The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-03
CURRENT COMMENT.

OF the Old saying, the pen Is HllSNC4ST
thar the sword" As a matter of fact,
sometimes one is and sometimes the
other. 1t depends Oh the man using it.
1t may be said for the sword, however,
that it generally achieves quicker re-
s~ults.-Florida Times-Union.
At a mass meeting Of negroes in Chi
cago, TO denounce the Belleville lynch
ing, it was decided that the negro in
Illinois should arm herself. Strange
that at these negro Indignation meet
ings. it never occurs to the orators and
agitatOrS TO propose resolutions warn
ing members of their race against as
saulting women and numbering white
people in cold loo BY all means let
the Illinois negro arm himself; the
| quicker the violent element makes the
issue with law and order the quicker
we'll be rid of the mob and violence
| Chattanooga Times.
Mr.. Bryan was in indianapolis when
| the Iowa democrats met in convention
and refused to reaffirm the Kansas
| City platform. Those who talked with
him say that in the next issue of his
| paper he Will be severe in dealing with
| them. No doubt he was greatly disap-
pointed. He confidently expected they
| would follow the advice he gave them
in his paper a few days before their
| convention met. It will be recalled
that in their convention in 1901 practi-
| cally the same question came up-the
| question az to whether or not they
| should reaffim the Kansas City platform
and it was decided in the affirmative
by as big a majority as it was decided
in the negative this year. What trou-
bles Mr.. Bryan is, doubtless, the prob
| ability hat the democrats of other
western states, in their state conven-
tions. will follow the lead of Iowa. If
the Iowa democrats had followed has
lead he would have felt practically GER
tain of having the support of the demo-
| Gratis of most of the other western
| state.-Savannah News.
Postmaster General Payne's inepti-
tude rather overlaps itself in the case
| of his private secretary, Mr.. Rand.
| While this person is himself under
| charges and is being investigated by
Mr.. Bristow, he is at the same time
employed in conducting an investiga-
ton into some other mans Irregularities
in office. Thus the investigated doth
investigate, and the spectacle is really
| too droll for 4 great government soberly
to stand for. 1t nay be asked whether
Mr.. Payne has pursued this singular
course in the case of any other official
under charges?Why no detail Mr.. Ma
chen to follow up Mr.. Beavers, and Mr..
Beavers to follow up Mr.. Machen?
| The private secretary appears to be
the only one thus far favored in this
extraordinary name Mr. Netcalf,
| the head of the money order service,
was dismissed at ono when his indis-
cretion in the matter of d government
contract was revealed. Mr.. Rand the
private secretary, is under various
charges of improperly, but he is Set to
investigating others.-Springfield Re-
publican.
In his able article in The Yale Law
Journal. on The Negro Question:
Hon. JOIN R. Dos Passos, IF the New
York bar speaks of the possibility that
the negroes of the south will enfran-
chise themselves by acquiring educa-
ton and their votes be sought for by
contending parties, as they are now in
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and
other northern states. That would 10
be IN acceptable remedy for the negro
electorate problems in the south We
ave lac that situation, minus the ed.
vocational factor. thoroughly exposed tc
us here in the south We have seer
Independents. populists and democrats
variously arrayed in u elections anG
contending for the negro vote. In gu
local option elections all over the south
we nave seen the negro vote begged
bought and used as a balance of power
club by dangerous men to ohtaiu power
and overthrow the peace, good order
and official integrity of communities
We lave so vivid and deterrent a re
collection of such campaigns as t,
mae US determined never to see Their
repeated if we a lawfully proven
them.-Atlanta Constitution.
Mr.. Hays circular in behalf of tn,
prosecuted Rumanian Jews Is undoub.
eddy the precedent followed by the pres
ident when ne agrees to forward to tn
car a memorial on the kishenev mas
sacres. Temperamentally, Mr.. Roose
welt would be inclined to- associate him
self with the American Hebrews VIII
plead for their oppressed co-religionist
in Russia. and it is proper perhaps t
regard his action as personal rather tina,
official. The Russian government woul
relieve an otherwise awkward situa
ton by taking that view of the cas-
The president joins in pious wishe
that the car will deal justly with hi
Jewish subjects. With the cause ever
body must sympathize; the ~expedienc
of the action itself is, however, open I
doubt Mr.. Hays more formal over
lures in behalf of the Rumanian Jew
> accomplished nothing beyond expires
. sing our national concern in the matte
l Moral criticism of the internal policy {
a foreign owe not only transcends tn
r scope of diplomacy, but possibly {
4 common sense also. Conceivably,
/ happy island. whose disinterestednes
z was beyond question, might assun
. gracefully the superior role of NOR:
. censor. Mr.. Roosevelt's dispatch. how
; ever, will have to be dated. not frol
s New Atlantis. but from about the lat