The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-24
CHAT AND CHAFF.

1 AS hSdfiy as Il can grasp t'' S's""
tion, the Consolidated railroad wants
10 own Rhode Island. the Suburban
( railroad wants to own Rhode Island,
and the Providence Journal wants to
own Rhode Island.
Naturally there Is friction.
Meanwhile Acting Mayor Vincent is
probably congratuating himself that
he is not placed in the embarrassing
position that he would be in had he not
lost his job as attorney for the Consoli-
dated railroad before he became act
ing mayor.
And as nearly as l can find out May
or Baker would ordinarily just as lief
be sick-a-bed as compelled by stern and
remorseless duty to antagonize some
OF the interests involved in this three
cornered duel which Cor all the world.
reminds ne OF famous chapter In
'Midshipman Easy.
The attempt on the part of Uncle
Sam TO collect a debt from the Sultan
OF Turkey seems 10 be occasioning
great deal of amusement just now.
The debt is a matter OF only ninety
thousand dollars or so. a mere bag
o. tools, as Maginnis Pasha expresses
II. But the Sultan has reputation OF
never paying his small debts, particu-
larly.
OF course If we had him here In
Rhode Island and that new law were
10 be put through we'd clap him in pris-
on until he squared his account or took
the pauper's oath.
Exactly what Uncle Sam is going to
DO about IL i'm the extremely likely
event OF continued lodging OF
the issue on the part of the
Sultan does not appear TO be clear.
Every time Secretary OF State Hay
mentions the subject, the Sultan shows
a disposition TO turn the conversation
10 the weather. He has a record of
having been threatened more times by
more powers and actually punched less
than almost any other second rate ruler
on the worlds surface.
AS TO debts the average collection
agency would starve to death, trying TO
collect one from the little international
nuisance with the red fez.
For the fine art of procrastination
the Spaniard is not TO be mentioned
in the same breath with the Turk.
Mr.. ID. NJ. Thompson OF this town
has recently had a most unusual honor
conferred upon him, in his election to
the presidency of the New England
Cotton Manufacturers Association. to
All the unexpired term of the late Pres
ident Frederick F.. Clark of Lawrence.
The manner, OF the election was it's un-
usual feature since it appears that con-
trary to all precedents in this distin-
guished association. Col. Thompson was
chosen by the Board of Government
from the rank and file OF the member
ship, go TO speak.
The Cotton Manufacturers Associa-
tion is a most dignified and conserva-
tive body of men. and almost invariably
/ believe, has chosen it's presidents by
a well established system OF promotion
through the various offices including
membership in the Board Of Govern
ment.
But Col. Thompson has never flied
any office in the association and has
never been a member of the Board OF
Government and therefore his election
to the presidency at this time is es-
pecially fiattering.
The association holds it's annual
meeting tomorrow at fremont Temple.
in Boston, and President Thompson
will then be introduced to the general
membership in his official capacity and
will make the annual address which is
always expected from the presiding OFF,
Ger. 1t Is reasonable to assume that
his election to fill the vacancy caused
by the death OF President Clark will be
further endorsed by his nomination and
election by the votes OF the members
II see that the oleomargarine ques-
tion is being agitated in Congress again.
the present laws on the statute books
having failed utterly TO prevent the
manufacture and sale Of good oIeomar-
gsrine In the interests OF bad butter,
as the producers of the latter had hoped
| and expected.
A feature OF the bill recently intro
duced provides that a tax of ten cents
a pound be laid on all butterine colored
| TO look Ike butter.
Such tax OF course would either de-
stroy the immense oleomargarine in
| terests or compel consumers of oleo-
margarine to pay an exorbitaut price
| for the product.
The legislation compelling oleomar-
| garine to be labelled and making IL i'm
! possible 10. sell the pro'uct disguised
as butter has. of course. failed utter
| ~ in its object. The o;tpn.argarine in
| dustry has thrived aud FOLKS who rur-
chase the product are neither fooled
nor does the grocer need to try to fool
| them.
Oleomargarine is bought openly ana
| with satisfaction. the same as any
| other article of food.