The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-12-22
CLIPPINGS FROM OUR EXCHANGES.
CURRENT COMMENT.

The distinguished democratic
statesman" referred to in the senate
the other day, who said that the ad-
ministration's Panama policy made
him ashamed of the attitude" of the
ountry is generally supposed to have
been eX-SeCretary Olney. The VIII
mington Every Evening intimates,
however, that Judge George Gray was
the mar intended. If his were the
case, it would only how that Judge
Gray stands by his earlier views. AS
one of Mckinley's peace commission
ers at Paris, he strongly opposed the
of the Philippines, and in
particular was hostile to the notion
that the right of conquest" had any
place in our contention. Year be-
fore that, at the time when the sor-
did plot to Jump Hawaii was urged,
Senator Gray, as he then was, made
a manly speech in which he demand
+ ed that if we were ever to step from
the shores of this continent" it should
be done with head erect and above
even the suspicion of dishonor, in
trigue, or low DEALING" 1t is easy to
imagine what such a man would
think of the collusive revolution in
Panama.-Washington Post
There have been some lurid specu-
lations, forecasts, f~orebodings, and
what not, as to what the South Amer
lean States in general will say to our
conduct in Panama. Some have hast
lily assumed that there will be all but
universal distrust, ~reprObation ana
alienation. We have not been con-
vinced of the wisdom of such fears.
and we feel some qualification in find
ing our more optimistic views Of the
case justified. In another column Of
today's paper we quote briefly from
e 49, ~.~@ tS1rn n mn
influential papers Of South America,
the 'Prensa," of Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Instead of raging against the United
States for its wicked aggressions,"
they recognize that it has acted with
regularity and in accord with the de-
hands of logical necessity. We shall
expect to see similar sentiments ex-
pressed and cherished throughout the
South American continent. Our Latin
American neighbOrs know perfectly
we'll that the construction of the
isthmian canal will be greatly to their
benefit. They know that the United
States is the only power that can con-
struct that canal. They knOw that
the cantankerousness of Colombia and
the instability OF order on the 18TH
mus were the chief obstacles in the
way of that much needed work. They
know that now the way IS open for
the construction of the canal and for
the realization of all it's possibilities OF
good to them. TIC say that they will
not rejoice in such n consummatlon
would be to charge them with lack
of ordinary regard for their own vel
fare-New York Tribune.
The leader of the minority in the
lower branch Of congress is by reason
of mis- position the most conspicuous
L member of that body, after the speak
NJ nc ~
5 Mississippi, has begun his arduOu!
5 duties in a tanner that has already
i won for him the cordial support %
! his party associates the respect of hi:
? opponents and kind words from al
J, most the entire press of the country
Mr.. Williams is 40 ear old and =
native of Memphis, Tenn His fathel
was a distinguished Confederate Off
Ger, was killed at the battle o
Shiloh. His family saved something
from the general wreck which fol
lowed the war and young William:
: was given a careful education at the
= Kentucky Military institute, the Uni
versity of Virginia and finally tn
: University of Heidelberg in Germany
- He was admitted to the bar and be
gan the practice of law in Memphis
but soon afterward, remove to 1aZot
City. Miss, where he has since lived
following, as he himself put it, il
the congressional directory, "th'
: varied pursuits of a lawyer and cottor
s planter" He never held public offic'
until elected to congress nearly tel
5 years ago. Mr.. Williams is of slende'
build with a very clear. piercing eye
carefully thinks out n he is COINS
to say and speaks with deliberatfon
: In running debate, however. he 1
quick at repartee and never loses nj
head. His reading has been wide anC
j No &c n 1inr1Iict of no moan 2hiitN
1 His temper is excellent and his man
ner. while never approaching Vulga
intimacy, is always suaVe and polite
His democracy is of the sound OLE
, fashioned kind. and he has never zee.
; led astray by the vagaries OF popul
ism. On the whole. Mr.. Williams i
in every way fitted for the Leadership
10 which he has been called. and vii
be. if he lives. one of the really val
!, liable men to his party and his coun
= try.-Atianta Journal.
: Senator Hanna has asked thai Gen
v eral Wood be summoned from tn
q Philippines to answer the charge
e mat nave been made against him be
fore the senate committee on militar
affairs which is considering Presider
Roosevelt's nomination of him to b
a major general in the regular army
In view of the accumulation of test
? mony as to the generals assOciatio
a with the convict Bellairs and his dis
regard Of his superior S orders whit
in command Of Santiago province an
his many alleged derelictions Will
J. governor general of Cuba it wOIl
. seem that Senator Hanna is i0in
We General Wood a friendly act in ash
k ing for his return to answer the az
2. cusations in person. But when h
e comes 10 Washington he ought NJ
TO to be put up at the White house /
= his friend Roosevelt. Charlesto
8 Post