The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-17

Just why Secretary Hay should ask
France to make that old Moorish
bandit, Raisouli, release Mr.. Ion Perdi-
carts, OF New Jersey. and his British
son-in-iaw, Mr.. Cromwell Varley, is a
little more than We a understand.
True, the dusky Moor demands as the
price OF release a little matter of So
600. n the dismissal of the pasha at
Tangier. and a principality OF thirty
eight square kilometers commanding
the main route from Tangier TO Fee.
Secretary Hay himself would no doubt
experience some slight difficulty in ar
ranging the bargain for release on these
terms, put why shouldn't he make a
stab at it instead Of asking friendly
France To haggle with the old rascal
over terms ?-Atlanta Journal.
It will be a fine spectacle to see the
Port Arthur squadron make a dash for
liberty against the japanese blockad-
ing fleet, with the chances for it's COM
plete destruction very great. But that
is the proper thing for the Russians to
undertake. no doubt. They ought to be
able to leave their mark, at least, on
the naval power CT the enemy and
cripple. the japanese strength at sea
considerably. The effort to do this. at
least, will be- much better than keep
ing the ships shut in Port Arthur al
most certain prizes to the enemy. upon
their capture of that place, or blown
to wrecks by the Russians themselves
to prevent their falling into the vic
tors hands. Tt is hoped by the general
staff Of Russia that the vessels may
be Die to reach ~Vladivostock, but that
is probably only a glittering dream
Charleston Post.
There is a popular belief that the
very large number of persons who lose
sleep and otherwise distress themselves
because of their fear of germs be-
long to the "crank" class. The prosy in
dividual who has been taking things as
they come without worrying about in
visible enemies does not need much
persuasion to be convinced that the
man who refuses to handle an old SO
bill because he has calculated hat it
harborS a few million germs is a fit
subject for the madhouse. There is
doubtless something in favor of both
these viewpoints and safely lies in a
middle course. Reasonable precautions
should be taken in the interest of
health but without harassing ones
peace of mind. 1t is true that our
grandmothers swept the carpets with
wi troubling about the germs that
might be inhaled when they raised the
dust, but then our grandfatherS lost no
rest on account Of the boil weevil or
the Hessian fly. Times have changed
and the plaques may have changed
with them.-Columbia State.
So many interesting and very impor-
tant POLITICAL questions have arisen
from our possession of the Philippines
that not a few Americans have lost
sight of the efforts the United States
government is making to improve the
material condition of the people OF the
islands and the success which is re-
warding these efforts. The Manila
Daily RulIetin issued on May 1st a spe-
cial edition. consisting of fifty-six pages,
describing the progress of the islands
under American rule, in which is much
to INTEREST and . crafty every man
who believes that the experiment in the
Pacific can be carried to success. The
government departments, the industries
OF the islands and the business enter
prises are treated at length, without
partisan spirit, and the various articles
are usually encouraging. 1t is rather
disheartening to learn, however, that
American business houses generally
pack goods for the Philippines so
carelesslY that the articles arrive
smashed almost beyond repair. A
careful study of this edition Of The
Bulletin will give "a much clearer idea
OF what Uncle sam is COluS On the
other sid of the world than most Of
his nephnws and nieces low possess
New York Sun.
If President Roosevelt makes any re-
ply at all to the appeal OF the union
miners OF Colorado, he should simply
read them a lesson in the nature OF
American government. With crime in a
state. not affecting federal officers or
functions, the Washington authorities
have no more to do than with municipal
taxation. The tendency to rush to the
White house for everything is humili-
ating- 1t implies that Americans are
forgetting how to govern themselves
forgetting that the genesis and the glory
OF our institutions lie in local control Of
local affairs. OF course, the Colorado
miners have vaguely in mind the prece-
dent of the presidents intervention in
the Pennsylvania coal strike. But. IN
the first place, a was not strictly a
local disorder. It threatened misery to
the people of a score OF states. Fur
thermore, the president professed no
shadow of legal right to interfere. He
merely volunteered his good offices. No
thing in the Colorado situation calls for
even so much as that. Let the state
punish it's own criminals, protect its
own citizens, enforce it's own laws. re
the officials Of Colorado are corrupt or
oppressive, the freeman's remedy is in
the hands OF it's citizens.-New York
Post.