The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-18
CURRENT

UUhn6Nt UUWtWlHt.
The Rochester Herald thinks tina.
IF President Smith OF the Aormou
church should start an investigation
on his own account Of the kind or Do
lygamy practiced in Washington ne
would find a rich field. and create q
national sensation" This sort OF sar-
casm is too painful 10 be employed I'm
general society.-Times-U Union.
Judge Alton B. Parker Is not for
tunate in his friends. AS IL the sup
port Of David Benne Hill were not
enough to aliena from him the
pendent vote, Edward Murphy. Jr.. or
Troy. now appears among the fa.tn-
full. The two chief hackers OF Judge
Parker in his own state are therefore.
Hill the notorious Murphy. liz the
Parker boom can thrive in spite OF such
a blight. ii must be a plant or hardy
, growth. Hill has been for twenty
| years the shining example OF a po'it-
ical wrecker. He did his best to crush
the Cleveland democrats and drive
York Post.
why should il not be made a penal
| o~ffense," asks the Washington Times.
for a member Of congress to ask for
| the appointment to office OF a constit-
Il uCIk. vi ~ e4S 1as
| the floor of congress an expenditure or
| public monev in his WI district"
| Because to pass such q law would be
| to make a crime out or what is not 8
| crime. An honest man will not ask the
government to do anything for him
which is unlawfu or corrupt. The
| Times speaks as IL the government
may be expected to grant illegal or cor
rupt requests il congressman make
them. The trouble is that the govern
ment has not been sufficiently active
In making examples Of politicians who
are out for graft-"-Norfolk Land
mark.
We have just received a note inform
ing us that the Hearst League has
promised to encourage and supervise
the sending out of news and literary
matter in plate form to be supplied
to such newspapers as hope to open
their columns to a discussion OF the
coming residential campaign" We are
told that this plate matter will Ee
of considerable interest to us.
and hat all matter treated OF
in the service will be furnished
free Of charge and will be pre-
pared by experienced men who are
thoroughly conversant with political
questions and conditions" We have
no doubt that the matter sent out by
this concern will be very interesting.
oot Ia nv ASo III NhS ESkst
why it should be printed except as
other advertising matter Is printed at
SO much a line The newspapers which
use the stuff ought to be paid for it. II
it were a matter of interest and value
to the democratic party as such there
would be goo reason for Its publica-
ton in democratic newspapers. but as
it is to be largely devoted to the inter-
estS of a candidate for the democratic
nomination of president. IL ought to be
regarded by him and by his league -
one of the legitimate expenses of his
campaign. The Hearst League would
probably pay a painter for painting
Hearst signs. or a banner-maker for
making Hearst banners. and there Is
no reason why publishers hould not
be paid their regular rates for advsr-
Using Mr.. Hearst and his candidacy
just as they are paid regular rates for
advertising Mrs. Lydia z. Pfnkham
and her Vegetable Compound.-News
and Courier.
From all accounts there Is intense
excitement among members OF con-
gress over the report recently made by
Chairman Overstreet. showing that
congressman had used their influence
to secure increase in the salaries of
postal employees. The funny part OF it
is that the republicans art making .he
fuss and President Roosevelt Is catch
LIE H. >ol6I CSsiiIGI II5lSL lIIdl they
have don nothing wrong. yet they are
made to appear as offenders In She
same class with Machen and Others
who have been convicted of stealing
from the government. The names OF
some democratic members appear IN
the list. but the. democrats are having
very little to say about it. and seem to
be taking the whole matter good ma
turedly. II Is the republicans who are
foaming at the mouth and shaking
their fists at the republican president.
But why ali this rumpus? Has any
thing new been revealed? Was it not
alreadv known that every congress-
man was in the habit OF grabbiny
everything he could get for his "ia@-
strict?" Is he not expected to do so?
what does he go to congress for, IL not
for the old flag and an appropriation?
Once a Virginia congressman got an
appropriation of SIS. 900 TO Improve a
. mountain stream. which. under no los
sible circumstances could be made
~navfgable- The money was secured
and expended In blasting rock and
cleaning out the channel" Somebody
asked the congressman IL he expected
that the money thus expended would
do the river n good? No" replied
ne. but ii viii do my constituents
good"