New-York tribune., 1896-02-04
up cODETv AND PROFESSOR PECK.

MR. GODhIN AND PROf ESHOh nv ~
JIero comes more trouble Again is the peace
Of the world threatened The Armenian mas
sacres the Transvaal disturbance, th" \cn'Z-
uel1 eruption and various other things nave
been kecping us all in state OF mind for many
vcel;s But they had begun to simmer do"h'
and thcre was reasonable hope that the dan
,r of general uphcaval had been passed II
= ot sucb = iunr,urc. when the crisis appeared
to be over and the white winged Dove "f iea''
seemed about To settle down upon the .I"p'' wa
Professor Peck. Of Columbia College sudd'hA
throws the gates Of Janus wide open hy 'h' pun
Ucatjon of a magazine article In winch he con
ddently asserts that he has discovered i '''"
~ moral humbug' In Mr. T.. J.. Godkln' ana III
dcrtakes 10 demonstrate the fact by series II
specifications. II is proper Z" say thA' "' ms
avoided creating clam'r by claiming 'hr h''''
If ORIGINALITY for the discovery. Hui "" confess
we caunot understand why. at such Il 'lh' -
this when all the nations Of the earth seem 10
h gradually rcsumlng the paths OF pcac'iuh
discussion. and when, above all things, MI "oH-
kin himself after a painful period II Internal
turmoil. had become reasonably calm why nj
such a time Professor Peck should upset the
coneral pcace by this announcement II was
certainly unnecessary, and In the HIGHT Of exist
,,g conditions seems wanjon and reckless
As might well be expected. Mr.. Godkin has
ra,,,iod through the columns of the daily news
,an.r which u. habItualy cnliyens 10y his genial
humor and enrches with stores Of wisdom from
his own unfalng fount. In an open Letter
TO Professor Peek" he has taken up three Of the
spcclncatons intended to demonstrate the eA-
i.tcrce of "A vein OF moral humbug. and has
.-I.., l.. .lpX Ii
for one Of the dcnqucnclcs charged upon him
the late firm Of William &. Bryant co. was
entirely responsible. and also that In "A libel suit
growing ont OF II the fact or his Vlhllcau"h WAS
omitted by the Professor. A. he tcrseiy puts H.
..You also omit all mention Of the fact that the
"iurv. after hearing me, gave us verdict III
"0ftcen minutes" As 10 the other sp"ciilcau'hN'
he points out that the Professor has fallen I'M"
error through not being constant reader "f
Mr. Godkin's daily uttcranccs In his newspaper.
That any man. even a college professor, should
have the hardIhool to risk controversy upon
any subject without having made himself IA
miliar with Mr. Godkins views by dlligent ana
constant perlsal of his newspaper seems almost
incradible There are evidences OF great ear
ucstness all through Mr.. Godkin's reply. In
fact he IS never more interesting than on those
not infrenuent occasions when he Is himself the
storm centre and all the elements are in com
motion around him in wild and angry strife over
the problem Of adjusting the movements OF the
moral universe TO his altogether superior con
ceptions Of their proper scope The most star
tlng feature Of the reply, however, Is In the
closing paragraph, wherein Mr.. God<in calls the
Professor IAN able and intelligent man ana an
instructor of youth" This Is. we believe the
first instance on record in which Mr.. Godkln has
ever characterized any one as either able or In
telligent with whom he was In controversy. 1t
must mean unusual and relentless war.
As to the merits Of the question raised
whether there Is "a vein Of moral humbug" In
Mr.. Godkin, we are rather disposed to think the
Professor Is In the wrong. Herein we are COM
pelled to differ with our neghbor "The New
York Sum-" which has somewhat hastily, as
we think-falen In with the Professors con
clusions Mr.. Godkin seems to us to have the
right of II. The trouble with the Professor is
that he has not studied him closely. nor always
from the best point OF view. The best point OF
view from which to judge Mr.. Godkin Is his
own That is always, as verybody who reads
him habitually knows absolutely Impartial. I'M
bIassed and coldly just And the study OF him
has to be as sef-suppressng and spiritually ab-
sorbing as that with which the Buddhist con
templates his navel and aspires to Nrvana
Nothing Of an earthly nature must intervene to
disturb the current Under these conditions 1t
would be impossible to yield consent to Pro-
fcssor Peck's contention that there Is "a vein
OF moral humbug'-and still more absolutely inn
possible to conceive Of It's being stratum in
stead OF vein--in Mr.. Godkln. TO entertain
that view 1t would be necessary to believe that
Mr.. Godkin undertakes to make his fellow-men
believe that he is greater than he knows himself
TO be- He never does that. But he does wear
himself out trying to make the rest of mankind
rise to his own clear and luminous conception
Of himself. II Is noble and praiseworthy en-
deavor. All the more noble and praiseworthy
because prosecuted under such dscouragemcnts
We regret, OF course. tEat at n time when
everything seemed so promising for the restora-
tion Of general peace this unhappy controversy
should have arisen. But since Mr. Godkin has
taken 1t up and startled everybody by calling