New-York tribune., 1907-09-24
THE LAST LEAF on THE TRbH-


In the Hon. John B. Moran there still sur
wives an example of the school OF statesmen 50
popuIar and successful two years ago. what
an anachronism he seems, this sole exempldl.
now that his associates in the noble arI ol
erecting egoism into a public virtue nave al
become conservative or sane and calm >o'
so John r. Far be from him any such ihou-
ern modesty. He knows no change oi ia'
ions. He does not veer ike Il "ed ~ 'i
vane to breath of popular favor he pelie'o'
in the Peepul as they were in his day t"o
years ago. unchanged unchanging lmmutaple'
Though the age calls for decorous SANITY
though hvsteria is unfashionabie rs h'oP
skirts, though the exaggerated ego Is no iohsei
the popular ideal of ali that is good ana great
tbouph profuse and unrestrained use OF the
first person singular is no longer regarded aS
the infallible mark of honesty and all the other
public virtues. though the popular taste IN
heroes has changed, John B. chnGs WIN
nathetic faith TO the past, TO good Old a. H.
1901 Times change manners change, Dut not
John E He is faithful to the old IDEAL OF hlIh-
self the one that proved so persuasive 10 bo'
ton afflicted with the contagon OF New 10TH
hysteria when the people, sick nj heart or thoSe
overCisciplned and attenuated puDnc chaI
actors the tools" of machine politics. reacted
10 the other extreme, the undisclphned' I'M
bridled extraordinary type of exaggerated
egoism.
It was the time when Jerome was pupiic!
bailad as ST. Jerome and nearly everybody-so
humid and sentimental was the public mooo
nearly everybody took the comparison with IN
finite seriousness There was an extraordinary
..beart interest in politics at that time Clt-
zens were moved TO inward tears morning.
noon and night Nerves tngled- Excitement
nervaded the earth. The people were geluhS
civic Righteousness much as a camp meeting
..retS religion" In those times Boston, TOO
must have its hystera. Cool and intellectual
as modern Athens is, it had not sumclehI
cyniciSm TO withstand the revival OF civic
Righteousness LED by the dropscal pretenslohs
of exaggerated egoism.
How the words of John B. to-day recall thaI
period of fervor.
fully realized the probable political conse-
ouences OF my acts and yet in every instance;
REGARDLESS of all consequences, | was unsWerNed
from the straight path of duty / had a oIaII f
of my own, which used. and accepted no o'iTa re-
mans judgment as substitute for my own; -
the dislikes thus incurred by me is now added
the more potent factor, tear.
Fear is in black face type the chosen medium
of emphasis in that age of strenuous selfproc-
Iamation when everything was emphatic Wheh
politics sounded like a boiler factory ANY way
John B. saws he has filled all the Boston po-
lifical leaders Win Dach ldCeu itdi' NO4'O
ouentlv. Il have determined not TO accept a
nomination from any political party. lndepen-
dent as ever. independent as two years ago
when 10 prove that you had been impossipe III
anv party was to prove yourself political
saint, he assumes again in this year OF grace
the once popular attitude of lonely defiance;
Alone and unaided, paying my own expenses
and speaking my own thoughts. j Will conouct
a campaign lust as / did two years ago. address,
ing the people. rendering a report OF my service
and leaving TO them the result. Let the big
grafters and influential criminals now unite and
select their own candidate. Their combined
strength backed by corporation funds, has no
terrors for me- In the open. alone. will meet
them and they will have as little mercy from me
they deserve
How much that sounds like 1903. Let others
grow sane and calm and conservative If they
Will John r. clings 10 the good old ego for
which Boston went hell bent two years ago.
Like some fine old gentleman who persists In
wearing in the daytime what we now call
evening Clothes" he is a surviving example
OF the obsolete, a pathetic anachronism, the
last leaf on the tree:
L know it is a sin
For me to sit and grin
At him here;
But the old three-cornered hat,
And the breeches, and all that
Arc