New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-14
4 UJJdRTOTS OCCASION.

4 HILARIOUS OCCASION.
Few things so funny in the world rs the din
ner Of the Progress Republican Club on Wedhes-
dav night The town laughed about IL Ill III!
Yesterday 1t will continue for some time 10 DE
a source Of unusual mirth Mr.. Thomas T. lia't
seldom discloses himself in public more seldom
makes remarks upon public OCCASIONS ana sun
more seldom fires into a festival the VIII eAliia-
ration which his vocal powers produce wheh
poured out in song julia ward Howe no" Ill
her declining years. must feel reVNn'S Sio"
in the thought that her Battle hymn oi l'e
Republic'- somewhat famous before-has re-
celved an added impetus and new claim 10 III
mortality from having been sung by lhoihas T.
Platt at dinner Of the Progress Kcpuphcah
Club on the East Side 1t was an occasion ol
great merrment For at the hospitaDle taoic
of the Progress Republican Club had Assembled
a large number OF persons conspicuous ID! pupic
service among whom were Edward lau'erp'o"'
Cornelius Van Colt, Jacob Patterson. Jalhcs
Stewart and many others, well known 10 lhe
ctizcns Of this town as we'll for their readiness
to accept office as for the gay and joyous sp!r'.
in which they discharge official duties. Anu
thc guest of the occasion was the Hon. lhohis
& Platt-propery the guest. and OF the Whoie
table facile princcps. 1t was most cohSehial
assembly. There were no differences. All were
actuated by common purpose held t"G''h'r
he,rt and soul by a common bond. No wonder
Mr. Platt inspired by the conditions ana exalted
nv his surroundings broke into song. Siammer-
ing though he may have been In Speech-for he
is no Chauncev and his speech writer was not al
h,nd-when he came TO break loose from the
honds Of common oratorlca and prose discourse
and launch out his emotions upon wild. weird
chanting of Mrs lowes
NV soul hath seen the glory OF the coming Of
the lori,
everybody must have recognized the fact thai
standing there was a greater than any Drphi'
oracle or prcstesS Of Apollo, before whose rap'
gaze swan visions of Greater New lork' III
which he should he greater than the Greater
New-York itself, and all these applaud!ns listen
ers should be recipients Of his bounty
Then there was Edward lautcrhach. mlrih-
provokcr always when among his friends WIN
no rival. indeed. in that line. unless 1t be the
Honorable Abraham Grubcr letting no occa-
sion pass when hilarity Is possible even at Inc
cost of n disturbance 81 the general peace; I'd
ward Iauicrbach also contributed t. the general
10Y. II is one Of the charms Of the Progress
Republican club that 1t makes no concclliAcnt
of its settled conviction that there IL nothing IN
rotics except what you can get oui OF IL. Even
II one IS not absolutely enamoIrcd or that h'A'
II is an Interesting view ~ human nature u
stand off and see hOy people act who do thor
ouchlv believe in II Mr. Edward Lauicrbi'h
has the merit ut least ~ leaving In no man :
mind. who has either listened t. - read his nj
tcrancc,. any doubt as to his views upon this
subject His remarks upon this OCCASION. be
sides adding to the gayety of he function. served
nm additional purpose. which may or may not
tend 10 n general enlightenment of the local
polltical situation. The Tribune. rs We have
several times remarked, Is not undertaking To-
direct public opinion 1t Is sincerely striving I"
uolnt out certain salient features In the present
n,litical situation which seem worthy Of con.
sidcratlon Il + purely from this point II view
that W., direct attention after the gaycly has
somewhat subsidized TO the fact that Mr. Lau'er-
hoch's witticst sallos and most humorous sur-
Qcstions were directed 10 the circumstance thit
,hcrn were some persons in the Republican party
who considered themselves better than others
In the same party. And he WAS Just rs funny
os he could be on that strange and ridiculous
feature In current politics. He turned the pet
fer clement over and over under his tongue ana
cited an authority which il IS not under the
belt" 70 say he does not recognize in religion,
whatever he may do with 1t in politics In sup
mort Of his sheer ut them as the "holici-than-
thou' class. and achieved new success aS a
humorist by his post-prandial effort.
Ru;. after all af;cr all shall we disturb the
harmony Of a great party a party that haN Il
record Of which all lis members are proud not
for patrotsm only. but for honesty and sin
ccrlty and devotion 10 the public veal we
say that there Is Il better element in the party
than that to which Mr. Thomas {. Platt sang
his song and Mr. Edward Lautcrbach uttered
his humorous sayings? The fun Is over And II
was cxcrucatngy funny. But now that II Is
all over. and we have all had our laugh over H.
NAV we ask. without fear Of disturbing the gen
eral harmony, whether. upon the whole there Is
any better element In the Republican party OF
This county than that To which Mr.. Platt SANG
his song and Mr. Edward Laucrbach made ms
speech? We put 1t to thoughtful intelligent
Republicans. Is that the dead line or the party!
Must we all come TO that!