The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-11-18

CURRENT

TO impress the south with the idea
tina he Is a friend of the section. let
him give an earnest of his good in
tentions by Withdrawing the appoint
ment of Dr. Crum to the port collec-
torship at Charleston. The appoint
ment has e refused ratification
three times by the senate. and the
president by this time has reason to
know that 1t is regarded as an afrront
to the white population not only of
South Carolina but of the whole
South.-Savannah News.
The vote Of personal confidence
which the people of the United States
nave given, President Roosevelt, with
the exception Of the unanirnous cleo
ton of George Washington, is possibly
the most remarkable thing nf its kind
in our political history. Mi. Roose-
welt has fastened to assure his fell
low citizens that he will not be a can
didate for another term in office. 1t
is fair to presume tina his ambitios
has been gratified by the Endorsement
given him by the people, and that
henceforth his purposes will be ex-
clusiveiy patriotic rather thar politi-
cal. In these circumstances the OBJ
NAA0N D. lAo - q II dlk IlODIc
one.-News and Courier.
1t is good news THAI President
Roosevelt has already under yay an
investigation of he postofTice CON
tracts with the railroads. Such an in
CURRY will either confirm the general
belief that the government pays in
~ordinately for carrying the mails, or,
in any case. it will prove whether the
annual deficit is necessary or merely
the result of mismanagement. OF
course, it is anomalous that what
should De the routine of a DEPARTMENT
has to be made a matter of special
investigation. Normally, the duty of
renewing the carrying contracts would
fall to the Postmaster-General. But
Mr.. Roosevelt has good eason in the
past to fear that where there was
shiftlessness in the department there
was corruption also. To put the post
office on a paying basis would make
his second administration noteworthy
for business efficiency.-New York
Post.
Responsibility in Aiken county has
arisen against vice and it may be con-
fidently expected hal a change will
81 ~ NiNe II
has for so long been flowing. A law
and order league has been formed and
the organization is no idle one. h
meeting was attended by substantial
men from the rural sections while sucn
interest was manifested in the town
that merchants closed their places of
business while the meeting
by the law-loving men of Beech Is
land was in session Aiknp hnG haayt
disgraced by her juries and these, in
their disregard of law, have en-
couraged criminals. The jury COM
m~issioners reported to the Aiken
meeting that the jury law was defec-
tive and that their appeals to the leg
islature for relief had been ineffec-
tual. The new legislators can give
consideration to this question-other
counties than Aiken need better ju-
rors. Now that the men OF Aiken
have asserted then~elves. we believe
the reform will begin. The dirty, cor
rupt fellows will no longer he permit
ted to run the county in the interest
of their kind and to the disgrace OF
Observation-Disclosures State.
While the republicans have greatly
increased their majority in the house
vi iSIAS tIiC IoNS :
at last accounts. only one seat net in
h senate, remembering that Mary
land will replace McComas with Ray
ner n assuming hat the legislatures
Of Missouri and Montana are lost to
the democrats and that Nevad and
Nebraska are republican for the pur-
pose of choosing senator's. AS to Ne
vada there remains some question. II
the democrats control the legislature
Senator Stewart will be succeeded by
a of h minority, in which
case the republicans will not gain a
single seat. This is a somewhat sug-
gestive phenomenon. in view OF the
overwhelming republican victory of
Tuesday. With Missouri safely in the
republican electoral column, and
Maryland half way in and out. there
will sit in the senate after March 4
mex eight democrats from the states
outside of what is left to the democra-
cy of the solid south" These will
be one from Missouri, one from Mon
tana. one from Idaho, two from Colo
RADIO. two from Maryland and one
from Nevada, OF perhaps two. There
will be twenty-four senators from the
twelve states of the south which voted
for Parker, or thirty-two in all,
leaving a republican majority
Of twenty-eight, or twenty-seven
if Nevada elects a democrat.-Wash-
ington Star.