The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-08
COMMENT.

Certainly" says an esteemed con.
temporary. W have { admit that al
Iof this u~nexampled prosperity has
come to the country under the opera.
lton OF the Dingley law" II is true
but It is TO be remembered that Lynch
Law has been unusually active and pre-
valent in the same period. Why give
all the credit TO the n factor and none
to h other.-News and Courier.
In the course Of his testimony before
the senate committee, Admiral Dewey,
said to Mr.. Patterson, populit-demo-
crat, OF Colorado: II think you are
making altogether too much Of Aguin-
aldo" This Is true not only of Sena-
tor Patterson, but Of a good many 9TH
er so-called democrats in and out of
congress. II the democratic party
even the democratic party Of Messrs.
Bryan, Patterson, ard others-were
In power today, Aguinaldo would be
treated with as courtesy as was
lshown to Billy Bowlegs in the ever
lglades of Florida many years ago.. The
attempt to make a George Washington
out OF this contemplate little plumber
er and assassin has been a dismal fail
ure, and men Of sense ought to be
ASHAMED of the part that they have
played in it.-Chicago Chronicle.
a review of the session of congress
might we'll begin with the characterize
ton which Junius made Of the Duke Of
Grafton. Like him, it did not rise to
the dignity of being hated" Its sins
were despicable rather than desperate
ly wicked and alarming. It is hard to
be angry with a body sc feebly led as
the present house, for example. And
the sentiment which the senate excites
in an observant mind is not wrathful
so much as it is sorrowful. Uncertain
Ity, timidity, and ineffectiveness are, in
truth, the words which one feels like
using to describe both the personality
and the work of the past session of
congress. To be entirely charitable,
we will borrow Disraeli's phrase, and
say that it's movemen have been
those of "a man distracted by good in
tentions and difficult circumstances
New York Post.
In the closing debate of the session,
on Senator Elkin's resolution to annex
Cuba, Senator Hanna warned the re-
publican party of the effect Of it's fail
ure to keep its pledges. Referring first
to President McKinley's promises to
the Cuban commissioners, he then
said: Il do not think this question has
been decided, or can be put aside. I
leave out entirely the talk that we W
nothing to Cuba. That has nothing to
do with it. We certainly do owe some
thing to ourselves in thi matter. I
want to see this country and congress
keep faith and stand squarely on the
plane which has placed us under moral
obligations to Cuba. Soon an oppor-
tunity will be offered to show whether
the policy OF Mckinley and Roosevelt
is TO be upheld in this country. My
opinion is that we shall near from the
people in unmistakable terms.
If Speaker David B. Henderson is
convinced of anything it is that there
is something of an excavation where
the water and earth meet out in the
briny depths. Washington press dis
patches have announced that among
the farewell songs on Tuesday was the
speakers favorite. There is a Hole in
the Bottom of the Sea" Unlike some
verse, this song doeS not make an as
'sertion and then go into an exhaustive
effort to prove it, nor doe it develop a
physiological act in graceful rhyme. 1t
simply says there is a hole in the bot
tom of h sea and goes ahead repeat
ing it indefinitely. Any person who
doubts it's truth is perfectly at liberty
to investigate. That hole is there just
as sure as there ever has been a rule
to run legislation in the h~ouse.-Ralti-|
more SUM-.
A rental of $526, 900 is to be paid toI
the municipality of New York duringl
the first twenty-five years of it's oper-I
.ations by the New York and New Jer-l
.sey Railroad Company for terminal
and other privileges in connection with
its projected tunnel under the Hudson
river. Coming to pass so soon after
the conclusion of a similar agreement
between hat city and the Pennsyl-
Railroad Company, the incident is sug-|
.gestive of the value Of municipal fran
'chises which are not even exclusive or
perpetual. And yet monopolies in per-
|petuity of transit privileges under, up
n over the streets of the cities of
Pennsylvania were granted by the
state legislature to political favorItesI
for nothing. and the mayor and coun-
ellis confirmed the grant so far as Phil
.adelphia is concerned, even refusing a
large cash offer for the same.-Phila-
Record.