The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-12
The Wlessenger.
SOME POINTS IN THE MESSAGE.

SNNNS0 NAAae thiil POlllkO LIllSIl nc
noticed from time to time. 1t was so
long and so full of points one survey
could only grasp a point here and there.
The more 1t is considered the more OBJ
noXious to just criticism it appears.
The president is an artful dodger, and
shows adroitness in both avoidance and
advocacy of pet plans n theories.
For instance, he is known to have been
the EXTREMIST of extreme high protec-
ton advocates, but he does not con-
slider the present awful, most radical
of robber~ tariffs or hint even at a re-
duction. 1t is true that some eight or
ten months ago at Boston he made re-
marks that looked favorable TO a lower
tariff tax schedule, out he has evident
ly bobbed back to his old Low and Is
wrapped now in burning affection.
Then again the great high tariff ad-
vOcate while saying much about trusts,
and really in places writes as if they
were very bad things for the country,
makes 10 practical suggestion as to a
remedy. We said We suspected SINGER
ity on the part of republicans when
they talked or wrote against trusts,
tEe natural Outgrowth Of their darling
Pct, a high tariff tax hat oppressed
Some 1000, 600 for the benefit of 2 1000, 900
o. 10000 prosperous, ever rich benefi-
CT ,ries who so greatly flourish under
tie bounties granted under a robber
tax, that is alike righteousness,
unjust and unconstitutional How can
any honest, sensible, informed, obser-
V@nt man repose the slightest conf
dcnce in a party that for thirty years
has been plundering the country, OPP
YtcCcinr tho rnnr nt1frn yin or ivtofioa
and common sense and been faithless
and graceless in a thousand political
acts? They have laid their great
greedy hands upon the pockets Of the
millions of toilers and bread-winners,
and their Legislation has been in the
interest of the rich and the upbuilding
of a stupendous a~utocracy and pluto
cracy. Said DepeW in 1896, Il can name
ten men in a circuit of ten miles around
New York City who can precipitate in
one our the greatest panic the world
has ever known. They car stop every
wheel of industry at once" The pos
sibility of such g statement lies in the
fact that his party has steadfastly leg
islated to that end through three de-
cades of dishonest and oppressive gov
eminent. We are not singular in such
a view. 1t prevails widely among
thinking, reading, observing people all
over the land. The able Charleston
News Courier makes this Just re-
Election upon one point raised by the
president-that of trusts and com
bines:
The trusts and mbinatiO which
have led ITO the restraint of trade, n
confined the benefits resulting from
81 rc ord cna+inno1 1n1ic1ntinn tN enc
cial industries and selected commune
ties, are all the legitimate outcome of
republican policies, which Mr..
ley so we'll represents. We nave no
wish, however, to judge the president
harshly-his message speaks for itself
and, while it's glowing periods will
doubtless appeal to the em~OtiOnally in
clined, in our opinion the whole pur-
pose of the message will be condemned
by the sober-minded, and those who
have a care for the integrity of our re-
public"
1t is noticeable that Mckinley is
more guarded, more reticent in what he
says of trusts than his vicious, leprous
Man Friday was in the Ohio cam
paign. Mark Hanna stood forth cham
pioning trusts, and he was the right
man to favor so detestable and flagiti-
Jus al IlIOlIl IlONh oC
trusts. Mark was doing a prOpe work
representative of his beastly, depraved
character. Mckinley really writes as
if he was out of touch with his COR
rupt henchman for he says that if 1.-The
present law can be extended more GER
tainly to control or check these mono-
poles, or trusts, it should be done with
out delay" But he offers no remedy.
L t. J;IrN nv Dn,ririo In pon1ininn urh0
visits the patient, feels pulse and skin
looks at the tongue and takes the tenn
perature, talks with Solomonic preci-
sion in general platitudes, and yet Of
fers no relief, prescribes no remedy.
If the patient is suffering and some
remedy known to he household as
possibly eficacious under certain con-
ditions can be found, let it be applied
at once, and then comes the good
morning" farewell and out goes the
pretender. DR.. Mckinley thinks the
great American people (the patiently
are afflicted and sick perhaps, and yet
he offers no restorative, but contents
himself by referring the case to the
American congress-, that may be as full
of quackery as himself and equally in
competent. DR.. Mckinley has no con
fidence in the skill or sincerity of his
brother political doctors in the con-
gress.
AS to Philippine matters, we had
more to say on Wednesday than of
other points.
The president cannot evade his re-
sponsibility in precipitating a war
against a very weak, impotent people,
that he processes to believe belong to
the great United States by purchase
at the price Of two dollars per head.
He labors hard to reate a plea in just
ifcation of his usurpation of power as
we'll as his b%rutalities enforced at the
lannon's mouth There is no doubt
that the congress did not expect any
such game to be played as he has play
ed. OIL it would have been grossly re-
creant If it had not taken decided
steps to prevent the presidential esca-
pade. His plea, specious and mislead-
ing, that the Filipinos were entirely
favorable to the 81 a head sale is not
according to facts. They were not al
lowed and a. in the matter. The News
and Courier i~ntelligently and cor
rectly says of McKinley's plea of justi-
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