The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-05
CURRENT COMMENT.

In connection with the false report
tnat ex-senator Davis. the octogenar-
ian yfce-presidential candidate OF the
democratic party contemplated mat
rfmony a number Of our %ontempor.
aries quote the old saying. "AH ne
world loves &C hover" That is true
but for b benefit OF the fellow who
nat all the world does not love a
fiar.-Norfolk Landmark.
Mr.. Cortelyou. the highly
chairman Of the national republican
committee. has begun the business OF
prophesyfng. He said on Moaday
that Nj. Roosevelt already has 1851
electoral votes as a certainty" He
gives Judge Parker the solid south.
lS1 votes. and places New York. New
Jersey and West Virginia in the
doubtful column. Cortelyou counts
on Maryland as being republican, and
sumo a cocksureneSs of the situa-
ton that must be gratifying to his
lord and master. II the thing is as
eas as Mr.. Cortelyou appears to
think. he ought to call off the cam
Daign art once and declare that Ii Is
unanimous The democrats have
never had a better chance TO win
a national election, and the indica-
tics are that the unterrifed will maxi
an aggressive fight from the jump
News n Courier.
Several days ago we received Il
communication from a correspondent
In Richmond seeking information
concerning the report sent by our
Washington correspondent that Presi-
dent Roosevelt had appointed A
young negro man to take the place of
a worn out employe of the govern,
ment whose daughter was seeking ap-
pointment to fill the This
correspondent asked for the names of
the persons concerned and for further
particulars. Our Washington CORES
pendent replies that the story was
given him directly by the nephew OF
the lady in question. but that as this
lady is seeking another position. her
relative does not car to make her
name public. Our correspondent
hopes to be able eventually to obtain
permission 10 use names. and in that
event will make them public. He
adds: I'm fairness. I should say that
1T was not stated that the president
knew of the fact that the head of n
department was planning to have the
ploye TAX his position" We state
these simple facts in Justice to all
persons overwhelmingly Dispatch.
The salaries of the st. Louis fair
officials have all been cut and a good
many employees have been discharged
On scant notice. We are afraid the
secretary of the treasury IS to blame
for this sign Of prosperity" When
the fair management secured arlOan
Of $4,600,000 from the government, IL
hardly expected its creditors TO be so
rigorous in the matter of payment
But Mr.. Shaw began right off to de!
mand his. money back. On June Is
he made The fair live up to contract
to turn over to him half the receipts
to date, and he has called for his
$4,000 600 every half month since then.
The treasury was piling UP a deficit
that reminded one of The days before
the Mckinley prosperity" set in, and
he had to maxi every cent tell. 1t
was not his fault that business was
not good enough to let every one go
to the fair. Still, his action would
" e commensurate even If the
situation had not required
prompt measures. If the out
come of the st. Louis fair shall tend
in the least to discourage the use of
government funds for suc projects
in the future. the present situation
will not be a matter for regret.-New
York Pos
The New York Press. that fervid
and sprightly republican organ which
put the "free-Irader" tag on President
Mckinley and Secretary Roo because
they recommended the performance
of "our plain duty" toward our wards
in Porto Rico. and h legs of whose
editor are not unfamiliar with Saga
more Hill mahogany, declares-and
puts it in big type as a fouriline title
10 an editorial-that Representative
government depends upon platforms,
made by parties and the people. noL-
Il single man." Taken in connections
with the republican party's treatment
of its platform of 1900-uhe latest
which it has had an opportunity to
treat in any way-that is interesting
as a specimen OF ~stupendOus gall.
Where, in that platform, is there
a single serious pledge that has not
been repudiated? Our contempora-
RVS sneer at a "single man." refers to
Judge Parker and his telegram TO the
st. Louis convention. And that re-
minds US of a plank that was edited
out Of the republican platform of
1900, and was subsequently proclaim
ed far and wide by President McKin-
ley. It related to the government OF
the FiIipinos. in which both the Nc
Kinley and the Roosevelt admiEistra-
lions have performed creditable work.
1t was not the party platform. but
the "single-man" declaration on the
republican side that confronted the
paramount issue in the Kansas City
Mckinley. the free trader" was ike
Judge Parker. in that he possessed
courage and honesty which seemed to
be lacking in the proceedings of a
national convention. - Washington
Post