The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-18
CLEANING AND COMMENT.

The House Committee on Banking
and Currency have agreed to a bill
known as the Fowler Bill" tina aims
to max a radical departure from what
prevails in banking circles. 1t is to
change the system that now works.
Some of the more careful papers en-
dorse it. 1t is TO reform the currency,
but we are not Informed as to it's scope
and plan. 1t is to aim at helping the
general commercial and industrial
prosperity-to supplement in some way
the present gold standard plan. 1t is
to change, but how we do not now
know, the branch banking scheme.
!. !. -
We are surprised to see such a pro-
nounced gold northern paper as h
New York Evening Post writing ap-
preciatively of the late ex-Gov. Ale
geld. of Illinois. who died a few days
ago quite suddenly. being taken sick
while speaking for the Beers in a pub
lie meeting. He vas a man of resO-
lutte purpose, able, staunch. brave and
did some times what only a very self
contained. dDle anu man
would do. The Evening Post SAYS.
"He believed that manv %eatur nf
u political system are entirely wrong
and he never hesitated to Express his
convictions in the most emphatic
terms. He came into nationl promi-
nence through his pardon of the Chi
cage anarchists, not long after his
election as governor in 1892. and he i'm
CURED by this act a degree of popu-
lar odium at tho time which does not
appear to be justified by a deliberate
consideration of his strong defence af-
ter the passions of that period nave
subsidized. One excellent feature of his
administration was his refusal to turn
over the state institution to the spoils-
men, his record in this respect COM
pairing most ~favorably with that OF his
republican successor"
= = i
Great Britain has so expanded and
is so aggressive it is forced to have
a very great and costly navy-one at
least stronger than the two greatest
powers have. 1t costs to build and
keep ready it's gigantic naval power,
The parliament votes S156. 275. 600 for
naval expenditures for 10000. which
is only 1000. 900 more than the pres
emit enormous expenditure. Bv the 1st
Of April thirteen battleships will be in
course of building. The Germans are
going it in a costly way, but with
more moderation. Between 1900 and
1905 they will build ten battleships.
The Chicago Record-Herald says:
ION April 1st next Great Britain viii
have twenty-five armored cruisers I'M
der construction and a considerable
number of smaller craft By APRIL /,
1903. seven of the cruisers n five bat
tleships will have been completed. and
though the percentage of increase of
other navies may be greater, the Brit
ish vessels keep far in the lead in
number, tonnage and fighting power"
= = +
1t is certain that in Cuba among the
people generally there is great suffer-
ing and complaint. In but little are
they better of now than when the
Spaniards had rule. The Havana Post,
edited by an American. we take ii. OF
a late date said this:
TT Is really disheartening to o
over the columns OF the provincial pa
pers. The cry for economic relief is
continued and the tone seems to indi-
cate little less than despair. The re-
lief will always be better late than
never. when 1t comes, but relief can
never come too early