New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-09
THE "LETIATHAN OF LEADERSHIP"

THE "LETIATHAN OF LEADERSHIP"
What potency there is in saline odors' tum-
bling surf and ocean air! How quickly they
saturate the spirit and the speech OF man WIN
seaweed and tar, with breezy illustrations from
the briny deep and the forceful imagery OF the
watery waste. Behold the rolling gait and
listen to the -spinnaker discourse OF
the daring yachtsman who has been ten days
off shore in canvas shoes and duck trousers.
Then there's Quigg fresh from Fishers island
where he went to take counsel WITH himseif as
to how 10 meet the impending crisis. and pos
sibly to indulge in little preliminary prac'lce
of the Canute net with Thus far, no farther
to the irresponsible and yeasty small waves
as the Low tide turned to food. Quigg. being
once more inquired OF as to whether the nc
publican organization Of which he Is the titular
head could be induced to support S"th Low
for Mayor. fell fgurative, and, rs one VINO al
dresses the marines, adorned his answer WIN
imagery laboriously drawn ont from Job and
Milton and Old Oceans depths. There Is no
Leviathan Of leadership" said QulgG. that
"could draw the Republican City Convention 10
"the support of Seth Low" Tho Leviathan ig-
ure was doubtless the result OF recent marine
associations and communion with the sad sea
waves. HlQ ne Deeu SUJOuIHiHS vi NV P'"'''"
instead Of BY the sea he might have used III"
Megatherlum or the Ornithorhynchus with equal
force. Even as /, was. he might have used the
Behcmoth, to which some mystery attaches, Du'
which is generally believed to have been aquatic
both In habits and habitat But Levlahan Is
perhaps better No man with seagolng stom-
acl can object TO Leviathan
Ou,gg. being supremely anxious for a union
To- an
conscious all along of almos, insuperabe obsta-
cles 10 1t IN his own mind, has been looking Tor
\ "Lcyiathsn OF leadership TO bring It about.
We are not certain whether he went to Fishers
Island to look for the "I.evlathan' or being
there, the contiguity OF the sea suggested that
marine monster to him. The Scriptures refer
to the Leviathan as a rather gamy fish one
of the hard questions put TO job was "Canst
thou draw out Levlahan with an hook An
other one was. "Wlll he speak sof, words unto
thee" And still another, "Will he make
covenant with thce:" And /, is pretty plainly
intimatod that if Job thinks lie can catch him
with a hook or play him for sucker he will
find that aquatic animal quite Well up IN hsl-
ermen's tricks If Quigg was looking for
"Ieyia,han of leadership off Fishers Island. 1t
was undoubtedly because he felt the need of
wouldn't speak soft words. who wouldn't make
any covenant and who, TO pursue the Scripturai
analogy wouldn't let tho Citizens Union play
with him as with bird" And 1t seems to us
that Quigg Is quite right about it: that Is, That
there is no Leviathan OF leadership that could
draw the Republican City Convention TO the
Support Of Seth Low" Indeed. so far as the
leaders for whom Quigg speaks are concerned
we very much doubt II any one fish could do
II. There would have TO be fishes enough to go
round and at least one loaf with each fish.
IT may be that in the adoption OF this pisca-
torial figure Of speech Quigg had in mind the
Lcylathan described by Milton:
then Leviathan,
Hupest n living creatures. on the deep
stretched like promontory, sleeps or s"ill5'
And seems a moving land. and at his gilis
Draws in and at his trunk spouts out. sea.
That's picture of "Leviaihan leadership
with which the citizens OF this town are, I'M
bappjly. too familiar. 1t certainly never Will
draw the Republican City Convention to the
"support OF Seth Low" No. Mr.. Quiggi the
people don't want any union brought about by
\ "I.pviathan Of leadership that
Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out. sea
Try some smaller fish: the Lcviathan IS 100
hiC a cuckpr