New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-08
THE SORROWS OF BROTHER BOB

IN these days of storm and stress and icy
burdens how sad Brother Bob must be that he
did not succeed two years ago in getting a Gov
ernor to windward in the person of Brother
Gus. If Gus were in Albany with his share of
the Ice Trust stock, Bob could go on appealing
from one Judge to another and refusing to an
swer questions which might eliminate him with
a certain degree of composure. He might be
sure that SO long as he could hold the courts at
arms length he all right, for Gus would
not remove him; and as for his honor, that isn't
worth talking about Brother Gus would have
a conservative. not to say frozen, temperament
in such matters, and though a very tiger in his
hatred of all trusts, he could be trusted not to
do anything rash against the tiger. But with
Roosevelt it is different He is enough to give
Bob that tired feeling and need for tonics
With him at Albany 1t is impossible to rest easy
in the possession of stay, for whatever Bob's
rights may be TO refuse to give testimony which
might criminate himself, it appears that the
Governor likewise has rights, and among them
the right TO remove Bob If he thinks he de-
serves it. and no stays, appeals and orders to
show cause will run against the Governors
power. 1t is manifestly most inconvenent not
to have Brother Gus in position to temper the
wind to the frozen lamb.
That was really pretty clever scheme that
Mr.. Croker worked up two years ago. Some
good people thought it was unreasonable of the
Republicans TO suggest that Brother Gus in the
Governors chair and Brother Bob In the
Mayors chair would make dangerous COM
bination. In the first place, it was unjust to
Brother Bob to suggest the need of having
somebody TO keep him in order In the second
place, Brother Gus was too good a man to let
private, family or financial interests make him
81
able though it might be, had a prejudice against
the Bobbie and Gussie combination and are
now well satisfied account of it. Brother
Gus, who was then posing as n model for one Of
the statues Of austere justice on the new APP
pellate Division Courthouse, now appears to
have more artistic possibilities among the
makers of cigar Indians, and the people have
been far converted by his antitrust speeches
and his Ice Trust stocks that they have no
longer any trust in him. As for Brother Bob his
dongs have so revived the old conviction OF
Tammany's utter depravity that all decent peo-
pie, even among those who two years ago We're
disposed TO think there no harm in letting
Croker rule the State rather than Platt are
now thankful that the Ice Trust which is
doubtless only one phase Of Tammany rascality
does not own the State Capitol as we'll as the
City Hall.
Undeniably it is lucky for the people that
Brother Gus Is not Governor. He must have
carried the same sort of sham into his acts
there that he put in his words here But ii is
certainly unfortunate for Brother Bob that he
hasn't an iceman in the Executive Chamber
Under the circumstances we are not surprised
that he relapses into silence, and leaves his
honor to take care of itself 1t is no longer
any use for him to buster and tell the people
that their Mayor is all right" II Brother Gus
were AT Albany TO tell the people officially, "Of
course Brother Bob is all right" things might
be different But as it is he naturally loses his
nerve and refuses TO degrade himself by telling