The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-23

Mckinley is supposed to have begun
his plan to change things in the south
Sambo is to be ignored. and the repub-
lican party is to be built up To hi
end he appoints the son OF an Episco-
pal bishop, and the grand son OF a
Methodist bishop in South Carolina as
a missionary to the benighted and sup
posed dissatisfied whites in that good
state. The way to break I'D the demo-
cratic party, it is supposed. is to give
office to the fellows in that party who
are ready and hungry and disgruntled
and of loose political morals, ready
for a change and never at heart genu-
inc democrats. The new appointee,
Capers, bolted. would not support Bry-
an, and is no doubt at bottom much
more of a republican han he ever was
a democrat He perhaps goes the whole
republican hog. tail. bristles and all.
1t is true he did not have far to go at
his departure. n Mckinley knew his
man. The selection of such democratic
specimens for reward will not break up
the grand old party beyond attracting
fellows of easy political virtue and of
the Capers kidney to the most vicious
besotted. remorseless. oppressive party
that ever disgraced civilization and
cursed a republic. The Washington
correspondent of the Atlanta Consti-
tuition oil the 18th instant wrote at
length of this new movement to disin-
tegrate and divide the democracy,
which creates no little of sensation in
South Carolina and even stirs the old
republicans themselves. for if much re-
cruiting comes from the democrats the
chaI.ces for loaves and fishes for them
selves inevitably diminish. Hence the
protestation and disturbed sleep.
But let the correspondent be heard:
a at present constituted. the repub-
lican organization in the south is COM
posed largely of negroes and carpet
baggerS, and. except when a national
convention is at hand. but little inter-
est or pride is taken in the southern
contingent by the republican bosses
at the north. During the campaigns
of 1896 and 1900. a number of prominent
gold democrats in the south refused to
support Mr.. Bryan and gradually drift
ed away from their old line democratic
mornings. Added to this element it is
cAAA lIICIc ID d NoulSSL SSIcI dllOll
with new ideas n new ambitions in
politics, who ave to a certain extent
acted or become Indirectly associated
with the republican administration. Mr..
CaperS claims to be a representative of
the latter class of southern democrats"
AS to who he is and what he is and
what ne stands for. the following is in
forming:
For some time past he has been in
frequent conference with Senator
Pritchard, of North Carolina; Senator
McLaurin, of South Carolina and other
we'll known southern men who profess
to be Interested in the formation of a
white mans republican party. One of
the most active and influential support
ers Of Mr.. Capers is Senator McLaurin,
who recently declined to cooperate
with his former democratic associates
in the senate"
Capers may do important missionary
work, but what will the negroes in
Tillman, a real democrat. will fight
Capers in the senate and so will the
South Carolina delegation in the house,
it is believed. We do not believe that
enough democratic detection in South
Carolina can possibly occur to endanger
white supremacy. The people of that
state have sense and memories. The
recent confessions of Ex-Governor
Chamberlain are enough to teach them
tina a return to bad white rule aid
ed by plant negro voters will be sure
to bring upon them.