The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-29
STATE PRESS.

We believe that Judge Clark stands
less show than some of the other gen.
tlemen who have been mentioned, but
this would haVe been true of Mr..
Bryan's choice if it had beer any
body else.-Greenville Reflector.
The property which went I'D in
smoke Thursday morning represented
a money value sufficient to have estab-
lished water works for the entire town.
Yet We have some among US who op-
pose water works. Can it be possible
they longer oppose such a greatly need
ed Improvement ?-LOuisburg Times.
0. no, and all, ha. And your Uncle
Hanna is not so far out of it as might
be supposed. He is opposed to the en-
dorsement of President Roosevelt for
the nomination next year. by the Ohio
republican state convention; not that
he is in any way influenced by any
personal desire or ambitions''-he feels
1t quite unnecessary to say this-but
nevertheless he is-O, we'll, he is op-
posed to the endorsement of Roosevelt
and that is enough said.-Charlotte
Observer.
The judge is TO blame for continual
Of cases which bring eX-
pense to the county in the attendance
Of witnesses and an eVer increasing
0DO-N IN IL SOOA44o ~ 10 lid Ilc
judge should require that a case be
tried at the time it is set and not al
low its ~pOstpOnement for fimsey
causes, such as not being ready. etc,
when ample time has been given for
the preparation Of the case. The law
yer, II seems to us. has ne right to
protect his client and if he can by dila-
tory tactics have q case cont 'nued in
definitely and thus subyert the ends of
justice he can hardly be blamed. for
his purpose is to get his client off; but
h judge and the jury who allow
these things it seems to us are the ones
who should be censured.-Wilson Times
Why is it that so many of our very
rich and also verey merciless trades
men cling so closely to the church?
Coal trust Baer-he of the marble
hearts very devout. and now young
ROckefeller-JOhn's boy-stands up be-
fore his Sunday-school and declares
that Christ did not mean what he said
about the rich, and never expected il
to be taken literally. Isn't there my
thing sacred to these money pirates?
They would even change the Bible and
try to make the world and themselves
believe hat millions literally Wrung
from the people are honorable, that a
seat III Paradise q be gained by Civ
ing a college a million dollars. and
then raising the price of kerosene-the
poor mans light-tO cover the gift
Winston Journal.
One effect that the r~ottenness in
public office under republican adminis-
tration is going to have, is that it will
receive the necessity for a democratic
platform next year modelled after that
of 1876, on which Sampel J. Tilden was
nominated and elected. That. platform
called for reform in almost every para
graph. There is as much necessity for
reform now as there was then, and it
seems to be the consensus of demo-
cratic opinion that the cry of reform
will be one Of the ssues in the next
campaign. If the honest men of the
nation, regardless of politics, could be
made to understand the conditions in
many Of the departments, they would
sweep the republican party out of Of
flee on the cry of reform alone and
with no other issue in the campaign
Allighany Star.
If those Wilson mob artists are
some Of our best people," it will be
an awful time when the lower classes
break out.-Greenville Reflector. Pretty
good for you, Brother WhIchard, out
you do not understand the situation
yet. YOu will find that when the evil
dence is thoroughly sifted to the bot
tOm, 1t will narrow down to a focus
of a few men who are directly respon-
S1ule ~ lle III ueI VI JOlltS-lIlS1 VI
unSaVOry reputation, representing the
very worst element of this town, and
men. one of whose hands are already
stained with blOOd.-WilSon News.
There is one thing we do understand
Percy Jones is dead. 1t is also pretty
certain that his murdererS are in Jail.
Now, the only w in which Wilson
can make good in the eyes of the
world is to punish Percy Jones slayers
according to the tut in such cases
made and provided.-Greenville Re-
Hector.
In the disposition of the Joe Cole
case justice has again been cheated.
If ever there was Il case which called
for the extreme penalty for murder we
believe this one did. The law was on
] the side of the murderer and the SUI
preme court says that under the law,
he could not be hung. But the law
is wrong II ought to be repealed. 1t
IS we'll to have degrees in murder. All
killing is not murder, but the law
should not be so that it is next to i'm
possible to establish first degree MUIR
der. DeliberatiOn, generalization and
! malice a~fOrethOught must be proven to
convict of murder IN the first degree
The act itself. the circumstances lead
ing up to and surrounding the com
mission of the crime have little or moth
ing to do with it. they are not to be
considered. The law ought to be
changed or capital punishment fol
murder should be wiped from the
statute bOOkS.-HenderSOn Gold Leaf.
Question Answered.
les, August Flower still has tks