The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-14
CURRENT

The Baltimore American asserts that
the practice OF dipping viii not he
abolished eau there is E5t neral
courage enough in n country' to put
an end to IL. The criticism IL pretty
severe. But isn't it about correct
Even the adminiss alton has officially
recognized the tip. n army officers
are allowed a certain sum per day for
tipping the servants OK the hotels n
railroads they p~atroaize. A man mas
a right TO tip with his " ;noney II
he pleases. but il seems there ought 10
be moral courage enough in The
try TO prevent tipping VITA the money
Of the taxpayers.@Savaanah News.
1t is very hard at this distance to
say with any degree of certainty what
will be the effect upon the Wisconsin
contest of the decision Of the supreme
court in favor Of LaFollette. He viii
doubtless be elected governor. but il
remains TO be seen whether or not the
stalwarts will support the eleven re-
publican electors who have stood by
ally by the governor. II they refuse
the democrats will have a chance to
elect at least eleven of their electors.
Apart from all this, however, we are
glad that LaFollette has won. He is
a politician, and he is ambitious, but he
made a gallant and successful fight
against the corrupt republican ring in
his state and brought about desirabia
reforms. He may have formed a ring
of his own, but il is o the less trde
that he was a ring smasher and the
people have gotten the benefit of his
Dispatch.
The shaIlowness Of the republican
p%retense of favoring good government
-z,-ll 80 - L4|NA~ sr1,-f-1fnI RAza lr
the attitude of that party in the Mis-
souri, campaign. With the issue in that
state squarely drawn between honesty
and dishonesty, oecency and DOODLE,
purity and impurity, the republic Ips
who ever profess hoImess. have de;i5-
erately lined themselves on the side
Of impurity, dishonesty and Doodle.
They are making a fight against the
election of District Attorney Joe Folk
for governor solely because he happens
to be a democrat. With the paramount
issue of purity overshadowing every
thing else in the eyes OF the people, as
it should. these republican purists pre-
fer to stand for bood.e aEd the gang.
1t makes no difference what their pro-
fessions may be, the fac. that h Ie-
publican organization in fighting Folk
becomes the reprcse NATIVE of all the
~rottenness which has disgcaeai Missou-
ri is apparent.-Atlanta Constitution.
Atlanta has once more elected
James G. Woodward mayor Of the city.
Woodward was mayo four years ago
and made things lurid during the term
of his incumbency. Four or five times
he was brought before the council on
charges Of drunkenness and he kept
the city in a turmoil over bis disport-
ings. Twice he put his resignation In
tho hands nf tho cnrnof1 n q n >la1oa IF
good conduct, to become operative
should he lapse from rectitude, but he
held through to the end CT his ternt,
when revulsion Of the diSgraceful con-
duct of the mayer resulted in the over
whelming election of Cclore1 LivingS-
ton Mimms, a gentleman of the old
school who made a very good executive
and was succeeded by Mayor Evan
Howell. Now the Atlantans have re-
verted to Woodward. The new mayor
is said to be g very genial fellow and
a good enough man when he is sober.
but he is pretty sure 20 give Atlenta
another period Of high jinks. But #
! Atlanta likes that sort of thing the rest
Of us have no cause to complain. we
have all heard OF the Atlanta spirit
and Mayor Woodward is frequently
full of it.-Charleston Post.
In view of the awkward position o.
republican orators and organs, called
on 20 explain the So, 600, 900 deficiency
in the governments for the
first two months of the fiscal year, il
is natural that they should greet with
jubilatiOn the news of a So, 800, 900 sur
! plus for September. 1t is truc that
! the same month in 1903 yielded a sur
plus revenue of $1,000. 900, and in 100:
! one of s11 600, 900. But there is at al
| events a SurDluS. ond If might he that
the urn of the tide is close at hand
This is possible. Receipts by the gov
eminent last month, ran beyond 1903
which has not happened since Febru
airy. Expenditure increased to be sure
more rapidly than income; but expen.
ditures can somtimes be temporarily
held in check. Even so, the govern.
ment's accounts annot provide yer,
great comfort to administration ora
tors. October interest payments foot
ing up something like $4,000. 900, canno'
be deferred; it is not easy to keel
down the drafts of the navy depart
ment. with the years much larger ap
preparations on the books, and even 'as
October there was a deficit of nearl,
$1,000, 000. If last years results wer'
to De duplicated election day would b
approached with a deficit for the fouI
completed months Of the fiscal year
amounting to something like $23, 900. 00e
The secretary of the treasury las
December estimated that the deficit 70
the full fiscal ear 1865 would be jus
this sum. Not to excced v hat fl
from optimistic estimate, it would b,
necessary to have no more excess 0
expenditure between election day an;
July first.-New York Post.
One Of MANY