The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-07-08
CURRENT COMMENT.

Why shouldn't the St. Louis 'conven-
ton renounce the free silver heresy?|
Twice has il brought defeat and dis
credit upon the democratic party, and
events have convinced every rational
being that there is no decent excuse
for giving the pestilent old heresy the
benefit even OF silver.-Philadelphia
Record.
No man knows or can even give
reasonable guess rs to the nominee Of
the (St. Louis) convention. No man
can say what platform will be adopted
No one man, or faction. goes TO st.
Louis with assurance of obtaining a
controlling influence in the proceedings
No national convention OF either party
was ever more in the hands of the in
dividual delegates than that which
meets this week at ST. Louis The
convention at Chicago illustrated the
methods of autocracy; that al St. Louis
will represent the spirit of democracy.
Cleveland (Ohio) Plain-Dealer.
Those who have followed the re-
markable disclosures in the confessions
that are the outcome of Mr. Folks
prosecution of the Missouri boodlers
have been impressed by two things:
First the corruption that undoubte tedly
existed in some quarters; and, second,
some of the confessors have sought to
give the impression that everybody
who had anything to do with legisla-
ton in Missouri, and a good many 9TH
er people as well, had acquired the
Doodle habit. That some representa-
tives of corporations and some of the
members Of the Missouri house of DEL
egates were guilty of offenses which
should land them behind prison bars
| ha h,Irt h..
charges that corruption was rampant
in every quarter is too generar>to inn
press the public generally with it's
truth.-Atlanta Constitution.
Congressman J. Adam Bede, of Mich
igan. made speech in Chicago the
other day in which he undertook to
defend the administrators age-dis-
ability pension order, which practically
establishes a service pension without
the action Of congress, MFR. Bede ar
gued that the money paid to the old
soldiers in pensions is but redistribu-
tion of wealth. A redistribution OF
Of the money which goes to defray the
annual S140,000000 pension bill comes
from the south, which is the poorest
part of the country from a financial
point Of view on account of the very
war for which the pensions are grant
ed. And does anybody think that the
money contributed to the pension-fund
by other sections of the country comes
out of the pockets of the very rich?
, The bulk of a country's taxes are paid
by the people who are neither pinched
by poverty nor rolling in wealth. AS a
cold matter of fact the people of this
country who are not rich are taxed
enormously, and with their own consent
for the particular benefit of those who
are rich. This taxation is called pro-
tective tariff.-Norfolk Landmark.
To rival Mr.. Kiplings ''Disturber of
Traffic in his efforts to cause dissen-
tions and disturbances-this is plainly
Mr.. Bryan's ambition at ST Louis, ac-
cording to the latest dispatches. His
plan to challenge the entire New York
delegation is merely a counsel Of desper-
alton. 1T must already be clear even to
him that this convention will at least
accomplish one thing-hfs final eXtinc-
ton as party dictator and chief party
nuisance. Not even an election as SEN
a tor from Nebraska can hereafter make
him a figure of moment in the coun-
ellis of the democracy. Hence his turn
ing to the role of obstructionist in his
despairing effort to appear once more
as national leader. So far as can be
Judged today, it is practically impossi-
ole for him, even with the aid of Hearst,
TO prevent the nomination OF q demo-
crat of the cleveland type, be he Mr..
Cleveland himself or Judge Parker, or
a dark horse. The news that the Iowa
and Illinois delegations are seeking
means Of evading their notifying
Hearst instructions should convince
Mr.. Bryan that evea this partnership
will be of as little value to him as shift
ing sands. Not only was the drift 10
Judge Parker stronger than ever yes
terday, but there was every indication
that when Mr.. Bryan rises in the con-
vention to play the part of the crazy
lighthouse keeper, be will hear some
frank expression Of opinion concerning
himself from fellow delegates which
can neither he attributed to plusocrats
nor to mere worshippers Of t1a gold
standard.-New York Post.