The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-16
CURRENT TOPICS.

The aunties in Massachusetts are fu-
rious in their mild way because Con-
gresham Sprague. of that State, missed
a negro.
1t seems that Sprague went to the ex-
pense OF preparing dinner for the mem
bcrs of the committee of which he is
chairman. 1t was not until the decina-
tons began to come in that he rtc3,-
lected that one of the committeeman was
a negro. with whom the others did not
care to mingle socially. Hence the din
ner was called off, upon which The
Springfield Republican says:
1T is decidedly to be questioned
whether Mr.. Sprague met the issue in a
way worthy of Massachusetts, traditions,
and certainly not in a way worthy of the
part played in d great historical drama
a generation or two ago by the leading
representatives Of Massachusetts in
Washington Constitution.
1t is the hypocrisy of the New England
ers on this subject that disgusts the
Southern people. Several years ago when
a committee of the Massachusetts Leg
negro member with them, they did all
that they could to shake the colored
brother They stole away from him in
Raleigh but the black man caught up
with the committee in Richmond and ac-
companied them to the Governors Man
sion The White members did not dare
give him the cold shoulder, but in pri-
waite they made profuse apologies to the
Governor for the negros presence.
The Chicago Record prints the follow
ing bit OF interesting information:
When the Spanish discoveries first saw
the American crocodile, not known as the
alligator, they We're so astounded ana
impressed by its size that they called
it Eel lagarto." "Lagarto' means lizard
and ..el' means the" The Spaniards
laid especial stress upon the first word,
to signify that it was the king OF It's
kind-the lizard. When Sir Walter Raj
eish sailed up the Orinoco River. the ma
tives still called the reptile ''lagarto,
and he used the word in his book, DIS
covery of New Guiana" His Engllsh
sailors caught the name and never haV-
ing seen it written they soon began TO
transform it by mspronunciation. FL
became al and when Ben Johnson had
occasion to write of the creature he used
..aligarta.' Gator is a much reader
word for English tongues, and it was not
long before the transforming process
worked out alligator" Then the die
tionary makers pounced upon the word
and put it away in their books, where 1t
is likely to keep permanent place, even
though eel lagarto" itself become extinct.
Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop Potter, WI
Ting-fang, Andrew Carnegie and other
prominent men have contributed to
symposium on the question, How can
the influence of the press be increased?'
at the request of the Correspondents
Club. OF New York. Some of the replies
follow:
Cardinal Gibbons-I beg to say that the
influence OF the press has very consider
ably increased within the past so years.
During this period it has enlisted in its
services some Of the ablest men in the
country l think that the influence OF the
press would be much increased by
strict adherence to facts in recording
events and by scrupulous accuracy in
reporting the expressions Of public men.
After giving facts as they are the press,
of course, has the right to make it's own
comments. Its great power should al
ways be exerted in steering the ship by
the chart mapped out by the fathers of
the Republic.
Bishop Henry G. Pottery: the educa-
ton and elevation CT it's readers. de-
cent. intelligent, thoughtful constituency
will compel decent press. Isdon't know
an. thing else that will.
Joseph Jcncrson-:1t would be . grand