The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-30

ment having this great work in charge.
| In 1902 the main n and bitches
in the region affected aggregated more
than $1,000 miles and the work Of
reclamation is but in its infancy. The
total cost OF construction Of the ne
cessary h~ead-gates, dams, main canals.
| bitches. reservoirs n pumping sta
| tons was at that time a little over
nfnety-three millions of dollars, which
| OF itelf suggests the hundreds Of mil
lions that may eventually be invested
| in the territory covered by the statute.
The magnitude OF the conception. and
the enormous expense its carrying out
| involves, make u realize the over
whelming importance Of a broad, cap
| able and honest administration Of the
work authorized by the statute. IL ef-
feet is to be given to that part OF the
| plan that relieves the country at large
from ultimate liability.
THE PANAMA CANAL.
An Isthmian canal has long been the
| hope of our statesmen, and the ayOw-
| ed aim of III two great parties, as
their platforms in the past show. The
| Panama route having been selected,
| the building of the ana should be
| pressed to completion with all reason
| able expedition.
The methods by which the executive
| acquired the Panama canal route and
rights are a source OF regret TO many
| To them the statement that thereby
a great public work was assured to the
profit of our people is not a sufficient
answer to the charge Of violation or
national good faith They appreciate
that the principles and healthy convic-
tons which in their working out have
made US free and great, stand m
against the argument or suggestion
that we should be blind to the nature
of the means employed to promote our
welfare. They hold that adherence u
principle, whether it works for our
good or i'll, will nave a more beneficent
influence on our future destiny than
all our material upbuilding, n h a
the idea of doing a wrong to a smaller
weaker nation that We, or even all
mankind, may have a resultant good
is ~repugnant to the principles upon
which our government was founded.
Under the laws of the United states
the duty is imposed on the 20
proceed with due diligence in the work
of constructing the canal. duty
should be promptly performed.
AMERICAN SHIPPING.
Our in American bottoms
amounts to but nine per cent. of our
total exports and imports. For forty
years prior to 1861, when the republic
can party came into power, our mer-
chant marine carried an average OF
l eighty percent. OIL our lOTelSH COtu-
merce. By 1887 it had dwindled To
twenty-seven per cent. Now we carry
but a contemptibly small fraction 90
our exports and imports.
American shipping in the foreiS
trade was greater by almost one hun
dred thousand tons in 1S10-nearly q
hundred years ago-than it was las
year. In the face Of the continuous
decline in the record of American ship
ping during the last forty-three years
the promise of the republican party &C
restore it is without encouragement
The record of the democratic party
gives assurance that the task can bt
more wisely entrusted to it.
1t is an arduous task to undo the CT
feet of forty years of decadence, an(
requires the study and investigate;
of those best fitted by experience tt
find the remedy,-which surely doe:
not lie in the granting of subsidies
wrung from he pockets Of all thet tax.
{ payers.
DEPARTMENTS.
Recent disclosures, coupled with tn
rapid augmentation of government ex
penditures. show a need Of an investi
cation of every department. The dem
, ocrats in congress demanded it. Tn
= republican majority refused the de
mand. The people can determine b,
t their vote in November whether the.
r wish an honest and thorough investi
) Cation. A democratic congress and ex
: ecutive will assure it.
ARMY AND NAVY.
We are justly proud OF the Officer,
{ and men of our army and navy. Both
{ however, have suffered from the PEI
; sistent injection of personal and politi
D cal influence. Promotions and appoint
: ments have been frequently based o.
favoritism instead Of merit. Trials an.
1 court-martials have been set aside Tn
der circumstances indicating Pc Utica
;, interference. These n other abuse
should be corrected.
! PENSIONS FOB OUR Err
n AND SAILORS.
= The national democracy fayors lib
= eral pensions to the surviving soldier
and sailors and their dependents, o
= the ground that they deserve liberia
treatment. 1t pledges by it's platform
adequate legislation to that end. BIT
= it denies the right of the executive t
usurp the power Of congress to legis
Z late on that subject. Such usurpatio
l was attempted by pension order No. q
and effect has been given to it by
congress that dared not resent til
usurpation. 1t is said that this orde
was made in performance of a dut
imposed Upon the president by act G
congress-" but the provision makiti
the imposition is not pointed out. Tn
act to which the order refers, which
: the one relating to pensions to Civ
II war veterans, does not authorize PEI
. sions on the ground of age. 1t doc
y grant pensions to those suffering fro.
any mental or physical disability, 9
disabilities. of a permanent characte,
q not the result of their own yiciou
habits, which SO incapacitates thei
u from the Performance of manual labc
as to render them unable to earn
support" This specified requirement /;
i~ncapacity is in effect set aside by OIL
der No. IS as to all persons over sixty
two.
Isl The war closed nearly forty veal
IS ago. In the meantime many OF OF
= soldiers and sailors long survived II
n age of sixty-two, and passed ava
Ie without receiving n pension. Skille
d pension attorneys hunting through Ii
}. statutes failed to find there a provisio