The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-11
STATE

If Russell could not Or would not
make a no~n-partfcan governor. We do
not see how he could be expected to do
better as a supreme court judge We
doubt not his ability but his disposition.
Durham Herald.
Some of the papers are attempting
20 persuade Russell that It will be for
the best interest OF the state for him
to resign as governor in order to accept
a seat on the supreme court bench.
| Usually il does not take much persua-
sion to make a man see a delicate point
when Ii is to his own interest TO do so.
| Russell could I'LL h position with cred
it to himself and the state. but there il
no telling what he would do.-Durham
| Herald.
1t is to find out this justice that gives
| the governor so much worry and anxi-
| ETY.. for he feels heavily the weight OF
| responsibility upon him.. How much
| better IL would be to divide this respon-
| sibility. Under the constitution OF the
| state the governor must have the par
| doning power, but IL seems to US that
| the legislature could select q board OF
| pardons TO act with the governor. leav-
ing final decision with him. There
| would hardly be a horde OF Office Seek
ers after the job. Yet there are good
men who would take IL for the sake OF
the state.-Fayetteville Baptist
A law should be passed that will
compel tax dodgers to list their property
under severe pains and penalties for
failure to do SO. II all the property OF
the state was listed at anything like
| its true value there would be no trouble
about raising sufficient revenue to meet
the legitimate expenses OF the state
government at even a less rate of taxa
ton than now prevails, and IL is due
the man who honestly lists his taxes
that the rascals be made to do 50. and
the legislature should at least make an
honest and determined effort to bring
about this consumation so devoutly to
be Observation-Disclosures Messenger.
The coming session of the general as
| sembly of North Carolina has an oppor
tunity of making it a lively one. Has
it the backbone to do so? The last ses-
sion of the legislature passed an act
forbidding the state treasurer to pay
| Theophilus Whites salary as shell fish
commissioner. The supreme court is
| sued a mandamus n forced payment.
Will the legislature have the courage
to impeach those of the supreme court
judges signing the order? IL the act
Of the legislature was not declared un-
constitutional. and we think it was not.
then these judges ought to be impeach-
ed.-Washington Progress.
The press of the state has raised its
| voice almost as a unit in appealing TO
the general assembly for an increased
appropriation for both the eastern and
western hospitals for the insane and il
is certain that the state never a
cause in which so much Of humanity
was involved. In every county in North
Carolina there are poor. unfortunate
lunatics, either a charge upon their
kinspeople or else deprived OF all hope
| of recovery-by confinement in the coun-
ty jails. In Rowan. by way of illustra-
ton, there is a poor fellow named
| Moose. who has been in Jail I'm Sails
bury for eight months for no other
crime than that of being i~nsane.-Sal-
isbury Truth.
Congressman Kluttz made In effec-
tive speech against the cutting down
of the representation of the Southern
states or account of the new suffrage
laws. The North Carolina congressman
who voted to consider the Olmstead
resolutions did not fifty represent their
state. The Times is informed that The
administration does not countenance
these attempts to prosecute the south.
n reduce it's representation. In fact,
it is reported that Mr.. Mark Hanna,
the republican warwick. said in private
| conversation not long ago. that the
| two greatest mistakes ever made in
| this country were the attempt of the
south to disrupt the Union and the
mistake of the north in comforting the
right to vote on millions of illiterate
and irresponsible negroes.-Raleigh
| Times.
We believe that, like our own, the
sentiment OF two-thirds OF this commu-
nifty at the beginning of the trial were
like most of the preachers In favor Of
DR.. kilgo, but after hearing the evil
dence we saw how had been
our first impression. We were right
much aroused to learn before the Re-
corder was issued that our good Broth
CT Hunter was going to skin US alive.
and were really afraid that we might
be incapacited from enjoying our fine
Christmas turkey. But upon careful
examination of our cuticle we found it
intact without any rents or tares in il.
and do not know we ever spent a-moTe
enjoyable Christmas. In our former
article we simply wanted to call atten-
ton to the injustice Of ~denouncing a
jury Of honest men who did their duty
upon the law and the evidence present
ed to them.-Oxford Ledger.
Bullet US come back to the mo
tive" for your corporation politicians
do nothing without a motive. Why
does the Southern Railway wish Rus
sell to be chief Justice? Less han four
years he was denouncing the chief
officer of that corporation in lurid Ian
guage. He came into Office like a lion
in his roars against corporation denom-
ination. but at a certain time (for day
and date and full particulars see the
files OF the News and Observer) Rus
sell put Oh the yoke Of the Southern
railways chief. and has since rendered
"vilfien service" az Is required of all
vassals. He is as much under the DOM
inatfon Of Vice President Andrews when
needed as any hired employe could be.
On the bench, he would see that no
harm came to his lear friend. the
~Southern's manager. And Vice Presi-
dent Andrews knows IL. Thereby hangs
a tale of SURPRISING interest. But
that's another story" HI railroads
that are in politics always keep their
eyes on the courts. They don't forget
n and legislative depart
ments OF government-not much.-Ral-
eigh News n Observer.
The Morning Post yesterday. in fam
ing headlines sought to create public