appear TO be all lookln;
and marching in one direction, with no differ
ences among the leaders that are not easil.
rcconcable, It Is not wise nor prudent nor sensl
bic for one small Boss with rapidly decreasing
retlnue Of followers TO get up in front Of then
and say "Shoo" He may think he Is "in tOucl
with the people," but he will find 1t to be clos
behind him and hurtful.