The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-22
LEANING AND

One Of the illustrations OF far-away
government is the sending OF a battle
ship and a naval court of inquiry to Sa-
moa to investigate a Captain B. T. TIL
ley. From San Francisco the distance
Is 5000 miles, perhaps, or more. Tilley
is Gus OF drunkenness and he is 20
ernor of Tutuila- To ascertain as to his
conduct it will cost the American peo-
pie s150.000. This is a nice affair. Why
not recall the fellow and investigate at
home. To prove or disprove that a cap
tain is drunken in habits, a great ship
OF war with a court aboard must steam
10000 miles, and costing $50. 900 for the
fun, and this is all right in the opinion
Of some northern newspapers. The Bal
timore Sun very properly scores the dis
graceful business.
= - !.
A book has appeared in England the
product Of various writer's. 1t is politi-
cal. and is called Tine Heart of the
Empire" One Of the writers is G. P.
Gooch, N. A. He gives a very clear sum
mary Of recent world movements, and
his accoun OF the particular operations
in South Africa is said to be especially
enlightening. He tells not only of the
war itself but OF the a~ntecedent causes.
The extract we give should interest
Americans as we'll as Englishmen. 1t
touches pon our own past record, and
shows how certain latter-day politicians
editors. jurists and reviewers, have
changed so far as they can the princi-
pies Of our forefathers. He writes:
1.-The descendants of the men who
fought and died for the right 20 live
their own national life under their own
nag" Mr.. Gooch observes, now explain
that when the authors Of the Declara-
ton Of Independence declared govern
ment to derive it's authority from the
consent of the governed, they only
meant the probable consent Of the gov
erned at some future time Quoting
Professor Giddings on DemCcracy and
Empire'), the governors themselves be-
ing judges of the probability. And the
politics are worthy Of the logic. The
Philippine war goes far to cancel the
debt of liberty that the world owes TO
the United States.
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The wheat crop for 1901, OF this coun-
try. Is reported by the American agr1-
c%ulturalist to be worth $50, 900. 900 more
than the crop for 1900 fetched. The corn
crop is short but the price is so ad-
vanced that the receipts in money will
equal the crop of last year.
Potatoes are so high that the short
crop will probably return more money
to the farmer than ever before. Live
stock represents a value of nearly $780,
600. 900 over last year. Apples and other
fruits are extraordinarily high. The
farm products of the United States this
Year are doubtless worth $500, 000,O 900
more than last years outturn. The ce-
reals (wheat, corn. oats. rye and bar
ley raised in the United States during |
the past five years represent a value
to the farmer Of $3.50. 100000, or an in
crease of nearly 81, oOU, 900, 900 over the
preceding five years. Cotton growers
have netted $500, 900, Oco more for the
past five crops (1901 CROP estimated)
than for the previous five. The class
who suffer from the advanced prices is
g. very large ore. It is paying from 20
to 50 per cent higher for the sustenance
than it cost two or three years ago.
some are greatly DleSSeu ny tie nigh
| prices, but the toiler5 and bread win
ners have less to eat for they have less
for their money. Some farmers are
much injured this year, and North Car
DINA is one of the worst sufferers.
\ = \
The Chattanooga Tradesman of the
18th of November. reviewing the bust
ness conditions, states that there is IAN
advance in the general cost of living
equal to Z per cent. on November, 1900,
and 40 per cent. on November 1897. That
is to say the average prices Of staples
are higher by that much, han they
were last year, and nearly double the
quotations four years ago." The rail-
roads have been greatly crowded, and
beyond their ability TO carry, and yet
the October reports show larger earn
ings than for the preceding October by
81 per cent, and some q per cent over
that month in 1899. 1t says, but we
doubt it's correctness, that the cotton
mills are again in fair shape n that
"all of the chief industries are expe-
riencing a mild, conservative BOOM" Is
that true as to cotton? How does the
price now compare with a year ago?
And hen see the great falling off in
production in North Carolina-nearly or
Quite>one-half.