The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-16
CURRENT COMMENT.

Republican Journal vex their kind
over the silence of the demo-
cratic platform on the subject of free
silver; they consider IL wrong in poll
tics and morals But they constantly
declare that the currency is a dead
issue; they ave fixed all that. Why,
then, expect the platform to discuss
the funerals of the past? 1t would
seem that Judge Parker's Telegram
and its acceptance was enough: il
this be silence. IL is certainly more
eloquent than the habituaf promises
made by republican conventions
TimSs-Union.
notwithstanding the small majority
for the government on the latest test
vote in the British house of commons,
there Is no danger of the present min
istry's falling SO long as the Russo
japanese war Is in progress and Bal
four pursue5 his present policy to-
wards Russia in dealing with ques-
tons arising out Of the conflict which
affect British interests. The premier
has not been jingoistic. He has kept
a cool head, but he has been positive
II a positive foreign policy in such
circumstances has always been a
safeguard to the ministry pursuing il.
Indeed since the test vote in question,
Balfour has taken a stand in the
Knight Commander affair which it is
hardly to be doubted has made the
government stronger than at any time
under his leadership.-News Leader.
If Judge Parker sweeps the state
of New York, it will leave Odell the
unchallenged master of the republican
party machinerw. There is no IN
horsing him, The party is too SUI
pine, 90 demoralized to throw off
his yoke. Corruption, unchecked and
too long endured has had it's natural,
its inevitable result; and Odell has
nothing to fear. When, then, is the
victory or a republican defeat? If
1t shall appear to OdeH that Mr..
Roosevelt is assured of the state and
a be depended on to carry the re-
publican candidate for governor in
with him, then and in that case he
will procure his own nomination.
What is needed in the state is a
Joseph Folk to restore the peniten-
tiary to its proper functions. Elihu
Root has the stature and the proper
tons of a Folk and that is why he is
unpopular at Albany and in all the
subordinate or branch groceries
throughout the state.-New York Sun.
1t is pretty well ascertained that
I'LL - &c poI1I Xuo1 6C11 Tx 1IIult1-
millionaire exploiter-and, shall we
say, in the light of the Virginia and
Carolina Chemical company loan,
merciless usurer-has been won over
to the support of Roosevelt. He was
reported, some time since, as breath
ing dire threats of what mischief he
was going to do for Roosevelt during
the campaign. But the republican
candidate and his go-between men,
ParkinC on1 pont bnxya
Mr.. Morgan from a blatant, if not
powerful, enemy to a most obsequiouS
n jealous friend. We are told that
the president promised to be good,
along the Morgan line, and that large
profits of government banking oper-
atoms have been turned over to the
Morgan firm-the Panama SAC, 000,-
900 transfer, for instance, on which
a commission of one per cent.
amounts to $500, 600. Panama also
paid commissions to the Morgan firm
after President Roosevelt had desig-
mated it as this governments agent
Augusta Chronicle.
The issue raised by the negro plank
of the republican national platform
excites interest, IL appears, amons
influential capitalists in the north,
who have enormous investments in
southern properties. Any disturbance
of the conditions of prosperity in the
south brought on by exigencies of
politicians in quest of votes cannot but
injure voters all through the north
) who draw income from southern in
dustry. The railways, mines, fun
naces, cotton mills and factories Of
the south are owned largely in the
north, in virtue of stocks and bonds
held there. A violent, raging politi-
cal revolution, recalling RECONSTRUCT
ton times, will not leave investments
| held by northerners undiminished, if
other southern enterprises are made
stagnant by widespread apprehension
and disorder. This fact must sooner
or later penetrate northern men who
! hold southern investments. Their
name is legion, and though they would
normally support the republican ticket,
they will want to know before Novem-
Der whether Mr.. Roosevelt really
means it'-whether he intends 10
work the race plank OF his platform
for all it is worth. This is a question
that is causing a searching Of hearts
observation-disclosures Sun.