The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-17
THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.

Three weeks from today will be
fought the great biennial political battle
in every state in the union. Much de-
Ponds upon the results of this contest;
for it will not only decide which party
shall have control of the administration
of affairs in many of the states and of
the lower house of the national con-
gress, but it will in a large cas-
forecast the next presidential election,
which occurs two years hence. The
chief issues of the campaign have been
trusts" and the tariff. If the demo-
Gratis should win a decisive victory in
this election on these two issues their
chances for electing their presidential
candidate in 1904 would be greatly
strengthened. In fact, which ever par
ty wins this fight will be almost sure
to be victorious in the other. Hardly
ever before has so much depended upon
the results of an election in an off year.
While trusts" and tariff have been
the chief issues in this campaign there
have been several important side issues,
such as imperialism n the foreign
policy of the republican party as devel-
Olcu ny IN wal Will Spain anu lHc
acquisition by our government of terri
tory in the far east.
a democratic victory would mean not
only a condemnation of the present pro-
tective tariff system of the government
and the consequent fostering of trusts,
but also declaration by the people
against the foreign policy of the Nc
Kinley and Roosevelt administrations.
If the republicans are successful in Sc
curing a majority in the next house of
representatives we can look for no mod
ification of the present high tariff dur
ing the Fifty-eighth congress-; for no
matter how urgently the people may
demand a reform in this respect the
leaders of that party will declare that
the results of that election were an en-
dorsement of the high tariff principles
of the party. On the other hand. A
democratic victory in the congressional
election this fall would probably bring
about a revision of the tariff before the
Fourth of next March( at which time
the term of the present congress eX-
pires. Such course would be wise poll
tics On the part of the republicans, 20
prevent a repetition in the elections of
1904 of the democratic victory of 1902.
If the democrats carry the elections this
fall on the tariff issue and the repub-
leans fail to grant the people the relief
demanded at the polls it will be natural
to expect a more pronounced declaration
against the party's high tariff system
at the subsequent election, at which a
second democratic victory would place
the executive and one if not both
branches Of the legislative department
In the hands of the advocates Of tariff
reform.
The republicans declare that.a revision
of the tariff must be made by lis
friends. That being so. a democratic
victory this fall, with the prospects OF
a still greater one two years hence,
would force the republicans to make
that revision While the friends of hi"h
tariff had all the means of so doing in
their hands.
Thus we see there is d two fold i'm
portance in democratic success at the
approaching election. With this state
of affairs before us it behooves the
democrats to make every exertion %
carry this election. We must strive
above all things to elect our candidates
to congress and our legislative candi-
dates. A democratic legislature in this
state means a decrease by two votes OF
the republican majority in the senate.
North Carolina now has seven demo-
cratic congressman out of her nine rep
resentatives. In the next congress we
will have ten members. The question
is: How many of them shall be demo-
Gratis? Why not all? There is no rea
son it should not be so. if We will only
80 to work in the right way TO secuT'
that result. To do this we have got a
work and to work hard. 1t is not a
walkover for US. We must make n
strong pull and a pull all together. We
must throw aside personal animosities
and private in%clinations and spend the
next three weeks working with an y
: single to the best interests of the par