The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-06
CURRENT

President Roosevelts final en-
| nouncement TO the protesting labor
unions in connection with the Miller
case is admirable In its manllneSs.
That is what was generally expected.
IN the employment and dismissal Of
men in the government service. I can
/ no more the fact that d man
does or does not belong to a union as
being for or against him than 1 can re-
cognize the fact that he IS a Protestant
or a Catholic, a Jew OF a Gentle, as
being for or against him" There Is
the great principle in a nutshell.-Nor-
folk Landmark
Fear of the wrath of Emperor Will
liam prevents Ernest Buch Of Duluth,
Mimi, formerly in the German army
from going to the Faderland to claim
a legacy of s23, 600. Buch once told a
funny story about the emperor to Il
group of his comrades. He was in
formed tina he was to be arrested, SO
he fled. Now both h story and the
act Of deSertion inspire him with a
wholesome fear of returning to claim
the fortune. William is a power in his
own land. and he is a hardy subject
who undertakes to rtdicule hin.-Sa-
vannah News.
An encouraging omen is the refusal
of the democratic committee of Henri
co county to recognize the nominal
ton of one of the county officials on
the face of the returns on the ground
that he had used liquor n money, IN
violation or the Barksdale pure cleo
ton law, to secure his election. a
similar stand should be taken by Of
fcials all over the state. With the
practical elimination of the negro. for
the time being. from politics and the
consequent elimination of excuse for
fraud, fraud, whether in primaries or
regular elections, should be sternly
suppressed. We believe that it IS the
desire of an overwhelming majority Of
the democrats of the state that con-
tests within and without the party
shall be fairly conducted. And we be-
Iieve, furthermore, that this sentiment
is sufficiently lnsistent and compelling
TO make crOOkednesS in elections a
risky business. Henrico county has a
reputation for crooked politics. When
1t sets an eample Of the sort it has,
surely the rest of the state should do
equally IS well.-Virginlan-Pilot.
We AVE seen no happier characteri-
cation of Tammany Hall than Mr..
NiXon's in announcing his personal
candidacy and plan for reform of he
Wlgwam. That eX-leader, having
tapped, sounded, and otherwise eX-
amined the Tiger, renders. except on
two particulars, a clean bill of health.
He admits to be sure, that the organi-
iZation is ailing from police black
mail" as we'll as from that mercan-
airy spirit which breeds dishonesty
Nut these are mere blemishes whic.
any venerable body is likely to show.
Remember, continues hopeful Mr..
Nixon that there is nothing else
against the democratic organization
only some trifilng blackmail or Il quite
| durable tendency toward dishonesty.
The democratic party of the city has
all the issues in its favor except tneSe
two" Whether Mr.. Murphy has thand
ed Mr.. Nixon for this defence We have
not learned. But, generally speaking,
one would hardly welcome this praise
from a friend. ''Politicus? Way
there's nothing the matter with hin
except that he's a sharper and lacks
common honesty; everything else IS il
! his favor We do not think thai
Murphy and his crew are going 20 be
put in command, even if they are
since Devery has been thrown over
board-them ildest hammered men tina
ever scuttled ship or cut a thrOde.'-
New York Post
Mrs. ~Stuyvesant Fish, Of the New
York -Four Hundred,'' is visiting n
st. Louis, and recently submitted to ar
interview with a representative Of the
New York Sun. In the sourse Of he1
remarks she said: There Will always
be classes in this country. We are
coming more and more to have AZ
aristOcracy and a common people. l dl
not believe in being too democratic
Mrs. Fish is mistaken. There is nc
arlstocracy in the United States. It is
expressly forbidden by the constitution
There are social circles and social cir
Giles. and the lines may be drawn as
finely and as circumSDectly n as rig
orOusly as the inmates may elect. Nc
man or woman may enter the charmed
circle without the permission Of those
who constitute it. Society has al,
ways made distinctions of thu sort
and always will. But that is very
different from an aristocracy. Ar
ariStOcracy is "a form of government
an which the supreme power IS eXcrciS.
ed by those members of the state who
are distinguished by their rank anG
opulence." Or "a body Of persons hold,
ing exceptional. prescriptive rank OIL
ENTHUSIASTICALLY, a class OF
hereditary nobility We do not know
what Mrs. FIsh's idea of an aristocra,
cy IS. She nay think that those whc
have great wealth and who spend their
time in pleasure seeking, and who nOlC
themselves alOof from others wac
hav not great wealth. constitute ar
aristOcracy. There are such people IL
the United States. and they may con,
tinue to flock to themselves as muct
as they please. and they may cal
themselves, if they please. an aristoc,
racy. But in the true meaning of th'
term there IS no aristocracy in the
United States. and never will be :,
long as the people are true to them,
observation-disclosures.
Saves Two from Death.
Our little daughter had an almost "a