The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-16

~ Idn AidISIIdi- 1t goes nU every
thing in sight, n the only reason il.
has not raised the price of Cigarettes
is that It is not profitable to do so. II
the Dukes thought b sallow, sickIy.
half cad smokers would use as many
cigarettes at a higher price, they would
not hesitate to raise It.
The Duke combination rpasse all
others In hypocrisy. Its members
make great p~retensions to piety, while
sending thousands OF boys to prema-
ture grave and robbing the farmers
OF the fruits of their labor. We nave
some respect for the highwayman who
takes his life in his hand when he bids
his victim stand and deliver. It takes
courage to run h risk OF being killed
in h operation, and more to defy the
law which sets a price upon his head.
But who. unless it be those who are
feeding out OF their hands. can have
any respect for the ~sniveling hypo-
critics and driveling towards who en-
ploy shrewd lawyers to draw up plans
by which they may steal without get
ting in the penitentiary. and seek to
quiet the public conscience by throwing
a bone occasionally to churches. COL
1eges. hospitals, etc?"
Strong, sweeping, but not overdrawn.
Dean Swift nor Sydney Smith nor
Thackeray, il living, could do full Jus
tice to this great conspiracy against
the farmers, the youth, the. country.
It blasts as with the mildew Of death.
It is as baleful and destructive to the
farmer and his interests. those who
use its poisons in excess, as mephftic
e~xhalations are to physical life. It
ought to be suppressed, and the peo-
pie OF North Carolina ought to do it
through legislation. Colonel Webster
throws light just there. He says:
. 1.-THE failure of state and federal leg
islation so far doe not prove that moth
ing can be done. In fact, we believe
h present statutes are strong enough
II We a officers with the grit to en-
force them. The federal statute of 1890,
which Cleveland's corporation attorney
general said would not hold water,
proved sufficient to break up the great
railroad pool when the fight was car
ried to the supreme court. District At
torney Glenn, of this state, drew a bill
against the cigarette trust under this
law, but was ~interdicted by Mr.. Olney,
who held that al action under this law
would be a waste of time n money.
So the great point is to arouse public
sentiment and compel the law making
power and the courts to do their duty"
And now comes a very interesting
and significant passage in Colonel
Webster's editorial. We will copy at
length because it shows how you have
advanced in boldness and gathered
courage as you listen to the charm of
your marvellous voice and your ora
torical splurges. It shows just where
you stand as to the vile robber trust.
You are out boldly for the trust as a
good thing" The incense you offer
to Dukedom shows o are zen
Unused" nightly and regard it as prob
ably the very best of all sEblinary
things. Mr.. Webster writes:
1--WE have called attention to the
anomalous position of a great church
accepting money for its educational
work that it could not defend. No one
connected with Trinity college has had
the temeritX to defend the manufac-
ture and use of cigarettes, but n of
the professors wrote n published an
article two Or three years ago defend
ing trusts. And now We have it on
good authority that DIR. Kilgo, the
president, has screwed his courage UP
to the point Of defending trusts in gen.
eral and the cigarette trust especially.
He said at Morehead City, N. C., while
attending the Teachers Assembly, that
trusts are good things and that the
American Tobacco Company has help
ed the farmers in North Carolina. He
so expressed himself to one of the
most prominent teachers in the state.
What a position this declaration puts
the Methodist church of North Carroll
ma in-the head Of it's educational in
terests a defender of trusts! Hereto
fore the excuse has been that it was
all right to accept Dukes money as
long as no conditions We're imposed.
Even our good friend, DR.. Yates, ad-
monished a young preacher not to be
too nice about cigarette money, since
he did not know where all the money
dropped in the collection basket at
churc came from-sOme of it might
be unclean. But the heaven is work
ing. Mr.. Duke is not doing philan-
thropic work for amusement. He does
not drop his cigarette money in the hat,
unobserved, as it passes around. No,
the band must play, conferences reso-
lutte. and DR.. Kilgo crate when he
planks down the stuff.
No harm in trusts in the abstract
and especially in the worst pill in the
box, the cigarette trust. We would
like to hear DR.. Weaver, Rev. Paul j.
Carraway, DR.. Greasy, Rev. Mr.. Hill
lizard, ct id omne genus, on the question
J as to whether or not a ma who holds
these views is fit to be president of a
slaughter house company, much less
! Of the leading male college of a great
denomination like the MethOdists in
! North Carolina. He should be asked at
I once to resign"
Now I am not interested in whether
! you stay or go-whether you are task
ed at once to resign and return to
the obscurity out of which you were
unfortunately called, as you are not
a wise man, a prudent man, a pious
man whatever else you may possess
and whatever your own estimate OF
| your own gifts and accomplishments
and power. IL you suit Trinity and the
! M~ethodists like your ways and manage
| ment, your exploiting and intellectual
| gymnastics. yOur extreme views and