The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-30
CURRENT COM MENT.

A washington correspondent figures
! out that if congress keeps up it's lag
| eing gait much longer, it will be phys
:cally impossible-for lack of time-to
pass an antitrust bill at the present
| session. AS to which it may be re-
marked that the g. o. p. can be de-
pended upon to do the necessary lag
ging to prevent said legislation.-Nor-
folk Ledger.
The antitrust bill. are Of little I'M
mediate importance to the
since they are only designed to
strengthen the party in the approach
ing campaign. They may the begin
ming out Of which something will
grow, but the authorizes that would
not or could not enforce the Sherman
act do not need a statute, but a will.
"Publicity' is good but not omnipo-
tent.-Jacksonville Times-Union.
President Roosevelt will please note
that former President Cleveland is
getting game in the south. He has
lust bagged a fine buck in North Car
DINA and his party is having the best
of sport after the deer in the noun
tains of that state. CleveIa ID knows
the way to get things in the south
and Roosevelt doesn't, whether it be
game or votes each is after.-Charles-
ton Post.
If Germany desires to test our abili-
ty to d fend the Monroe doctrine Oh"
can easily do it. A little more of the
d Asent programme and there will be
trouble. The American people are not
looking for war, and do not want war,
but il war is to be forced upon them,
they will not be averse to having Ger
many as an antagonist. The German
government with its bureaucratic on
ceit and its bullying militarism. is not
popular on this side of the Atlantic.
1t would be decidedly best for Germany
not to provoke the United States too
much.-Norfolk Landmark.
Mr.. Croker will it is reported return
in March. The rest is conjecture. One
suggestion is that a rather stiff
assessment is troubling him, and he is
coming back to swear off. Another is
that he wants advice about future in
~vestments, while a third predicts tina
Notwithstanding his repeated and con-
sistent denials. his real object /. to
look over the political field and if pos
sible resume in some sly fashion the
leadership Of Tammany Hall. He is
an interesting man, and whether his
stay in the country is long or short,
his movements unguarded or mysteri-
Gus, his presence will give rise to a
good deal Of MISREPRESENTATION Star.
AS q matter of ascertained fact hui
man life is nowhere 80 cheap in this
country as 1t is in New York, Phila-
delphia and a few other northern cit
les. There the greed for the almighty
dollar overshadoWs all else, and
should human life come in the way of
accumulation of wealth it must be put
aside. For proof of this assertion at
%tention is called to the testimony
brought out by the investigation Of
the anthracite coal strike commission
However cheap human life nay be in
the south the time has not yet come
when aged men and women and help
less children would be permitted to
freeze to death with millions of tons
of o in the neighborhood held by
grasping owners who are esteemed the
best people in the conlmunity.-New
Orleans Times-Democrat.
The WASHINGTON Star publishes an
interview with Mr.. Charles NJ. Pepper,
n gentleman recently returned from
Cuba. and who, it is stated, has been
a close student of the affairs Of the
stands affairs. Mr.. Pepper asserts
that whatever Of opposition there is
in Cuba to the pending reciprocity
treaty has been fomented by interests
that are a~ntagonistic to the growth OF
friendly relation and extended COM
merce between the island and the Uni
ted States. Conspicuous among these,
he ga arc the large European trade
organizations, which are destined to
| lose materially if the treaty be put in
to operation. There is no logical
ground On which this treaty could be
opposed. either in Cuba or the United
States. if the general interests of the
two countries alone were considered;
but both here and in Cuba there APP
pears to be a selfish greed that ignores
the broader question. The endeavor
Of these European trade organizations
to defeat the treaty should be a good
argument at Washington for its rati-
fication: but the beet sugar senators,
some southern senator's and those who
deem it their duty to guard sacredly
against any infringement of the pro-
tective principle will make common
cause with these European trade as
sociations to kill the treaty and pre-
vent a monopoly Of Cuban trade by
American producers.-Nashville Ban
ner.
The WASHINGTON administration
Seems to have at last partially awak-
ened from the foolish sleep into which
it permitted itself to be lulled by the
lying assurances Of Germany. We
should add Enrland but for the fact
that English ships have taken no
part in the latest outrage on Venezu-
Ella and the further fact that England
| - piilliis Sbi civ Z
at the high handed course Germany
is following. 1t was plain enough
from the first that, whatever were
England's intentions. Germany pur-
posed to show its contempt for the
Monroe doctrine. If it did not make
IN outright assault on It. Every steT
that has been taken since has shown
that purpose more and more clearly
] until the browning outrage of the bonn
bardnent Of fort San Carlos at the
very time that Minister Bowen was
preparing to open negotiations for the
settlement OF the matters in dispute
leaves no room for doubt that a
~peaceable issue OF the controversy Is
not desired by Germany, but that Z
war with Venezuela is ought in order
that exCus may be given for the seiz'
ure OF Venezuelan territory. These
patent phases Of the situation make
it the imperative duty of the Wash.
ington administration to be forehand
ed and put the country in READINGS!
for 4 possible conflict with Germany
2 conflict that is hound TO come Soonp'