The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-17
Talk Of the Editors

WaN vi lElG EuaGUH o.
1t is said to be certain that Chnuncey
Depew will he sent as ambassador to
Great Britain. The inveterate joker will
he confronted by the necessity for new
outfit of Jokes The English will never
understand those he uses in this coun-
try charlottesville Progress. n y5g
The Treasury officials seem to be con.
ccrned about the fact, stated by experts,
that the people Of the United States are
now using the lowest grade OF tea, on the
average, ever known far lower than the
people of any other country. This is be-
cause there is no standard tea test at our
custom house by which the most inferior
teas are shut out, for though the law pro
vides against the importation of adulter
ated and fraudulent teas, every inspector
is left to decide whether tea upon which
he is called upon to pass is good enough
to lie admitted without having u standard
with which to compare it. The Treasury
Department has prepared Il bill to remedy
this defect in the laws which ought to
pass AS there is no duty on tea, the
tariff question is not involved. There is
probably more fraud in the manufacture
of China tea than in the production of
consumption, and the people CT this coun.
try ought to be protected against it.
Florida Times Union.
For Il number of years Portsmouth
slumbered, but she has ut last walked IN
and is pushing ahead. Located upon the
best side of the river for business, her al.
vantages have attracted the attention of
the principal transportation lines of the
SOntt, and bn nd in o,. iii,
ing on the water is being rapidly devel-
oped. The city shows rapid develop
ment i'll population also, and houses are
sprnging up like magic in her suburbs
1t will be only n short while before solid
rows of dwellings, will reach from the
city to Pinner's Point, and the limits of
the city will have to be again extended to
bring them under its protection Ports.
mouth Evening Times.
John Nicholas Brown has lust given
5000, 600 to the Providence public library
but we have seen no display ADVERTISE
mcnts of the fact or half page illustra-
lions in the newspapers. If he had spent
that much in II fancy ball he would have
gotten more notoriety. But he deserves
much more credit for what he has done
1t is great pity we have no John Nicho
las Browns. down this way.-Augusta
NU, SuIOulClt.
Mark Hanna has been interviewed on
the question of the appointment of Il SEN
ator from Ohio to succeed Sherman, and
has expressed the hope that Governor
bushnell will act in the interest of the
party, and think twice before he makes Il
section. And, no doubt Mark hopes he
will be second thought.-Richmond Dis
patch.
| 1t is getting to he quite habit with
| newspaper editors to advise American cit
lzens who have to earn their LIVING to
avoid discussing politics in considering
matters pertaining to their business
This advice is directed particularly to
farmers and wage earners. One of the
! reasons that these classes have not kept
up better in the march of prosperity is
| that every other class o! business have
given more attention tn the legislation it
needs than have farmer, aud working peo-
| pie. manufacturers. miners, railroad
! corporations, bankers. and various lines
of merchants all maintain organizations
| which can secure IA hearing before y Con-
gressional committee whenever their in
terests require, but the farmer and the
working man only get their grievances
| before these committees by parties. The
American who neglects to study the
political questions of the day is neither 4,
patriotic citizen nor useful member of
the business class in which he has chosen
his vocation. Richmond State.
The arbitration treaty will not he rati.
fled, apparently. at this session of Con.
gress. That the Senate of the United
States will be able permanently to thwart
the aspirations of the people of two M
| tlOns we do not for moment believe. -
| Staunton News.
1t is said that G.. p. Huntington is at
the head of the movement to buy General
Miles 200 house; this, by way Of re.
warding the general for having done his
duty during the Dcbs railroad troubles
It's Il ba6 and absurd business. The
mere fact that one of the old Union Cen.
ira. Pacific gang of Credit Mobilier con-
| spirators leads the enterprise, brings it
under grave suspicion, and makes thou
sands dctcst the whole thing. The effect
| OF such performance on thp comm ~