The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-14
CURRENT COM MENT.

Mr.. Bryan's politics is sentimental,
not practical; it is the politics of a re-
ligious enthusiast, and not of a man
who can see clearly and guide wisely
in a business concerning the welfare Of
a great, busy, progressive and deter
mined peOple.-Mobile Register.
The political ~depravity of Philadel-
phia extends now to the point where
| public school teachers have to con-
tribute 20 party funds in order to Sc
cure or retain their positions. One Of
| the teachers, q man with a family, ad-
mits that his surrender to the Spoilmen
| is not heroic, but pleads that it is bread
| and butter.-Springfield Republican.
The newest Iowa idea is that govern
ment ownership of railroads would
| provide an ample amount of bonds for
an adequate volume of currency. SO it
| would, ever if the government should
annihilate all the stock and ruin the
holders, and pay only the amount of
| the railroad bonds. AS that amount
is about Sc 900, 00O, 900, it ought to sup
ply a basis for enough currency to
| meet the wants Of the most Wild-eyed
| populist for q while, at any rate.-Chi-
| cago Chronicle.
The very large number of desertions
from u navy has provoked some very
adverse criticism from foreigners and
not a few comments upon what they
regard al as unhealthy development.
Those who indulge in ak of this sort
seem to lose sight of the fact that all
adjustments for military service on land
or sea are voluntary. In most of the
countries of Europe a cOnScript system
is in vogue, and the penalties for de-
SertiOn are much more severe. There
is probably need for harsher punish
ment for desertion from our navy in
time of peace. To impose this and to
make desertion a conspicuous mark of
dishonor would probably go far toward
curing the evil that is SO justly COM
planned Of.-Atlanta Journal.
a dispatch from Columbia, S. c.,
contains the statement that the presi-
dent is anxious that DR.. Crum shall
resign the position of collector of
Charleston, not because he is disturb
ed by southern sentiment in regard to
the matter, but because of the OppOsi-
ton to the Crum appointment that has
developed among his friends at the
north. In other words, the apprehen-
sion of the loss of influence among GER
tain white people in the north is more
effective with him than the wishes Of
the southern people. But what is to
become of DR.. Crum? The dispatch
states that he is to be given the place
of minister to a little republic where
he will be acceptable. TIL office that
will be offered him will compensate
him much better thar the collectOrship
of Charleston, which, it is said, do not
pay more thar $1,000 last year.-Savan-
nah News.
We presume the following editorial
from the Saluda Standard was called
forth by an invitation to country girls
to work in the Charleston cigar factory.
Several hundred country girls are
wanted to move into hades-a large
wicked city-and learn to make cigars.
That may do for Cubans and negroes
and Spanish, but not for u girls. No,
girls. God made you for no such bust
ness as that. Satan holds high ar
nival in every place like that. Stay in
the country. Use Gods pure air and
sunshine. Avoid plaster and paint and
cosmetics and deceit; be your own
sweet selves, keep in your places-and
it will be some day that one of Gods
noblemen will invite each of you to
preside in q home of peace and hap
piness." Poo old Charleston! She has
been accused of many things and has
doubtless sinned more than we can be4r
but this is the first time she has been
charged with being Il wicked city.
True. we have heard something about q
hell on ChiccO street. but V that
the Staid. respectable ancient city was
'haGes'' or hat the inhabitants thereof
had a corner on the plaster, paint and
cosmetic market. Seriously, the Sa-
luda paper insults the thousands Of
working girls in South Carolina cities;
the thousands of young women who
support themselves and help to keep
the pot boiling in many a home by
hard. honest work: the working women
of our towns where the percentage OF
virtue is as high as that of their sis
ters anywhere. in any class. Gods
pure air and sunshine taken III mod
GRAFTON, are excellent for the health, but
they are not solvent remedies for i'm
morality, unless the visitors to the Arc
tic regions and to equatorial Africa
nave grossly deceived the public.-Co-
lumbia State