The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-01
ELECTION OF u. =. SENATOR'S.

Some editors are much afraid of the
people. 1t is the same with politicians
OF a certain kind and school,. They
are afraid to trust the men who are
the hope of liberty and the country at
large. Jefferson knew the people, con-
fded in them, and stood by them. He
is under suspicion now by the little
fellows who skip about now in these
degenerate days of small things. A
writer in the Washington Post writing
of the people, we'll and wisely says:
1.-The states are the people, and the
people make the states. The legisla-
tors are the servant of the people, and
help to make up h government of the
states or of the people of the states.
United States should be re-
sponsible to the people of the states.
ana not to the state governments. 1t
is easier to influence the ~ervants or
representatives of the people thar it is
to influence the people themselves. The
whole question is, would the political
power of the individual states be i'm
paired or 1essened by the election OF
senators by the people? Unquestiona-
bly, not. The influence of the states, on
the contrary, would be greater"
You will find men who favor the con-
VI Liz ~ olCIl Va
= electing United States senators much
afraid of the people-that they will lead
this country to the "demn;tion bow
vows" and ruin everything-that they
will elect worse men to the senate
than have eVer been sent there. Ii
they were to try they could no improve
upon Hanna and Quay and Plat and
No., a-J D,rtlor on1 co on
We are not sure that electing sena-
tors by the people can cure all the
evils growing out Of the present
method. The power of money to cor
rupt legislatures in the north has been
often exemplified. Money is tremen-
dous in it's power of debauch and buy,
But the people are the source Of all po-
1itical power and with them lies the
corrective. They are as honest as the
demagogues and self-seekers. You can
buy a northern legislature easier h
you can buy the northern people gen.
orally. You must enlighten and train
the people in civic duties and response
bilities in order to nave the ideal cleo
torate. The republic stands or falls
dlhS INK iilCSAAAys
and intelligence of the people. A cor
rupt people means always and every
where a corrupt government. The
Houston Post, an able paper of Texas,
says wisely n felicitously:
IF they are not educated and held
by enlightened conscience to honest &C
tor their public servant will partake
OF HI spirit in which they are created
- - -.-,,hl;o paIrzr eventual 1u foil
Lift the Individual citizen to ability
to select his official representatives I'M
trammeled by the Observation-Disclosures
of pelf the safety of our system
OF government is assured. Fail in this
and it matters not whether United
States senators are elected py dlrecI
vote or by state legislatures, gold Will
yet be king"
As to North Carolina we believe in
the better classes of white men. Give
them prope information, appeal %
their consciences and manhood AMI
loyalty to their native state, and they
will be above the corruptions of the
Hannas and their Shiny tools of lniqui-
ty and purchase. We were much i'm
pressed quite recently with an opinion
expressed in a letter from the new and
young attorney general OF Virginia,
Mr.. Montague. The sentiment he ex-
presses relative to submitting the con-
.stitution to be prepared in his state to
the vote of the people is wise and
proper. His views will not please the
centralizers. the imperialists, the enc
mics of the people, those who fear the
white men, but they are sound and wise
views. We quote a passage from him.:
But I consider the making OF a