davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
THE BILL.

The currency bill that will pass the
is a compromise, but it is
strong enough to satisfy the most ex-
acting and greedy goldbug. We shall
not undertake to discuss its plan, but
to merely state some of its main fea-
lures. 1t seems to be out and out a
gold compromise, and il will probably
pass. A gold reserve is to be kept in
the treasury of $50. 00O, 900. 1t is a gold
standard throughout. and is so fixed
upon the country lat it cannot be dis
turbed unless there is democratic con-
troll of the government, in the eXecU-
tive and legislative departments. There
is a difference of view among the cold
ties as to refunding the bonded indebt-
-edness and b~imetallism. The first Will
be arranged satisfactorily. As To the
latter. the republican party having
abandoned it's st. Louis platform dec
larations of 1896, there is no use or try
ing to keep up the pretence ana ueiu-
sion. The republican party is both the
exorbitant high robber tax party and
the gold standard party. So foollng
longer over arrangement
means nothing and should deceive no
one for a minute. A thorough going
gold republican gan, The Baltimore
Herald. gives this:
.The bill, as agreed p declares
that the dollar shall consist of % $40
grains of gold nineteenth fine, and that
eli other forms of money shall be kept
at a parity, United States notes and
treasury notes being redeemable in the
-zalIow metal. According to the
Compromise, whenever the reserve falls
below the limit the coupone or regis
tered bonds of $50 and multiples thereof
bearing interest at the rate OF 5 per
cent per annum ana reaeemaoie after
one year, may be borrowed
"Authority is given for establishing
hanks with small capital to meet the
special demand of rural sections, and
a compromise was affected on the
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
4 E

The brave Cronje was compelled to
yield to the inevitable at last. His a
reminds us of General Lee at Appomat-
tox. All told, some 5000 soldiers sur
rendered to some 100, 900 of federals un-
der Grant. Cronje yields and 5000 men
(not 5000 as the British had been pub
lishing)' surrendered to $4,000 British
who had cut him off. A IA but heroic
fate for of the truest of the true II
bravest of the brave. But what about
the victors? All Great Britain stands up
tiptoe and splits the welkirl because
5000 men yielded to the great army of
80, 900, with 40, 900 others all about to
help presently. We have read Of great
er triumphs surely. 1t is really no great
thing for a giant to pummel a chap of
five years. For a victory to be SPLEEN
did it must be won against odds " at
least equal force. Wellington at Water
loo, by the aid of a great army of Ger
mans, o~utnumberfng Napoleon, got at
las q victory over the greatest genius
in war since Julias Caesar Napoleon
was in poor health and was fighting
with q comparatively new army, not
veterans, his old army having been lost
in Russia.
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
TRUSTS.

The president of Corneui University,
New York state, in a late interview,
says that the trusts went down to
Washington and grappled. the republi-
can party by the throat, and made it
choke to their advantage" The leader
and manager of that corrupt party,
Mark Hanna, canvassed for trusts,
making speeches in defence and lauda-
ito of the vicious things. and is now.
congress. Some time ago perhaps the
richest OF all trust men, Rockefeller.
openly lauded trusts as great public
benefactors. That was like a highway
man singing of the ~benevolence and
beauty of robbery to the people robbed
The strange thing is the ~so-called
democratic papers liked Rockefeller's
plea and eulogy, and no doubt some of
the same class believe in Hannaism as
practiced.
If the trusts are not controlled by
Z people they will not only control
the people, but impoverish and ruin
them in the end The gravity of the
situation is unmistakable. There are
able men in b north who see this,
and who are warning the country
against these monsters Of iniquity and
oppression. Professor -Hadley, of Yale
University, some weeks ago, said this:
w can no longer rely upon COM
petition to protect the consumers
against abuse whom industry has be-
come so highly organized that all pro-
duction is centralized in the control OF
a single body. 1t is no longer true. in
n sense that 1t was fifty years ago,
hat each man may be left free to
manage his own business and that the
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

conscience. It's life and hope are bas-
ed on schemes OF robbery. It cares
nothing for the people--the mass-and
of course nothing for forests. The
thing to do to please h rabid, wick
ed. debased party is to rob. The thing
for the decent, reputable members to
do is to put paper and pulp on the
free list. The Times is right when it
says hat the paper u has demon
strated that these taxes serve only a
single purpose-that Is to invite rob-
berry under color Of law"
The paper trust is perhaps the very
worst of all trusts, for it not only robs
a great publishing class, but it places
an embargo upon brains-a tax upon
education-a levy upon amusement-a
tariff upon news. There is no class,
there is no condition of men who is in
the remotest degree benefited by this
law save only the class who create
and run the paper trust. The Kansas
City Star says Of this vile oppression
and wrong: rs there the least shadow
of an apology for imposing a penalty
on a business or profession which
yields to the public the great moral
and educational service performed by
the newspapers and magazines? There
certainly is not. The tyranny of the
paper trust is not justified even as a
fine and punishment inflicted on the
newspapers for their general censure
of OmbinatiOn against trade" Is
there any possible chance to have the
evil cured-the oppression removed?
Republicans say they are opposed to
trusts. If there is any truth in this
why do they not race heavily the
great tariff tax-why do they not
strike down this senseless attack upon
information and entertainment?
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

The late Colonel w. c. Elan is
treated by the Virginia press as a Vir-
ginian- and pay to his memory hand
some. cordial ributes of praise and
admiration. His parents were Viz
ginian but he was born In North Car
DINA. We suppose he considered him
self a Eirginian. He vas held In great
esteem for his courtesy. his marked
abilities. his bravery, his acquisition.
From a notice OF length in The Dan
Vile Register we take this:
Public sentiment and the duties OF
ms vocation made duels unavoidable.
when public sentiment changed he
abandoned h duel. His career, which
we trust he has preserved TO posteri-
" IN autobiography. would make a
history OF Virginia journalism as cad
able as n His descriptions
OF the giants OF the press in the ffties
were charming variations.
Colonel Elan vas a writer OF re-
markable huency. force and effective
ness. IL was In the field Of polemics
and in the analytic and expository
styles that he was at his best. but In
all his writings he was forcefuI, and
commanded a large vocabulary, from
which he selected his words with the
incest discrimination. In the descrip-
tive and didactic fields, he was grace
full and charming"
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

community will find its work best done
as a consequence OF such freedom
What was once regarded as a game
now become a trust. not merely In
the superficial and accidental sense In
which the name trust IL now applied
TO all large combinations Of capital,
but in a profounder sense-as a trust
exercised on behalf Of the public,
which 1t Is in the power of those who
control this capital to use well or iii,
straint from any quarter. Where COM
petition Is thus become a remote con-
tingency, n where law is almost nee
essartly inadequate unless IL be made
so strict as to forbid the good no less
than the evil in private business enter
prise, a new system Of ethics is a mat
ter Of vital necessity for the American
people-a system which shall treat the
director no longer as an individual
pursuing private business of his own
and with the right to resent the sug-
gestion that he should d il un-
selfishly, but as having moral respon-
sibility to his stockholders, to his
working men, Int to the consumers
that purchase his goods or his SER
vices"
We are afraid that the true ethical
view will never be taken by any man
connected with any trust. A man to
plunge into this system must have to
a great degree lost his moral sense or
made up his mind to discard ii in bus
mess matters. 1t is indeed a vital ne
cessity," in the mean time the trusts
are ~ravaging, depressing. distressing
millions of people. There must come
relief quicker than it can come from
any cultivation or restoration of the
ethical view. If congress fails the
country here, woe be unto the country.
If the great tariff that protects and
fosters and creates trusts continues to
operate, then there is no end to the
expressions and no restraints for the
wicked obberS
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
LET CONGRESS REPEAL THE TAX
ON INTELLIGENCE.

The paper trust hould be e with
by the congress-. 1t not only affects
the great publishing interests, but it
is a tax upon all newspaper and mag
azine leaders Prices must go UP for
paper to print upon, and then there
must be an advance in the price Of the
printed newspaper or book or periodi-
cal. 1t is a tax upon learning, upon in
formation, upon the general intelli-
gence.
The taxes on pulp and paper should
be reduced at once. The present tariff
is a curse and disgrace. The republic
can gang is alone responsible for it.
There are many reasons for reduc-
ton and not one for it's continuance.
Under the law robbery, wholesale and
endless, is perpetrated. The Philadel-
phia Times says:
The paper trust is now taxing the
newspaper and book publishers of the
country many millions, not of
any such actual increase in the cost of
producing paper, but because h trust
has the power to extort from the pur-
chaserS of paper up to the extent that
would make tariff-taXed foreign paper
and pulp cheaper b the prices de-
manded here. This trust a played
its scheme of extortion to the utter
most, and congress should at once re-
move the tax that protects no Amerl-
can industry and that has become only
an agent to rob the consumers.
"Two-thirds of the wood pulp used
in the manufacture Of paper for Amer
lean consumption should come from
canada. but il is excluded by a tar1ff
fay and We are now rushing headlOnS
in the destruction of u forests.
1t is not c%reditable TO the intelli-
| gence of this country that such a
method of wholesale robbery should
be possible or tolerated. 1t is destruc-
tive and it is oppressive and shoul
| not be apologized for or favored by
| any man of even pretended respecta-
| bility. The Times says, and wisely
says:
THE two conclusive reasons which
should make congress act promptly are
first, that h paper trust should he
| at once halted in it's rapid destruction
of our American forests by the admis-
sion of free wood pulp from Canada;
| and, second, that the present extortion
| practiced by the paper trust upon pub
| fishers of newspapers n books shall
| cease to have the protection of the
| government.
saThe time has come when any trust
that makes arbitrary profits by tariff
| duties must cease 10 De projected oS
the government
But what can be expected from such
a congress as the present n is known
to be? 1t is like its party-a republican
robber and oppressor, Tear OF
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
GORMAN

If the goldbug Philadelphia Record
is 10 be trusted there is a game OF
hand to deceive Colonel w. j. Bryan
| special Of the 25th ult., to The Record
| said that German was planning to de-
ceive Colonel Bryan. 1t says German
has found out his w strength, and
he is about to play foul. "Silver men
are doubling him" is the statement,
and we'll they may, for German has
always been a politician of tricks, but
immensely shrewd. He is a born ma
nipulator, a machinist in politics Of a
high order, not so INSCRIPTIONS as
Hanna, but dangerous. The special
states that Ibis support of the Ne
braskan is said to have been a feel
err" to test the sentiment of the dem
He has not lost his grip by any
means" 1t is contended he defeated
Bryan's wishes in the meeting of the
national committee. German wanted
a late convention; Bryan an early one,
and the Marylander won. There nave
been suspicious hat since Gorman
learned his strength, he migha try to
force himself as a candidate in a quiet
way, but no such on his part las
been detected as.yet."
If there is n thing fOregone as to
the campaign it is hat Bryan will be
nominated by reclamation. An hum
dred willy Germans al not prevent it
f&~, - "a, 49, xr;ll ~ xho .aopla Cor,oo.
is strong in Maryland, but that state
is thoroughly rotten. There is really
but little difference in that state be-
tween republicans and democrats in
principles. German stands as good a
chance to be appointed to govern the
Transvaal under British appointment
after it falls under the power of Bri-
tain, as he has to- deceive the great
masses of democrats and receive the
nomination in place of Bryan. The
special says:
THE free silver men are not to be
caught mapping. They are already try
ing to get German n a trap.
THE provisional committee of the
land has sent German an invitation
to be a member Of their convention
which is to be held in this city next
Wednesday.
accompanying the letter were the
necessary credentials, to be used only
in case German intends to support the
Chicago platform in the national on
vention. Should German attend it
would be the biggest surprise the free
siluerites lave ever had in Maryland.
Anyway they want to put him on rec
ord, but it is safe to say they will not
find put yet. The senator is a good
dodger, and this is the. time to dodge"
One of his foolish admirers n
tooters says he wants German be
cause he can unite the party" Where
he would draw n goIdbug to it's sup
port he would probably drive off ten
og fifty bimetallists.
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

proposition to issue notes in small
denominations. Notes Of IS and under
are to be kept up to the volume now
In circulation. The bill speci-
ies that the gold coin in the treasury
shall be held against the outstanding
gold certificates. the United States
notes against currency certificates and
the silver dollars against silver GER
t~iicates. and each fund shall De used
for the redemption of the notes and
certificates for which they were res
pectively pledged, and for no other pur-
pose. AS last as the silver bullion on
hand is coined under existing acts an
equal number OF treasury notes shall
be Cancelled, and silver certificates shall
be issued against the silver so coined.
This is intended to prevent the deple-
ton Of the government gold reserve"
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
A NEW SYSTEM OF EXPENDITURE.

The Mckinley gang are great spend
ers of the peoples money. They have
found a great many new ways to swell
the expenditures and to rob the peo-
pie. 1t has increased much the already
stupendous robber tariff tax. 1t a
increased the salaries of many officials
and so on ad infinitum. But it is very
"hefty' when it started the commits
sion business. 1t has had commissions
for almost every thing. 1t is as a as
Sidney Smiths amusing account of
British taxes in his day-forty years
ago or more. We give an itemized
statement of commission expenditures
under McKinleyism, the very worst
ism" ever found in this country not
even excepting "Fourierism." Nor
monism" and the NEGRO maniaism" in
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
A RETORT

The Charleston News and Courier
makes a good point in it's notice of the
meeting at Detroit. Michigan, of $500
citizens to express their sympathy in
resolutions for the Beers. The people
in the north who antagonize the Brit
ish policy a the Mckinley policy,
and who expires their detestation of
each in vigorous English. are the very
people who were f%iercest, most impla-
cable against the south, and prayed
and fought in a war by odds the most
indefensibte and devilish among the
wars of two hundred years. But let
us quote from our able Charleston CON
temporary:
LAS the free-born citizens who gave
expression in that way to their deep
and heartfelt sympathy with the in
habitants of the South African repub-
lies in their brave struggle to main
tain the rights of man, to preserve and
protect their homes and property, and
the guaranteed God-given right of self
government are themselves inhabi-
tants n citizens of a state which a
few years G contributed $1,000 SOL
diers TO subjugate the brave and free
people of even struggling republics on
this side of the sea, il may be proper
TO suggest n ground of comfort and
consolation 10 them in their present
sympathetic and d~eploring frame of
mind"
This is rightly put. and it is true.
The consolation proffered will not
be agreeable perhaps. The News and
Courier thinks the great power viii
finally overcome the very weak people.
Then what? 1t will after killing so
many Beers and destroying much Of
property. then deprive them OF "the
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
OUR PURPOSE

at CSC per yard. All the above In all
the different colors.
In HENRIETTAS. SERGES. CASH
MERES. FLANNELS. TRICOTS. La
DIES CLOTH. BROADCLOTHS,
BRILLIANTINES and MOHAIRS, we
lead. We have these goods In all
qualities and in all colors. the prices
range from 2oc to $1.25 per yard
We have twenty-five OF thirty pieces
of SILKALINE DRAPERY OOD In
pretty patterns, fully So inches wide
at from Sc to 12kc per yard
We have a big line OF OUTINGS
that we are selling at an especial low
price. We have an Outing at 4kc per
yard. An extra wide Outing at &C per
yard. We have about forty pieces OF
very beavy, fast colored, Outings that
are worth I0c-we are selling them at
&c per yard.
Three thousand short-end WHITE
HOMESPUNS 1t 2%c per yard. A lot
OF SEA ISLAND HOMESPUN at &c
per yard. A splendid quality OF YARD
WIDE SHIFTING at sc per yard.
Good BLEACHING at 4kc per yard.
Good PLAIDS at &c per yard.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST STOCK
OF GOODS IN THE CITY. Our trade
is better now han Ii has ever been at
this season. The reason for this is
that OUR PRICES ARE LOWER
THAN OTHERS
We have just received a big lot OF
new CHAIRS AND TABLES TO give
away as premium presents. Bring
your card and get 1t punched and get
a present free.
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
REVITIES

The strongest expansion organs all
over the north are the bitterest in de-
nouncing a tariff for Porto Rico. We
could fill columns with their opinions.
1t is a wise people who select with
care and judgment their public Off
Gals. II is very important. Great in
terests are at stake
George Washington. left to his coun-
trymen this wise thought:
1T will be worthy Of a free, enlight-
ened and at no distant period a great
nation, to give to mankind the mag
people always guided by an exalted
justice and benevolence."
h mighty, awful pension roll is
grinding hourly the people, and the
crime increases.
Governor Dan. W. Jones, of Arkan-
sas, running for the United States SEN
ate, has many kin in North Carolina,
and several in this city. Some of them
hope that he will fail of the nat
The Michigan s-ympathizers with the
Beers wish a national conference
Should be held at Detroit
Grace Clarke. aged Is, died at Jersey
City of typhoid fever under alleged
Christian Science" treatment. The
case will be investigated.
On May Sth. 9Th and 10th, a confer
ence is TO be held at Montgomery,
Ala, TO discuss race problems.
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

We learn from The W~adeSboro Mes
senger that one of the: leaders among
the populists, perhaps the most prom
inent popuIist in the county" (Anson)
says that newspaper, favor the con-
stitutionaI amendment" DR.. Maynard
is too upright, Intelligent a pepuIist to
wear the CALLING yoke Oh Butler He is
for his race, for his neighbors and
friends, for North Carolina. and its civ
ilization and best interests. The Mes
senger of Wadesboro. says.
1.-The doctor, like a m VI other
we'll o populists, supports this inn
portant measure with the understand
ing, and in the belief, that it will be so
amended that if the grandfather clause
should be declared unconstitutional the
entire amendment must also be so de-
clared. That this will be done is a
fo-egone conclusion, therefore, we take
it that the doctor may be counted on
the side of the overwhelming majority
of the best white people in this con-
test"
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
WILMINGTON, N. G..

government" and more horrible to re-
rate perhaps, Great Britain may even.
go farther and in demonstrating their
states" it may make voters of all
the Zulus and Hottentots and Basutos
in their territory, and allow the Beers
to. contribute literally to pension the
gallant soldiers of Roberts and Bull
Ter, and pay off the debt incurred in
subjugating them, and fly the Did flag
over all their public buildings, and so
on-what more could be desired for
them?"
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
The Biz Racket Store
is FULL OF
BARGAINS FOR YOU ALL.

If we can convince you that this is
true, we consider nat we are doing
you a favor and at the same time are
helping ourselves. Glance over the
following list and see if you can beat
prices:
We have just received a big line of
NEW SILKS IN ALL THE SPRING
SHADES, extra wide at soc per yard.
A BEAUTIFUL WHITE SILK IN
NEWEST CORDED EFFECT at soc.
Also A NICE LINE OF NEW SAT-
ms, all colors, at soc per yard.
We have ALL THE NEW SPRING
SHADES IN SILK NULL, AZ inches
wide, at Csc per yard.
We have SEVERAL PIECES OF
FINE SILK AND WOOL MOHAIR.
4S inches wide. worth SIPS per yard,
for 63c.
Our line of DRESS Innings IS
VERY COMPLETE. CAMBRICS at
SC; WAIST LINING at &c; SELICIAS
at Zoe; NEAR SILKS at 12ac; NOV
ERIN at 15c, and FINE SILK Innings
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

There are tricks and tricks. In the
effort TO get the right kind of subsi-
dy ship scheme passed the interested
friends are playing a new game. They
not only want a subsidy law. but they
want one to suit them and their plans
of robbery. To Illustrate the way they
operate this is given A man named
Griscom before the house committee
said that the "fourteen-knot ship of
the largest possible size-that would
carry about 10000 tons-would be the
ship that under that bin would get the
The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06

The Wadesboro Messenger, one of the
best weekly exchanges, says this:
Divorce cases in this state are be-
coming too common n numerous by
far. There were ten cases CT this sort
disposed of at the recent term of
Union county Superior Court, and at
the last term of Arson civil court we
believe there were some five or six di-
vorces granted"
1t is a reproach and even disgrace to
North Carolina that these things can
be possible in this once conservative
state. The legislators are the guilty
ones who bring it about. They do not
regard Divine law, and yet marry Of
them are licensed lawyers to practice
in the earthly, the state courts. obs
law is explicit. The people in all the
churches, and there are some $50, 900.
members in North Carolina, should.
in this matter of divorce and de-
mand Of legislators that they obey
God and change the state law so as to
to the Divine law.