The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-19
CLEANING AND

The game of the Hanna crowd is not
to cut down the excessive tariff rates,
or any of them, but to reduce the large
surplus increasing all the time, by re-
ducing the internal revenue tax. Why
wish to continue the heavy tax upon
the positive essentials n necessaries
of life while relieving people who place
upon themselves voluntary tax for self
indulgence and useless luxuries of a
part of the burden? The Philadelphia
Ledger is still conservative and in
formed enough to see the meaning of
Hanna's game. We quote from a late
editorial by it: Senator Hanna and
his associates, the greatest beneficiar-
les of the Dingley tariff, which heavily
taxes the necessaries of life, is the
breeder of a host of oppressive trusts
and monopolies, and is a menace to
commercial peace, favor the reduction
of the treasury surplus by diminishing
the internal revenue taxes on perni-
ciouS luXurieS."
:. :. =
General James II. Wilson is a strong
protectionist living in little Delaware.
In a recent speech before a New Eng
land Free Trade League, he actually
espoused free trade for the United
States, but limited to our sphere of
influence" He wants union between
the United States and Canada and
Cuba. He said he was a protectionist,
but he describes himself as IAN Amer
lean before I am a republican, and a
terests." In time he would extend this
sphere to the South American re-
publics-or, if that is not practicable,
he would seek a 'basis of commercial
relations with them broader and more
philosophical than hat of reciprocity"
Of a widening tariff view even among
cantankerous protectionists. The Bal
timore Sun discusses this idea of
sphere of influence" among 9TH
er quotable thir gs says:
1T presents the views of a republic
a heretofore an advocate of protec-
ton of American products against all
competitors. If free trade is granted
to Cuba and Canada, as he proposes,
it will inevitably be found hat our
sphere of interests needs further en-
largement. If American industries
continue to develop as rapidly and sub
stantially in the future as they have
in the past twenty-five years our
sphere of interests" will include every
nation in the world"
:. - -
DR.. Curry misrepresents public opin-
ion in the south if he is correctly re-
ported as assuring President Roosevelt
that all the adverse criticism in the
south Of the Booker Washington Incl
dent was politics: simply this and moth
ing more. Furthermore, it is said that
DR.. Curry insisted that the hue and
cry raised against the president for
winning and dining Booker Washington
was a kind of dying gasp of a now al
most obsolete political dynasty Moth
ing is really further from The truth.
There is not probably in all southland
a surviving confederate or a descend
of n who does not heartily con-
denim the presidents course. They
may pity and forgive the president, but
NH&s uCSpiSS lis ways anu preferences
n tastes. DR.. Curry should be care
not to misrepresent his people or
seek to curry" favor in tina way.
Roosevelt will never be held generally
in the south in the same kind way as
he was before that detestable and de-
plorable incident In the last WASH
ington Post there is given the opinion
Of MI. j. H. Black, of Mobile. He prob
ably reflects public sentiment among
real white folks in his section. We
copy merely to show how the view of
Roosevelt is neither political nor linn
tied to a few, but ramifies all the
south. Mr.. Black said:
Il am a southerner, but I do not hold
it against the president because he
wants to dine with a colored man
that's his business. The point I make.
however, is that it was an unwise and
unnecessary thing to do, in view OF the
fact that it was sure to arouse the in
dignation of half the nation. 7
feel very strongly on this question be-
cause / know it has caused the south
to dislike Mr.. Roosevelt so intensely
that il will never recover"
DR.. Curry may tickle the president
but not at the expense of the true
white people of the south. There will
be a million protests.