The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-03
STATE PRESS.

People are k Mr.. Page. begin
ming to think there is truth in what
Raleigh's two dailies are saying about
each other. Each claims TO be abso-
lutely true and swearS by what it
says. Such Is not increasing either
in public favor.-King's Daily.
Gefore c~onsigning Finch and Nc
Bee to the penitentiary, we should
not forget that but for their action
the investigation would no have been
ordered and. the road would not
ave perhaps been leased at this or
any other time in the near future
Durham Herald.
These papers that feel called upon
to defend Governor Aycock every two
or three lays make an exposition as
weak and as puerile on their part as
it is unjust n gratuitous to the gov
ernor. Since when did the governor
nave an accident to make cru.ches
necessary to enable him to get about?
Raleigh Times.
Congress is to adjourn this week,
| and there is no particular reason to
regret it. The session has not been
fruitful in beneficial legislation. The
closing days are being devoted, par
TALLY at least, to the game of oil
tics. The approaching campaign is
foremost in the minds of the MEM
bers of both houses.-Winston Senti-
mel.
The recent executive order" giving
pensions to all men over sixty-two
seems to have a serious defect. For
merly, men whose disabilities result
ed from their own vices could not
get pensions. Now, however, men
are put on the role at sixty-two with
out inquiry as to the cause OF their
diSa hilifipS which often rQcnlt from
eheir own bad habits.-Durham Sun.
Congressman Thomas has intro
duced a bill to amend the postal laws
Of the United States so as to permit
newspapers to be sent through the
mails free of cost. AS the govern
ment is already handling the news
papers at a great loss, the inference
is that it considers the newspaper a
good thing for the people. And If it
is a good thing the government
shouldn't let a small matter like a
peoples getting full beneft.-Greens-
boro Telegram.
Representatives Small. Kluttz and
Thomas Won a notable victory, in Sc
kcuring the passage of the formers
lighthouse bill in the house Tuesday.
While 1t provides for the expenditure
Of half a million dollars for a light
house off the North Carolina coast,
it is a measure in which the whole
country should be interested, for it
is intended to mark the most dan
gerous point in the line of commerce
-HatteraS shoals. a contractor has
agreed TO build the lighthouse at his
own risk, and after it has been in
successful operation for five years the
sum of ~$595,000 is to be paid. The
argument by Mr.. kfuttz in favor of
the measure was an exceedingly
strong one.-Charlotte Observer.
Some of the New York preachers
are queer oes, viewed from this dis
lance. When the question of open
Dar-rooms on Sunday was being agi-
tated. a number of preachers, one a
very prominent man, openly advo-
Gated permitting the saloons to be
kept open a portion of the day on
Sundays. Now New York and
Brooklyn are exercised over the
question of Sunday baseball and sew
eral Brooklyn clergymen nave an
nounced that they are in favor of
Sunday games. Down south a
preacher who would advocate open
saloons and baseball games on Sun
day would not be considered ortho-
dox. to say the least Of it.-Charlotte
Observer.
The o~bliteration of the dividing
Inc between the north and south is
perhaps evidenced in the tendency of
several leading papers of the country
to discuss the feasibility of nominal
ing a southern man for the presiden-
cy- On this subject the current issue
of Golfers Weekly says: "A year ago
the suggestion that a southern man
could be nominated for president on
the democratic ticket would have
been derided as visionary and abb
surd. Six months ago tine man max
ing such a suggestion would not have
been regarded as far-seeing, perhaps,
but he would not have been laughed
at Now, so far has the pendulum
swung, the subject is seriously con-
sidered by conservative men of both
parties and of all sections.-Asheville
Cifi1on