The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-03
STATE PRESS.

we mote from several industrial jour
nails that North Carolina keeps we'll to
the front among the southern states
which are constantly building manu-
featuring industries. And this in spite
of the black ignorance attributed to
us by the southern education board
Greenville Reflector.
If the penitentiary authorities would
give the alarm sooner, they would
stand a better chance Of getting escap-
ed convicts back. But the plan seems
to be to wait until the fugitives have
had an opportunity to get several hun
dred miles away and then give the
alarnl-Greensboro Telegram.
We do not much blame the state pris-
on authorities for keeping from the
public for three days the news of the
escape of three negro %convicts last Fri
day night. 1t is something to be
ashamed of to let men nearly dead
with consumption get away with APP
parent ease.--Winston Sentinel.
That the republican leaders are
frightened tCf the point of desperation,
in the elections that take place next
month, is plain enough or President
Roosevelt would not have authorized
the speakingt members of his cabinet
to take the stump for Hanna in Ohio
and to bOlstee up the rotten Lodge ma
chine in Massachusetts, and to aid the
disreputable crew in Kentucky that call
themselves the republican party in that
state.-Durham Sun.
1t takes a good man to live in the
blaze of publicity as long as William
j. Bryan has done and not suffer the
smallest stain upon his character. Just
now Mr.. Bryan is engaged in a law
suit with a widow of a man who left
Bryan fifty thousand dollars. Mr..
Bryan is defending his suit, but he
stopped the tongue of calamity 1T the
outset by saying that he would not
allow one cent of the money to be
used by his family, but was simply de-
SirOus of maintaining his right 30 1t,
that he might donate it to educational
or charitable objects. Some of the
papers have made some fun of his
fondness for free silver in this con-
nection, but no m can help admiring
the sterling honesty of the nan. The
News is among the great majority OF
democratic papers that believes n a
the democracy must turn elsewhere
for it's presidential candidate next
year. But it gladly paws this tribute
to Bryan'S character.-Charlotte News.
Courts are sometimes criticised for
suspending judgment in so many cases,
but what's to be done? Yesterday the
uESI Cast IIleu ny JudSS iiAu u =
in the superior court was against five
| young boys for disturbing u religious
meeting. They were convicted with
ease. but the prosecuting witnesses, the
church people. begged that nothing be
done with them and judgment was sus-
| pended. The ends of justice were no
doubt subserved. yet there was perhaps
criticism. The next case up was
against and old nan claiming to have
been a soldier blown I'D in the crater
around Petersburg. His claim was in
veStigated and thought to be correct.
His right arm was pals1ed and he was
in a deplorable condition but he was
! convicted of stealing a COW. That pal
sled arm p~aralyzed the judge and he
did not know what to do until the old
fellow said he could prove an aibl by
three witnesses. Then he was told to
| produce them before the end OF the
term and the case was kept open. But
! suppose he does not make his claim OF
an alibi good, what can be done with
him? He is too old and disabled to
work, though he manages to scurry
| around and keep out of the almshouse,
| even if he does have to steal a cow
Greensboro Record.