The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-05-25
VOL. XIV. New SerieS---Vol. 3.
THE EDITORS LEISURE HOURS,
Points and Paragraphs Of Things
Present, Fast and Future.

Georgia has it's attractions all the
time. The latest is that DIR. HI. S
Tanner, who tasted forty days in 1881
and thereby became famous, has gone
10 Georgia to wait for wateuelons tc
ripen. He is said to be very fond O.
watermelons, and we believe it has been
stated that he broke his celebrated fast
! by eating forty-pound watermelon
He passed through Petersburg few
days ago, stopping over sometime on
his trip to Georgia.
President Mckinley's recent trip to
Hot Springs is said to have been taken
to get rid of nicotine which had poison
ed his system from smoking. His sig
nature before his system became ner-
vous from smoking does not favor his
signature since he has been so serious
iy affected by it. He is said to have
smoked Is cigars day for quite a long
time, but his physicians have cut him
down to four day. Mr.. Mckinney 5
weakness seems to be developing in
more ways than one.
A good deal is being said about the
proposed amendment to our State con-
stitutlon as it relates to the franchise
Of the colored people. There is no
need of trying to dodge the fact that it
the amendment is carried it will dis
franchise many colored voters But
the dis'rancbisement coming through
the amendment will not be because of
the race, but it will be a result of in
competency. Settle this question, and
it will settle the race franchise quest
| ion Will a single colored man in
North Carolina be able to vote under
the amendment? If so, then it can no
longer be called a race Issue purely,
for if it were the whole race would be
shut out alike.
| Virginia is taking positive position
for election OF United States senators
by direct vote of the people, and con-
vention will soon be called to make
sure preparation for it. From the tone
OF the press it looks like North Car
DINA is getting ready for the same
| thing. There is no doubt that 1t
| would be much nearer the expression
of the real will of the people, and every
man would feel sure that. his personal
preference for such officer was register
ed in his vote cast by himself.
THE COMMONWEALTH believes the
time has come for this change, and
we shall soon see it.
A Louisville Baptist church recently
passed resolutions against retaining in
| its fellowship any persons engaged
in the liquor traffic. The Southern
Baptist convention which met in Louis
vile two weeks ago. has been hostile to
the liquor business for some time.
More than once that body has taken
high ground against it; and uphold
| ing the Louisville church in question,
the convention at its late session enter
tanned a resolution against any Baptist
church allowing liquor dealer in its
membership. It seems that the reso-
luton did not pass just in that form,
but after being amended so as to in
clude only those who deal in liquor 'as
beverage" 1t passed. Now, we may
not clearly understand this beverage"
idea; but if the resolution means to
exclude retail dealers and allow whole
sale dealers chance of remainino in
the church, as some haye construed it,
we think the great Baptist convention
made mistake. Traffic in liquor is
traffic in liquor, whether by wholesale
or retail and the wholesale liquor
dealers business is just as hurtful to So
ciety and just as immoral as Is the
business of the retail liquor dealer, or
even the manufacturer. We believe
in standing for thing flat-footed or
against thing fat-footed. The liquor
business, apart from its consideration
as medicine, is just as Objectionable to
God and holiness in one capacity as
another. It is only question OF dis