The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-25
CURRENT

The Fort Worth Record observes
that il every democrat IN Texas who
hopes to get a postoffice viii rusi,a
around and take up a collection for tire
national and forward IL
promptly to headquarters, the action
will greatly facilitate matters next
year. Good idea. Let it be applied to
the democratic would-be federai candi-
dates of every state-and watch that
amous Taggartian smile.-AtIaat2
Constitution.
When the president astonished the
country by making Ny. Corteiyou
chairman of the republican national
committee the admirers OF a mythical
Roosevelt explained that the selection
was made because the president was
tired Of the machine politician and
his methods. Now that the true mean
ing of that selection has developer
the intelligent among these admirers
OF a mythical Roosevelt realize. IL they
do not openly admit. how Sticky they
were AXE in by their idol.-Courier
Journal.
) In three weeks from today the peo-
pie will have to decide who will be
! their choice, Mr.. Roosevelt or Judge
Parker. 10 speak quite frankly there
does not appear to be room for much
uncertainty as TO their decision. u
l seems almost a foregone conclusion
that Mr.. Roosevelt will be elected, not.
perhaps, because the people ave coz,
fdence in hlrn and in his conception
of the presidential functions, but be-
| cauSe the country is prosperous and
thus the necessity for a change is not
very pressing.-New York Herald, OC1.
18th.
The registration in New York is said
to be going forward in the most salts
| factory manner, from the democratic
point of view. The registration has
been Unexpectedly heavy. Politicians
thought there was apathy in the ranks
of the voters. but they are finding out
differently. 1t seems that the silent
vote is preparing itself for the No
vember balloting: and democratic
leaders say that when that vote turns
out in large numbers for the purpose OF
registering, it means a heavy demo-
cratic ~outpouring ON election day. Mr..
Murphy of Tammany is said to be in
high feather over the showing made
Savannah News.
We hope that Judge Watts has walk
ed up the people of Lancaster in the
matter Of that Morrison lynching. In
his charge to the grand jury he said
that every man who had participated
ia it was a foul and atrocious murder
er. That was pretty strong language,
but he sized the guilty parties UP
about right and the learned judge
might have added hat those who at
tempt to shield or defend the crime
are accessories after the fact. Rub t
into them good. It is said that hard
words break no bones, but they may
be used to break the door of the public
conscience down.-FIorence Times.
If an end is not put to the practice
of corrupting voters the United States
will soon hav the evil distinction of
possessing the most verEaI electorate III
the world. There is scarcely a doubt
full state" in which there are not a
! large number of electors whose ballots
are for sale to the highest bidder. 1t
is the class to which the practical poi
~itician' addressed himself. Their
votes for as much as the votes
Of the WiseSt and best men in the COM
munity. The price paid them for their
venality has been steadily rising in
successive campaigns. They constitute
now a permanently venal class, and
their votes have to be reckoned with
in every election. The vote of the
clergyman, the professional or business
man, the student, mechanic. the clerk,
the farmer-indeed of any honest man
with convictions on political issues
may be offset by the ballot of a man
who hawks his vote around and sells
it to the purchaser WHO can afford to
pay most for it.-Baltimore Sun.
Judge Parker's emphatic speech ir.
favor of Philippine independence has
stirred the republicans to unwonted
'+thunders of loquacious wrath He
advocates the policy Of "scuttle;" he
is a bad American and a poo spirited
creature. Why all this raging of the
heathen? Mr.. Parker has said the
same thing before Thousands of tn.
most eminent men in the country Pc
titiOned both party conventions to
promise the Fflipincs Independence,
, These college presidents, bishops
judges, philanthropists, the republica7
Press merely pitied, not reviled. Why,
then, should it storm SO violently a
Judge Parker fer agreeing with the best
men of the land? Such fury is 10;
> usually awakened in Republican heal I:
unless the pocket nerve is touched. We
: suspect it has BEEN Many a scheme
for making money out of the Philip.
pines depends Upon their retention
e and is only waiting till after election
to be brought out and pushed. Hence
r b feroctty of these attacks upor
Judge Parker is so suSpiciousIy Xix.
= that Of persons who see booty slippin,
: from them which they had marked a.
, their own. Hence their access u
IL doubts whether h Fflipinos viii eve,
y be able to govern themselves: their tri
e umphant question, How do you knoS
q that the islanders want their indepen
: dence, when they have no way O
n making their opinions known?" Th
sufficient answer is given by Lord Ac
ton in his discussion of governing ma
lions by consent" is proved as well b
- "vapor Of opinion" as by the defnit
- mechanism OF representation" Tha
i the vapor Of Filipino opinion is hostil
tor American domination, even Secrc
IL tary Taft does % deny.-New Yor
,r Post.