The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-19
FIJI REIGN OF THE DEMAGOGUE
IN NORTH CAROLINA.

high principles and motives. The
demagogue is a brawler and a dis
turber. His mission is to succeed in
his ends by moving pom the passions
and prejudices Of the people, espec-
tally the more ignorant. confding. re-
ceptive part. The ends he seeks are
not by any means his country's, his
often resourcefuI in Quirks and
lodges, and knows how to stir I'D
and to arouse the antagonists Of the
angry multitude" He is like the
hawk of the Roman who always
lives in arms He makes success his
all and in all, and to win, to make
capital for himself and his cause or
party, he stoops to all manner of sub
serviency and shallow deception and
eel-like motion. He is a most reck-
less sinner against whatever Of con-
science he may have left, and Is a
political busy-body abusing mems
confidence placed in him and breaking
faith as easy as a snake sloughs its
skin.
North Carolina is afflicted with men
of the low, selfish, demagogue type.
They not only bamboozle the ignorant
and superstitious, but they make war
upon the best interests Of the State.
They hate prosperity in corporations
and envy the rich. With them it is
a crying sin to be a nan Of affairs
who succeeds. All the failures and
sins and sufferings of those who live
poor and always are under a hard
struggle are laid at the door of the
prosperous. These fretting, worrying
demagogues are never SO happy as
when arraying class against class,
and stirring up with their tongue of
poison the poor against the rich and
labor against capital. Instead of
seeking to cure complaints, remove
f%rictions and alleviate suffering they
fan the evil passions into a flame,
arouse class hatreds, and make an
idolatry of clap-trap n humbug.
These enemies and parasites, these
political sneaks and l~oafers, these
men of duplicity and ignorance and
lust are happy only when they coax
men to believe that it is a sin against
neighbor.
Take the railroads in North Caro-
lima. They were built by citizens,
certainly Of as good average harac
ter and intelligence as their neigh
bors, who had one and chose to in
vest in that way. The railroads of
North Carolina, when honestly, fairly
managed, have proved a great con-
venience, comfort, blessing and saw
ing to the whole people. What would
North Carolina be without her rail
roads? She would be in the last CEN
fury again, and to go from Whining
ton to New York would AXE from a
week to ten days in rain and snow
and mud travelling every night, Sleep
less, worn out, miserable. 1t would
cost 81 for travel Or traffic where it
costs 20 cents now. But all who are
not fools and madmen know all about
the difference.
LUZ IL 10 q pOolIINC S11AIlV dilIOilS
demagogues for a railroad to make
money. Men of money and intelli-
gence have invested but they must
not make good profits. That is wrong
that is a positive outrage. You may
put your money in a farm, in a vine
yard, in an orchard, in a mill, in a
store, a bank, and make you 10. 20,
80 or more per cent, and that is your
right n privilege. But do not on
your peril put money in a railroad
and make a good dividend. You are a
public enemy at nee if you do this.
What miserable fools are the fellows
who act and talk after this sort. A
railway is successfully managed by
competent, trained men. 1t makes
good dividends-say s or 9 per cent.
1t is made at a great expenditure of
time and means and effort. But,
bark! o have sinned. You should
have been more of a failure. You
hould have made 3 or S per cent. and
been content. But if you have by
wisdom of management dared to
make more than that-more than your
neighbor over the way-more than
some other railroad, you must be per-
secuted, denounced, oppressed, robbed
by a tax put upon you for your folly.
It is a crime to be successful. It is
a wrong against the unsuccessful to
secure good returns for investment,
provided it is in a railroad. The fools
are not all dead nor are the dema-
gogues all buried in North Carolina.