The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-18
PLATFORM FELL WITH ODELL
,~n OTHER ORATORS At BRONX
PRESS CLUE DINNER.
~onod, Hurt-The Republican State Chair
man phil osophlzes n Says the
object OF Reform should he to Re
claim and Not to Crush the sinner.

ob,ect OF Reform Should He TO Re
o,,,u and Not to Crush the Sinner.
n p Odell, Jr., made another speech at
nress club dinner last night. The dinner
ros that of the Bronx Press Club, given at
,ha Crotona Casino. rs usual, Mr.. Odell
seized upon the occasion to deliver some
ronsrks in regard to those engaged in try
inn n nnseat him. He referred to them
u human wolves that fatten on blasted
ro,utations and grow into sleek. oleaginous
-,tormers. True reform, he said, was the
.oo,a nation and not the destruction OF the
wicked.
The dinner brought politicians of all kinds
end stripes. Odell and Senator McCarren
uerr separated only by the toastmaster, rat
,to, + Trac CIV. Others at the head table were
lain Fl. O'Brien. Fire Commissioner; Louis
T Han fen. Borough President: Edward H..
uoalv. Republican leader; Register Frank
ra.. william H. Ten Eyck, Thomas II.
n,Xsil. Eugene j.. Mcclure, Ernest Hall,
Thomas F. Smith, Michael Garvin, j. j.
prady. Waiter Ha wiley and Joseph Savage.
Mr. Odrll, on the menu, was pictured
.. standing on top Of the &. o. p elephant
9TH a satisfied smile. There was all sorts
n tunmaking. including the reading OF a
uirp1ess tele gram from Washington in
Pooseveltian language lambasting Odel.
While the dinner was in progress the
platform on which the guests sat broke
dawn under so much weight. Nobody
was hurt,
Louis F.. Hafen welcomed the guests
n The Bronx and spoke OF OdeA as lone OF
the most f~orceful personalities of the ooun-
Try a great fighter and a remarkable Gov
ernor " There was some applause at this,
Inf throughout Mr.. Odell's speech, dealing
in a vague way with his troubles, there
was mostly silence. This is part OF what
he said
~"Pugnacity may rot he a desirable at
tribute. but at least it is an evidence OF
%yiriIltv All the world loves a lover and
most If us respect a fighter. Determine
zion NAV not always have right behind 1t,
but il is surer of respect than a vacillatlng
weakness. Temporary defeat should never
discourage us, but should rather he an
incentive for greater efforts. Fallen for
tunes are sooner restored by manly ehorts
than through homilies against those who
c~riticise our p~rofligacy.
We may overthrow weak, inefficient or
unworthy individuals, but there is no move
ment that can eliminate leadership. Lead
ership without courage, however, is a
failure; without discipline defeat more
often than victory is its reward. Those
who believe that they can attain power II
they have not the ability TO Use it will soon
disooycr their mistake. Reform cannot
Ia ACCOMPLISHED by painting the other TEL
lows evils and Haunting our own goodness,
for holiness is attested by deeds rather than
by proclamation.
THE putting to death of those who oppose
IA NAV have been a means in times past
Of a%ttesting our faith in divine goodness,
Int this is not the modern conception;
reform, therefore, which Is sought by as
sassination Of regulations and character
T., scarcely the true reform, for true re-
form seeks the advancement of the worthy
and the reclamation and not the destruo-
ion Of the wicked.
L am not one of those who believe that
the press is the only sinner, for scandal
Nourishes most among the unemployed.
The newspaper is the vehicle by which eH-
preston of the public will is possible, and
intelligence can always discriminate be-
tween honesty and spleen. Hysteria and
unrest NAV cause us to magnify existing
evils. Condemnation of that which Is
wrong is proper, but in our wrath let us not
forget that in the guilt of the past we may
have rar icinrted. Those who howl the
loudest however. may be the chief sinners
and probably will he found among the first
Of tho ha cksliders.
There are human wolves, as well as
those that roam the forest; wolves that
ta'ten upon blasted regulations an grow
into s'eck. oIeaginous, alleged reformers.
The Triah Hoop Of politics is as despicable a
chap As tina; painted by Dickens. He seeks
to drug the public by accentuating the
wirkAdrc7- of the world in the hope that
thereby he may hide his own sho tcomings
and advance his personal fortunes.
The safety Of property depends not 10
mYh upon force "a the incubation of
knowledge that its possession is always
possible to the thrifty, Threats Of con-
hscation have no terrors for wealth, be-
cause it can soon place itself beyond the
power Of hostile forces. It's withdrawal
however, would mean idleness and want.
Our laws are not for the poor or the rich
nnequally, neither are they for the punish
ment Of thrift, whether the result be meas
ured in pennies or millions.
Conservatism has hitherto been the
cardinal doctrine of the party to which
owe allegiance. The protection of vested
tights has been its boast. It's radicalism
has had 10 do with those wrongs which
gave possession without moral right. With
out the guarantee Of protection of that
which is ours as the result of labor, which
comes 10 us through honest efforts, govern
rnent would be a failure. 1t is a mistake
10 haliaya thnt tha IiarnrIan note nj the
demagogue is the voice OF the people,
Senator McCarren talked on the State Of
New York.