The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-26
.Jhe Wrssengrr.
tered at the Postoffce at Whining
ton. ". c.. AZ Second-Class
Matter, April 13. 1879.


Wilmington with her Co liquor
saloons continues to be the constant
scene of daily murder, burglary or pis-
toll riots. Her people and daily news
papers are begging for blood hounds
to stop such rapid increase of so much
horrible crime. while her aldermen con-
tinue to license her saloons at only
- half Of the licalse tax offered recently
~ a combination of her liquor dealers.
No doubt her liquor dealers see the
Necessity of more tax to thoroughly
police the city and abatc SO much
crime, but her aldermen and other
citizens evidently desire more liquor
AID cheaper liquor" More liquor
and better liquor" is often heard but
Wilmington seems to prefer more
liquor and cheaper Chghting) liquor"
As Wilmington is our largest city
aad the largest sea-gate way into
G.and old state l. is much to be regret
ted by the good people of the state
that strangers and foreigners will get
such a wrong first impression of our
state by their observations in this
town, and first impressions are hard to
overcome. Wilmington should be
ashamed of herself and do better by
the people of eastern North Carolina.
Il is a sad day for any city when it
has three saloons for every thousand
people and wants more saloons.-DupIin
Journal"
What is the natter with the editor
OF Inc Duplin Journal? What grievance
has he against the city of Wilmington?
Her people AVE done nothing to Of
tend him that we have been able to
discover. We 90 not see why he
should go out u his way to publish
such an article as the above. calculated
to infuTe the ci.y and lower her citi-
zens in the estimation of those who are
strangers to them His slurs at the al
dermen and good people of this city are
~uncalled for, entirely unjustified and
not borne out by the facts. 1t is not
true that her aldermen and citizens
wa1-- more liquor and cheaper eight
ing liquor" The good" people of the
stat. whom we suppose the editor of
the Duplin Journal thinks he repre-
SCENTS. need not worry themselves
through too mucn worry of mind and
anguish of soul over the debauchery,
lawlessness n immortality of the Will
miugtOn people M this editor would
have them believe exists in our city.
We ale not afraid of having our
characters injured by this editors
abuse and viliicatfon, for we are well
aware that those people of the state
who know any thing about the people
of Wilmington know them to be as
~law-abiding, refined and Christian-like
as any citizens o. the state. not except
ing those of his acquaintance whom
the editor of the Duplin Journal con-
siders sufficiently moral and refined to
be his associates and companions. The
Duplin Journals editor need not worry
himself about strangers and foreign
ers" getting a bad impression of him
and the other more holy than thou
citizens of the state by paying a visit
10 our city. We think we car hold
our OWL in a competitive examination
for morality and good conduct with
any town in the state, not excepting
hat which can boast of claiming the
,editor OF the Journa as a citizen.
What our record is we know and we
stand by it. We are proud of our city,
OF her people, Of her rapid growth and
industrial development and of the es-
timation in which she is held by the
intelligent people of the state.