The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-23
PUBLIC OPINION.

III the Mckinley tariff. which wiped
out soo."o.go Of revenue by putting
susaI on the Tree list. was a more eff
IectiEe pToducer of revenue than Is the
Wilson tariff. why does the proposed
Dingiey tariff increase the existing su-
gar duties with the view OF producing
additional evenue to an estimated
amount between $50, 0oO. 600 and $780,
900. o00?-Buffalo Courier.
The western states OF the United
States must begin 20 watch and figure
on the results of the completion Of h
great railroad from Europe to the
eastern coast Of Siberia. In two or
three years more alI-raiIroad commu-
nication between Paris and Hamburg
and Eiladiyostok will be an accom-
plished fact with the time of travel
about two weeks. The Chicago Times
Herald thinks that much as this Rus
sian enterprise may mean to Germany.
Russia and the other European pow
ers, 1t may mean more to the United
States California. Oregon, Washing
ton and all the Pacific coast states"
says The Times-Herald, will have a
new world of M opened to
them" 1t seems to The Post that these
states VIII have a new world of COM
merce almost closed TO them. When
England and Germany can rush their
products by rail into China and prac-
tically into Japan. in far less time han
the Pacific states can reach the field
and for far less cost, so far as North
ern China is concerned, our developing
trade in the east will meet with a far
more formidable competition than it
now meets.-Houston Post.
During the eight months ended Feb
ruary %, 1897, the ota imports of
dutiable manufactures for consumption
amounted in alu TO $50. 707, S5S-a de-
cline of S33, 600, 900 in value from the
corresponding period of the preceding
year. Yet in these d~windling imports
the authors of the Dingley bill propose
to raise the largest proportion of in
creased revenues of 800, 0O0, 900 by
screwing up the protective duties. On
the other hand, the exports Of manu-
features from the United states in the
eighth months ended February %. 1897.
amounted in value to STA, $50, 920-an
increase of $50, 900, 900 over the immense
volume of manufactured exports in the
corresponding eight months of the pre-
vious fiscal year. Do not these enor-
mOusly increasing exports of manufac-
lures sufficiently eXplal the cause of
the dWindling import of manufac-
lures? Do not the above returns of
trade at the same time fully expose the
extreme folly of the Dingley bill in
levying import taxes on the raw mate
rials Of American manufactures, and
thus Gripping the export trade in these
products of American industry and
skill? Who but the tuthors of this
barbarOus measure do not see that the
time for putting arbitrary restraints
of legislation upon he industries and
of the American people, if it
ever existed, has completely passed
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Record.
If the democratic party has not been
able to agree upon any positive policy
in the past, as The Louisville Courier
Journal claims, it has been because
heretofore it lacked a common purpose
and because it had a number of adher
ents whose only idea of democracy was
to distribute offices when in power,
serve the special interests and fight the
opposition when out of power. There
is a great cry at present from certain
peOpi. and sources for democratic har-
mony, and the union Of all those forces
which heretofore, With the exception OF
the last campaign, have voted the DEM
ocratic ticket. While harmony IS
greatly to be desired, and while it is
desirable also that as large a number
of followers as can be secured should
be obtained to support tie democratic
party and the democratic ticket, we do
not want to desert democracy in order
to secure voters for what only seems to
be democratic principles. We nave
had enough in the past Of platforms
that mean nothing, of declarations in
ambiguous phrase. and OF the expert
ences of having the powers of govern
ment placed in our hands, and yet
being hopelessIy divided as to what
course we ought to pursue because or
the existence in the part of people OF
totally dissimilar views. The ties that
bind the democracy are stronger now
than ever.-RichmOnd State.