The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-27
Especial TO The MxSsengerl

Washington, Nov. 24.-With negroes
booming Secretary of War Taft for
president, and denouncfng President
Roosevelt. politics has had a queer
cast this week. No one. of course,
takes the matter with overwhelming
seriousness, but 1t cannot be denied
that serious possibilities ara there.
Politicians have been asking. and I'm
no spirit of leyity, what would happen
should the negroes of the country cut
loose from their traditional allegiance.
TO the republican party, and act united
ly In politics as an independent force.
AT the south their weight would not
be largely felt, for there the blacks
have been pretty we'll DISTINGUISHED;
but what about the norla? Il is a well
known fact, for instance, that In Ohio
the negroes hold the balance of the
power, and there are no restrictions
on negro suffrage. The same undoub-
tedly is true in Indian. and. probably.
in Illinois, though the independent
vote in Chicago is so large as to great
ly lessen chances that negroes could
| turn the tide
The saving feature Oh the situation is
the slightness of the prospect that the
negroes could be organized to cooperate
at the polls. The negro Is traditionally
| republican, Just the same as the
| southern white man is traditionally a
| democrat, but it is not because of any
organization or natural homogeneity.
| Were an election to be held tomorrow
| and were Theodore Roosevelt a candi-
date, II is not doubted that the resent
ment of the negro over the discharge
or colored troops would express itself
at the polls; but the American elector
is famed for the shortness of his men,
| ory OF wrongs, and in this respect he
truth is even more pronounced in the
negro's case. Next year he will have
! forgotten all about his grievance, and
probably will be just as fervid In his
admiration OF the president as he is
now vigorous in his denunciation.
There are now in Washington repre-
sentatives in congress from a number
of states drained by the Mississippi and
its tributaries who are Matching a pro-
ject that Is likely to be heard from dur
ing the coming winter. They propose
no less thing than combine Of rep
resentatives form all the middle west
ern states to secure enormous internal
improvements at the expense, IL need
be, Of the navy, the Philippines, or any
ether outside project which is absorb
ing the public funds.
Their pet scheme is for a ship canal
connecting the Mississippi river with
she great lakes. This is no new idea
but they claim IL has been vitalized by
work on the Panama canal: that con-
struction Of the canal across the 18TH
mus would be illogical and foolish un-
less the canal from the Father OF
waters 10 the great lakes were to be
built as a companion piece.
:. The estimated cost OF the proposed
canal is 10000, 900. Two projects ary
discussed. One is TO build the cana
: direct from Chicago to Cairo. and thu
! other Is to widen and deepen and util
lie the channel Of the Illinois river A,
to which would be the better project
that is a problem for the engineers Il
solve. What the members OF congres.
want Is canal. and they are not dis
posed To quibble over details IL the,
l can effect their organization and hol,
: it together. they viii accomplish some
. thing. The trouble in ventures of thi
kind is that when opposition from tn
: powers-that-be In encountered SOM
weak brothers always give way. an,
there Is general stampede.