The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01
CURRENT COM MENT.

The freedom of the press IS essential
TO the freedom Of the people. Abuse of
this liberty is amply provided against,
and indeed nearly all of our libel laws
give the advantage to the plaintiffs.
The Righteousness of unprincipled pub
locations is not defended by any repu-
table newspaper. But the press is a
tically united. and the people should
be against such attempts to muzzle the
newspapers as that made in Pennsyl-
vania.-Louisville Courier-Journal.
New York has now found that she
contributes about one victim a month
to the Malta, and laments her inability
to put down the combination against
justice. We ament the necessity as
we'll as the practice of lynch law. but
is it not true that it was worth all 1t
cost to New Orleans? Is not this case
the exception to Shakespeare's rule
that 1T is better to bear the ills we
have than flee to others that we know
not of?'-FlOrida Times Union.
Booker T. Washington is having
what seems great good luck. To dine
with the president was we'll enough for
him in a way, but what he gets from
Andrew Carnegie is more substantial.
That liberal patron Of education not
only makes bold to say that Booker
is the modern Moses, but has given the
Tuskeegee Institute an endowment
fund of 5000, 900, out of which it is re-
quired to make suitable provision to
relieve Booker of pecuniary cares.
that he may be free to devote himself
he is to have a liberal life annuity
Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The dispatches in regard to Russia's
position in Manchuria We're of a decid-
eddy disquieting tenor. The willy Slav
is so pre-eminently a diplomat of the
order that considers language a medium
for Disgusting ones thoughts, that it is
virtually impossible at any given time
TO say with certainty just where he is
at But most aSSuredly the other
leading powers Of the globe have been
laboring under the impression that the
Car meant eventually to ~evacuate
Manchuria. Now, however, comes the
definite announcement that he intends
to do nothing of the sort.-Augusta
Chronicle.
What is the secret of Mr.. Bryan's
intense hostility to Mr.. Cleveland? In
nearly every speech made by the gem
tleman from Nebraska recently he has
referred to Mr.. Cleveland in the bit
terest terms. Was it because Mr..
ldIlu Willie ICSIUtlll. loICtu lnP
repeal of the Sherman silver purchase
Jaw? That seems to be the opinion of
those who have followed Mr.. Bryan
in his den%unciations of the ex-presi-
What said the democratic plat
form If 1892, on which Mr.. Cleveland
was nominated and elected and on
which he stood at the time? This is
the language of the document: wv
denounce the republican legislation
known as the Sherman act of 1890 as
a cowardly makeshift, fraught with
possibilities of danger In the future.
which should make all of its support
ers, as we'll as its authors, anxious for
its speedy repeal" That was the
party law at the time.-Savannan
News.
Ordinarily it is the aim Of party
leaders and to make it easy
only way that a minority party was
ever known to get power. At the last
presidential election the democratic
party lacked $4,000 of q plurality.
Since that time the breaking up Of the
populist and free silver republicans,
who contributed at least 1900, 900 to
Mr.. Bryan's vote, has sent 1000, 900
more back to their original love, the re-
publicans So that unless a very large
lJiIllDtI Ol ItpuDlIC1lI. ulutptllueIt
and hitherto alienated democrat voters
support the democratic candidate next
year. the party will meet with another
crushing defeat. But Mr.. Bryan says
Keep them out, Let no man who did
not vote for ME in 1896 and 1900, and
who failed to accept the Chicago n
Kansas City platforms as the inspired
and Interchangeable democratic doctrine,
be permitted to get into party I'M
less he comes crawling on his belly
and clad in the sackcloth of repent.
ance.'-New York World.
referring to the recent remarkable
course of the New York Sun, which is
generally supposed to reflect the views
of the Morgan group of hnanciers, in
turning upon Roosevelt and compar-
ing his record u~nfavOrably with that
IF Cleveland. the Richmond News
Leader says that he change has deep
significance and probably means that
the interests for which the Sun speaks
have decided definitely to fight R0ose-
welt, if he is named by the republicans,
and are preparing for Il Cleveland
boom and revival. We have held for
some time the view put forward by our
Richmond contemporary. There is no
question that Cleveland would be ac-
ceptable to the interests vaguely group
eel uIteE the term w al SIIttI- L here
IS no question that those same interests
bitterly resent RooseveIt's course in the
coal strike muddle and in the North
ern Securities case. No pains have
been at any time taken to conceal that
fact. 9nd. Of course, his insistence
upon antitrust legislation at the recent
session Of congress vas equally dis.
tasteful. Again, look at the situation
| should Cleveland be nominated anc
| elected. The republicans have She sen.
| ate and the men who control that body
| are all friendly to the trusts. The!
| have nothing to fear. therefore. from
hostile legislation before 1908. Wha
| they do have reason TO fear is an ex
| ecutlve-whoever he nay be-who will
make himself troublesome by insistin;
that the antitrust laws shall be en-
forced. The amount of worry that
president bent on enforcing the Lax
could cause the trusts is practically I'm
limited. Their only security. therefore
lies in getting a man in the Whit
| house who will let the antitrust law
l SIaaD That ACCOMPLISHED tho +rr1St