The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-18
CURRENT COMMENT.

Congress does not spend money ex-
actly like a sailor; because
h drunken sailor spends his own
money. and stops whe he has finished
it--Detroit Free Press
General Butler publishes In self-de-
Tense a corrected text OF his dispatch
advising the surrender of Ladysmith.
II is more discreditable TO him thar the
uncorrected text Crying out that he
is being slaughtered, he commits sui
cide.-NorfoIk Landmark.
Now it turns out that the canal bill
that passed ongres is obscure. il not
inconsistent, in Its declarations as to
the control OF the territory through
which the canal is to be cut. This Will
probably mean another delay. There
are other ways OF killing a bill besides
voting il down Jacksonville Times
Union.
There was nother thrilling incident
Saturday in the South Carolina cam
paign, ending as all the thrilling Incl
dents of South Carolina campaigns do.
After the application OF a certain
amount of language to each other, two
candidates rushed wildly at each other
but-as is always the case, something
happened to prevent a scrap. It's a
pity, but something always happens.
Charlotte Observer.
Il regret" said the president in his
Pittsburg address, that a measure of
reciprocity with Cuba is not already
embodied in a statute or in a treaty,
but 1t VIII be, just as sure as fate"
When? After Cuba has been ruined
for the Lack of il. and after the presi-
dent gets his consent TO putting through
such a measure even if it cannot be
done with republican votes in congress
axolnc iN-alU = Corrriar IarrnoI
Mr.. Platt has assured the president
Of the support of his state for the nom-
ination in 1904, and Mr.. Quay has as
sured him of the supper of his state;
whereupon the former boss remarks
hat when New York and Pennsylva-
mia pull together IN a national repub-
lican convention, they generally get
what they want. Mr.. Roosevelt is no
more now han when governor of New
York, carrying his independence to
the point of antagonizing the worst of
of the party bosses.-Springfeld Re-
pulican.
Miss Ethel Roosevelt slipped from
the back of her horse; Master Archi-
bald got off of his horse and frightened
the saddle girth; Master Kermit stub
bed his toe and fell down; Teddy, Jr.,
stuck a splinter in his finger while
climbing a fence. Such seems to be
the character of the news that is
destined to come from oyster Bay du-
ring the summer vacation of the presi-
dent. Luckily for the news gatherers,
the family of Roosevelt is a rather
large one, and as the crildren are quite
lively one always doing thiSs, there
will be no dearth of items to be re-
ported to a waiting world.-Savannah
News.
Mr.. Bryan is again after Mr.. Hill. He
complains hat Mr.. Hill did not sup
port the ticket in 1896, and as Mr. Bry-
an was the ticket" in that year, he
cannot find it in his heart to forgive
any laggard. He further complains
that lat the Tilden Club banquet he
eulogized Mr.. Cleveland after The lat
ter had made his impudent and inSo-
lent speech calling upon the democrat
ic party to repent" But how can Mr..
Bryan complain Of that? Has he not
insisted that all democrats who oppos-
ed him in 1896 must both repent and
recant before being ''taken back?'' Mr..
Bryan was the first to mention the
terms which now seems so distaseful
to him-Richmond Times.
Hon Henry Watterson also lights up
on tha recent little tribute that The
! Constitution paid to the type of life
in this country which we called South
iernism" and proceeds to ava it after
this style: "Sillibub, The Southern
ISM that is here boasted never did ex-
list, except in wardY rhetoric or idle
vainglGrY, and certainly it is not the
southernism worthy Of being upheld by
III prass of today. The southernism
that counts is not concerned about diff
Terminating itself as southernism, but
is proceeding just as If it did not know
the difference between Southernism and.
Constitution,
: Patriotism, said DR.. Johnson, is the
last refuge Of the seoundrel. Driven.
and baffitsd at every uoint, the eaders
of loot who have renlldiated the con-
,%stitution and the Declaration of indie
pendence seek to shield themselves be-
hind the army and iafend their CON-
duct in, the name of the flag. They
would have the country believe that
the democratic partY has attempted
to impeach the honor at the army, and
they desire to go before the people as
vindicatnrs and defenders of the army
and the flag against the assault of
the democratic partH%. This attempt
TO fighu from behind the protecting
shelter Of the American army is cow
ardly QOiticS, and the Swathing Of. the.
r~ottenuess and r~ascality of the repub-
lican marty in the flag of the country
and inviting the the attacks of the de-
mocra2y is a piece Of assumes valoE'
and TuIck heroics IF SO groteS1Ie. a
naturn as to excite only the disgust Of
sensitdf men.-Memg his Morning News
The Barn Did Not Dodge.
Thu drst job 1 suG at my ~proiessign
&1- ~o---