The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-08
CURRENT COMMENT.

In the eyes of the administration,
the circumstance of Mr.. Magelssen
having been reported to have escaped
bodily harm in no wise affects the
fact that an attempt has been made
on the life of a United States vice
consul. The attempt is regarded as
IN itself a serious affront to the gov
ernment which Mr.. Magelssen repre-
sents.-New York Tribune.
1t is true that the democratic party
III Ohio and in the nation was far too
small to accomplish anything except
to be walked over in those years,
and that without the votes of the
sound money and generally sane DEM
ocrats and independents it cannot come
within gunshot of ever winning again.
But what of that? The Bryanites
would rather be beaten forever h
to admit hat the great majority of
the American people were right and
per remarks: The smaller a party
can be made the easier it is to con-
| troll. The Ohio Bryanites possess TO
| perfection the art of losing."-New
| York World.
Somebody must soon interfere in
| Turkey. Other governments OF the
| world fail to prevent horrors and out
| RACES in their territory, but no other
| country outside of darkest Africa has
1 ii a. SoSS " 4opC dllu
| sacking. We do not know that there
IS much choice between the Mussulmen
and the Christians. 1t seems to be
merely a matter of which happens to
| be the stronger at the moment, at some
| special place.. We read that the Chris
| tians ruthlessly slaughter the Turks.
| regardless of g and sex, and burn
| their villages. The Turks, when OPP
p%ortunity offers, treat the Christians
the same way. The whole outfit, APP
parently, is composed of miserable
| savages who have nothing Of ciyiliZa-
ton except it's improved methods of
taking human life and occasional ac-
cess to the Observation-Disclosures
News Leader.
A thorough investigation would
probably reveal fraud in other
branches of the government. When
a party is retained in power by an
easy victory 1t serves to our
not only extravaganza in expenditures
and reckleSsness in the matter of leg
lslation, but it encourages fraud and
dishonesty. Thoughtful party leaders
recognize his fact. Senators Lodge
and Allison, in the session of the SEN
ate Immediately following the last
election, spoke IN warning and appre-
hensive terms against these evils a.
the probable. result of a new and long
lease of power. 1t is much easier to
keep a critical and investigating eye
on the affairs of a state, even though
it be long under the domination of
one party, than it is to detect fraud
and wrong doing in the administration
of the great departments of the feder-
al government. A national democrat
lc victory on conservative lines and
the installation of Il democratic adj
ministration would be for the best in
terests of the country.-Nashville
American.
The Canadian legislator who pro-
poses that the Dominion buy the state
of Maine in order to straighten out
the boundary and give the railroads
a direct outlet to the ocean is doubt
less given to dreams of this sort. The
fact is that for many years a large
number of citizens of the United States
ave believed it to be the duty of this
government to make every possible
effort to purchase the lands lying
south of the ST. Lawrence Ilver and
gulf and annex them to this republic.
1t has been felt that the natural
boundary afforded by the Great Lakes
and their outlet to the ocean should
be utilized throughout. The western
boundary etWee the United States
and the Dominion is necessarily arti-
fclal. but, having been determined
after much dispute and some danger
of ~bloodshed, it now suffices we'll
enough, being straight and easily as
| ceTCdlleu WIN reference TO Inc Dardl-
lels of latitude. The northeastern
boundary is in part artificial and in
part natural, M the combination, al
though in general terms satisfactory.
has given rise to controversies which
have not yet been fully settled. Some
Of the distance the line is aid down
between natural marks which are not
easily Observation-Disclosures Star.
On the supposition that the Panama
canal treaty is dead, the friends of
the Nicaragua route are agan be-
stirring themselves. The are urging
the president to proceed at once I'M
der the terms of the act of the last
session which require him. in the
event of failure to ecu the right to
build through the Isthmus of Pana-
ma, Ito cause to be and
constructed a ship canal and water
way by what IS known as the Mica
ragua route" This he is required 20
do if the treaty with Colombia is not
ratified within a reasonable time"
The president must decide for him
self what is a reasonable time, but he
will naturally seek the advice and
concurrence Of the leading members
of the senate and house of represen-
tatives before taking an irrevocable
step. The public temper is not now
favorable to hasty action. Two wears
ago 1T was so prepoSseSsed in favor of
Nt"N oii ANSS
actually passed a bill appropriating
money for it, while a government
commission was on the isthmus ex-
aiming the various routes for the
purpose of deciding on the best and
cheapest one. The final report of the
commission and the lapse of time
have served to cool the heated brains
of all except Senator Morgan of Ala
bama. That the preponderance of
public sentiment is now in favor or
the Panama route is attested in many
ways: by the ratification, on our part,
of the treaty itself, by the ]appropria-
ton OF money TO buy the property of
the French Company. by the tone of
the press. and by the very irritation
which the adverse decision of the Co
omblan senate has caused. If the in
hahitants of Panama should revolt
against the decision it would be the
first revolution in Central America in
which We should feel a decided inter
est.-New York Post.