The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-20
CURRENT COMMENT.

| Some of the larger and more infu-
| entail newspapers IF the country that
| were noted in lays gone by for thti'
| frankneSs and courage on all questions
Of public interest. are now as silent
| and non-cOmmittal on the startling dis
! closures made in the testimony con-
| corning the Shipyard Trust as if they
were mummies that had dried up a
thousand years ago. Is it a fact. az
alleged, that certain newspapers of
large circulation and influence were
bought up by the trust promoters in the
interest of their Enterprises? If so, is
the silence of the metropolitan press
attributable to that In
deX Appeal.
The dispatches indicate that the
status of affairs in the Far East is in
nowise improved. Indeed the status
seems to be pretty much the same as
in this country during the nerve-raCk-
ing period of preparation for the war
with Spain, before the actual deClara-
ton came. Just as then nothing short
of an occurrence beyond the bounds Of
the reasonably expected could have
prevented war, so in his case the pre-
~serVation Of peace will depend upon a
I lucky tur in affairsn not now to be
foreseen. A single shot is now al
that is needed to start the creates
struggle since the Franco-German
War.-Virginian-PilOt.
President Roosevelt has announced
his determination to call an extra ses-
ton of congress for November 9th, and
though the formal call has not been is
sued. it is generally understood that
that he will limit the deliberations OF
the national assembly to the reciprocal
| treaty with Cuba. This is not the first
attempt of President Roosevelt to put
into effect promises mode by our gov
eminent with our little neighbOr to
the southeast of us. He urged action
on the treaty with Cuba at the last
session of congress and his effort re-
suited in the passage Of 4 reciprocity
measure by the house of representa-
tiVes. The senate. however. refused to
accept the terms, and the treaty was
not ratified. The beet sugar and other
interests now enjoying 'protection' are
responsible for the failure Of the enact
ment.-Atlanta Journal,
SO there is to be a movement In con-
gress to shut out d river and harDor
appropriation bill at the coming saS-
sion, This bill is the pork barrel
from which so many constituents are
served by the congressman and 1t Will
be no easy matter to dispose of it.
That it is made the vehicle for all
sorts of improper and unnecessary eX-
AAN In gu ~ lO ia DSN
it also promotes some very important
works. The plan that has been adopt
ed of having various projects for river
and harbOr Improvement investment
investigated by a board of army engi-
neers and Of making appropriations
for none that have not t~heSapprOVAI
of such a board is very proper and
should be sufficient safeguard to the
, treasury if the congressman Gan be-
: held within the restrictions. 1t would
not be proper to reject worthy projects
because unworthy ones are put INTO
their company.-Charlotte News.
: 1t is impossible to make anything
. very defnite out of the repeated RI
mOrs about the movements of Russian
and Japanese troops in the critical dis
trict for whose control the"czar's gov
eminent is planning. The one naked
. fact that Russia has broken the wri'-
. ten pledge that she would evacudte
Manchuria by the Sth of the month is
serious enough to make war probable,
whatever may be the truth about the
: actual movements of armies and ships.
If Japan rests Quiet under the impE-
dent Russian defiance of treaty rights
and common decency then the Bear
apprOpriteS to his own uses all of
northern China, and a braZenly dis
! honorable stroke of state" goes into
history as successful. England is with
Japan in sympathy, and possibly III
more. but the holy horror which Eng
lish diplOm ats n papers may express
, with regard to Russian bad faith
hOuld not make the world forget that
England broke her promise to get out
of Egypt.-NOrfOlk Landmark.