The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-12
CLEANING AND COMMENT.

may be a war. 1t is also known that
the relations between Germany and
Europe are becoming somewhat strain
ed, more so than a year ago or more
when there was an impression hat cor
diality has gone and in Africa Germanic
influence would be felt. The German
newspapers are sharply critical in dis
cussing British ways and manners and
business. Some German writer's prod
the English remorseiessly. British pa
pers are not silent but strike back
with John Bull vigor. The Baltimore
Sun says that the German government
preserves fairly good relations with
the British government, and the En-
peror Williams relations with King
Edward are intimate, but the two peo-
pies seem to regard each other with
growing antipathy. England has done
something, say English writer's, to Sc
sure German confidence and good
will. Mr.. Chamberlain
not long since in a public speech de-
clared for an alliance with Germany.
as a slanderer. for saying recently, at
Edinburgh, that in case ~"severer meas
| uTeS are eQulTeu Will liz DUETS III
South Africa, they can be borrowed
from German practice in the last war
with France, fronh French practice in
Madagascar and from Austria's prac-
tice in Bosnia"
In another place The Messenger re-
fers to the ~corruptness in municipal
government in New York and Phila-
delphia. The tax rate in the these and
other American cities is simply unbear-
able and it is growing. The public debt
of New York is sS3 per capita of the
population. Baltimore is $50 for the
same. In New York the salary list is
most enormou and absurd. New
York papers have been comparing the
salary list of New York city with that
Of the Federal government. 1t seems
that New York judges get SIT, 500 a year,
while the chief justice of the federal
supreme court receives so, 500. The
corporation counsel of New York city
gets SIS, 900 a year, while the attorney
general of the United States gets $4,000.
There are 446 officials who receive s4,-
900. 900 and upward each year-the ag-
gregate is 1922, 900 a year.
The mileage of all railroads in the
United States at the close of last year
was 194,321 miles. The gross earnings
were $1,5O1, 695, 1878. The net earnings
were $4S3, 247, 526. The stock a~ggregat-
ed 1886, 5S1, 122. The funded debt was
1851. PIG, 655. Investors may study the
figures and act accordingly. Railroad
ing jS a fr~anondnuS thinr now in fhiS
country. Nearly or quite 1000, 900 Of
men are employed, and the number Of
persons killed last year was over 5000.
The Buffalo Pan-American exposition
is an object lesson of value. 1t warns
against great expenditure and it also
teaches that people are not so crazy
for shows of this kind as formerly.
Their frequency has taken off the edge
of curiosity and dulled the enjoyment.
1t winds up having lost 49, 500, 900, and
owing about $500, 900 to the contractors,
and there is no certainty of pay. The
Philadelphia Record says that the man
ayers hope for a congressional appro-
priation, but this is by no means assur-
ed. The Record avs
Congress did not see fit to aid the
enterprise in advance, there seems to
be no good reason why an eX post facto
appropriation should be regarded with
more favor Even the most prodigal
of legislative bodies would hesitate to
practically certify to exposition pro-
motors that they might go ahead in
full assurance that the government
would stand the loss"
1t is plain hat parties are not as
solid n united now as in the years
back. There are signs of division, dis
agreement, and lots of voters are look
ing around to see into which lap they
shall fall. OF course the unselfish,
simon-pure-party men who act from
principle and not from policy or per-
sonal hope of benefit will stand four
square as is usual with them, but there
are tens Of thousands all about who
wear their political garments very
loosely. n are so little welded to fix
ed convictions and steadfast belief in
great fundamentals, that the transit
ton is easy from where they are to
some other party than the one they
have affiliated with. Issues are becom-
ing mixed and in the next three years
some strange things may happen in
politics. The New Orleans a
notes some party differences:
Once there was a time when free trade
was strictly and exclusively a doctrine
of the democratic party and high tar
if protection was as strictly a policy
of the republicans. Now there are free
trade or reciprocity republicans and
strong protectionist democrats. Form
erly the democratic party was the party
of territorial expansion and annexation,
and this was particularly the case with
the southern democracy. Now the
democrats are badly divided on the
Question"
United or not the republican party
has it's mighty grip upon his country
now.