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

hVe hundred Democratic editors from
all parts of the United States, met at
a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria to-
night, the occasion being a national
conference of Democratic editors,
The Democratic committee
The toast list included several Of
the best known Democratic editors in
the country. and all OF them respond
ed TO toasts on political subjects. s.
E. johnson, Washington correspon-
dent of The Cincinnati ENQUIRER. and q
former president of the Gridiron club,
was the toastmaster. A large orches-
ira furnished music during the din
ner. When Dixie was played. the
diners, many Of whom were from the
South, jumped to their feet and the
rebel yeti was given several times.
Enthusiasm was at the highest pitch
when the selection was encored
A letter from Joseph Pulitzer, writ
ten from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Chair
man Daniels. in which the writer stat
ed that physical infirmities prevented
his being present, was read. The let
ter in part was as follows:
''The result in Vermont reported
today should be accepted as a warning,
not as encouragement. Remember
that the largest total vote ever. cast in
Vermont is only fifty-six thousand. IT
is absurd to suppose that the result of
the presidential election is decided, or
even foreshadowed. The contest is
4 Int IN.
state, whose habit it is 10 vote inde-
pendently; in the rich and popuIous
| industrial cities of Connecticut and
New Jersey, on the wide plains and in
| the busy marts of Indiana, Wisconsin
and Illinois. and in the doubtful states
| OF the farther west. There are signs
Of reaction against protection, priv
ilege and plutocracy: against person.
| al government, militarism. ex.rays.-
| gance and the political power of the
| trust. Mr.. Roosevelt's weakness as a
| candidate in his own state has been
| demonstrated at every election
| should he carry the country iE No
| Ivember, as it is possible that he NAV.
| the adverse vote of New York would
| serve as salutary check on his Csur-
patton of power, and no effort should
| be spared 10 secure this result
| The lesson of the Vermont election
is that the Independents and the Dem
ocrats must work with increased vigor
and under a more thorough system
Truth may be self-radiant, but it is
but self-enforcing. Truth is mighty
put 1T will not prevail without all the
aids of publicity. Truth must be pro-
claimed, illustrated. established, en-
| forced. Most important of all, truth
must have leader.
| The result of the Vermont election
makes 1t, in my judgment, all the more
IMPERATIVE that Judge Parker shall
realize and perform his duty to the
millions of honest voters who seek ne
Cffice, look for no personal gain in this
election, but who see in him an idea
and a hope
(Signature)
JOSEPH PULITZER.
Editor Henry watterson, of tn,
Loisviile Courier-Journal, responded
to the toast IF Were a Republican
Mr.. Watterson's Speech.
Mr.. Watterson said:
In order to allay curiosity and sup
press conjecture-or words to tha
effect-let me say in the beginnin.
| that I believe we can Win this preSi
Dental battle 1 will go even further
and say that, with anything like al
even showdown Of powder and ball
it will be our own fault if we lose ii
:
fairly united. Each will poll YER.
nearly, if not quite. its norma
, strength. The Independent vote, there
fore, will decide the result.
, In the five debatable states Of Ney
York, New Jersey and Connecticut fl
the east; Indiana and Wisconsin in tn
west, there are, on rough estimate
q. million of these Independent voters
Half u million of them are Germans
I The other half are mugwumps an
fioaters. For the life OF me 4 canno
see how any self-respecting mugwum
can vote for Roosevelt, the recrean
civil service reformer. nor how any in
telligent German, much as the Presi
dent resembles the Kaiser. can b
/, willing to take even lottery chanc
2 in n war with the mother country, pre-
2 cipitated upon the drop of a hat, {
:. glorify the administration
3 Parker. the jurist, means peace wit
: ell nations. entanglfng alliance wit
|. none. Roosevelt, the war lord. mean
: complications abroad and corruption
Y at home, designed 10 prolong a singi