The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-25
PUBLIC

We have noticed from time to time
many mas meetings to denounce
~lynchings On the part Of leading col
ored men, but if there has ever been
held a mass meeting of leading colored
men to denOunce the crime which has
in nearly every instance led to these
~lynchings, we cannot recall if. We do
not advocate or justify lynchings, but
they will cease when the cause Of them
ceases. There can be no denial of
that.-Fredericksburg Free Lance.
There is no doubt that the sugar trust
has made a big pile of money by rush
ing its imports of raw sugars in ahead
Of the new tariff, and in this respect
it has lone just what every importer is
doing whose goods are to be subject to
higher duties. Only a n~incOmpoOp in
business would fail to take advantage
of such opportunities for making
money as these frequent changes in
the tariff offer, and it will probably be
allowed that the sugar trust m~agnates
are not in business for their health
Boston Herald.
The Legislature of Pennsylvania
seems to nave seriously engaged in the
business of protection for state indus
tries. It's house of representatives has
passed VIC revenue bills, one imposing
a tax Of half a cent a gallon on dOmes-
tic beer, and another taxing what is
called foreign beer-that is, beer made
outside of Pennsylvania cent a gal
lon. 1t is quite certain that these dis
eliminating taxes will not stand if they
get into law, on the ground of their
unconStitutiUnaIity; but they give a
vivid idea of what legislation might
have been in this nation if the fathers
who made the constitution had allow
ed the protective feature between the
states to find a place in i~t.-Galveston
News.
In proportion to white population
there are thirty negroes in Florida to
every one in Ohio. If one negro commits
a crime in Ohio it is not unreasonable
to say that thirty negroes in Florida
might commit thirty crimes of a similar
kind. If the crime is avenged in a sum-
mary way in Ohio, the people there can
understand the human nature that
would call forth summary vengeance
for the thirty crimes in Florida. We
do not mean to justify lynch law in
Florida or in Ohio. 1t is absolutely
indefenSible, and no paper has de-
nOunced it Oftener or more unspar1ngly
than has The Times-Union. It is we'll.
however, that the people of the north
have learned that it is not peculiarly
southern; that the frequency Of lynch
ingS in the south is due to the environ
mentS of the southern people, and that
with similar environments it would be
equally frequent at the north. The
northern people can now also under
stand that a lynching in Florida is no
more a sign hat the people of the state
endorse lynch law than was the lynch
ing at Urbana a sign that the people OF
Ohio endorse it.-Jacksonville Times
Union.
In spite of the enormous ad-
vantages of our domestic market,
the American farmer will find that
his Canadian rival is in many re-
spects better off. Canadian grain can
be carried to the markets of the world
quite as cheaply as American grain and
will, therefore, sell for as much money.
But that money will now be spent for
goods that are moderately taxed in
| stead Of paying so or 100 per cent, as in
our country, and the difference in the
results will soon be perceptible. Canada
will suffer from the customs wall that
is to be built up IN our frontiers; per-
haps she will suffer more than we. But
she will gain from freer access to the
markets of the world. while we are Ia
boring to make such access difficult.
If Mr.. Laurier's enlightened policy shall
result in a general overthrow of the
tariffs of the English colonies, it will be
a gain for civilization only to be COM
pared with that resulting from the re-
peal of the corn laws. We should re-
jOice were our own country the first to
take this splendid forward step; out
since that may not be, we shall rejoice
that it is taken by any people.-New
York Evening Post.