The record-union., 1899-05-17
ATKINSON AND THE EAST WIND.

country takes Mr.. Atkinson too seri-
pusly. 1t says that where he is known
best as in Boston, the people rather
enjoy Edward and his fads and foibles.
Boston has it's east wind, and 1t en-
Joys it; it has Mr.. Edward Atkinson,
and it enjoys him for the same reason;
it cannot help itself, and makes the
best of a. bad bargain. The Journal
is not so frank as to say as much, but
between the lines we read the true
reason. The Boston paper does say,
however that it enjoys Atkinson, for
the surprises both he and the east
wind permit the Bostonlans to work
upon strangers:
A Philadelphian or a New Yorker
swaggers down Washington street
dressed for 90 degrees in the shade,
as promised by the Weather Bureau
and the morning temperature. He does
a little business, and in the middle of
the forenoon shiverS and looks alarmed.
The placid Bostonian, not waiting for
his question, remarks with an air Of
proprietorship touched with both pride
and pity. "Oh, that is only our east
wind"
In the same way Atkinson astonishes
the stranger, and the Bostonian smiles
and takes pleasure in the resultant dis
comf1ture. The Journal gives US an
example of this human curiosity, in
which Boston takes such pleasure:
Boston was entertaining a score or
more of 6alncra Cdntra1 and
South American republics, who were
touring the United States under the
direction of Philadelphia commercial
body. The purpose was to impress
them with the advantages to their re-
spective countries of reciprocity with
the United States The guests were
Toasted at a prominent Boston club.
1t was a midsummer night, and the air
was sitting. But guests and hosts
Were well pleased with each other, and
were constructing all sorts of CONNER
cial castles with reciprocity as the
foundation. All went well until Mr..
Atkinson was called upon.
He told the delegates that they had
come on a FOOLS Grand; that they
were wasting their time and would bet
ter have stayed at home; that this
country had nothing to offer them, for
under it's accused system of protection
it was the commercial enemy of all
nations; and very much more to the
same effect The smile faded from the
faces Of the strangers, they drew their
coats about them, looked toward the
doors and windows and appealingly to
the Americans whom previously they
had regarded as their dear friends. At
the end of the speech one of them
asked an explanation from a Bostonian
who thought he made everything clear
when he answered snilingly, "Oh, that
is only our Edward Atkinson"
The journal adds:
We cannot send our east wind to
the homes of our fellow countrymen
but Mr.. Atkinson has been a mighty
traveller. and from his stopping places
have. come back for years newspapers
which expressed their simple faith in
his importance by the use of such de-
sscriptive terms as 1.-The celebrated po-
1itical economist THE distinguished
Eastern flnancier," 1.-THE great statisti-
cian." '1The Boston millionaire The
able free ship advocate" 1.-THE expert
authority on Insurance. 1.-THE extern
sive New England manufactures" 1.-THE
railroad expert" THE we'll known tar
if authority 1.-THE orator" 1.-THE
statesman" 1.-THE philanthropdst, and
multitude of similar titles indicating
the scope and character of the interests
which he's has tried to regulate.
Mr.. Atkinson is known at home as a
man of blameless life, who has con-
Quoted a moderate insurance business
with reasonable success; who was gift
ed In the beginning with an intellect of
unusual power, but has scattered so
hopelessly that he has accomplished
nothing His quick apprehension and
fluency. Of speech have tempted him to
spread himself over fields too broad
for a score of good men to cover eff
fectivefy. His weakness has been to
discuss Dramatically and with affected
precision multitudes of subjects upon
which his real touch has been purely
superficial.
This is all very funny, very. though
Boston has not much credit for native
wit. But assuming it to all be true:
that 1t is not satire, but absolute and
accurate verify, what does it amount to
in the way Of excusing Atkinson and
the other companions who with him
SohspiIeu 10 klndIe nutny IN army
and navy, and to work the defeat of
the United States Government by in
ducing the volunteer soldiers in the
face of the enemy to lay down their
arms? That Mr.. Atkinson in Boston re-
sembles the east wind matters very lit
tie. The readers of his circulars in
Weighing against the Government and
inviting to disloyalty probably know
little or nothing of Mr.. Atkinson as a.
crank, and hence he is quite as potent
Tor III as stimulant to Boston mirth.
Aguinaldo has set price upon the
heads of the Washington volunteers
which fact stands highly to the credit