The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-15
DR.. KILGO AND Mr.. PAGE
BOTH SIDES ARE GIVEN IN JUSTICE
TO ALL.
Mr. Harker Says Or. KiIgO is God-Sent, and
So.
that Mr.. Page ApoIogized--The
Extent of the Apology.

College, in private letter, requests us
to print the communication Of Mr.. w.
4. Harker with reference to the speech
of Rev Jesse II. Page at the MaXton
District Conference, which appeared III
the Charlotte Observer a few days ago.
He saws: Il was on the point Of writing
reply when l saw Mr.. Harker's. You
doubtless know him to be Il man of high
integrity. lie gives true statement.
/ ask you 10 publish this in justice to
all" MIR. Harkers article is as follows:
MIR. HARKER's ARTICLE.
TO the Editor: in your issue of yes
treday is given a prominent place, under
exhaustive headlines. Il communication
purDortng to he from MaXton, concern
ing an unpleasant, and, / think, an IN
called-for incident of our late District
Conference. l find it copied in to-day
News and Observer, under misleading
heading. and | presume that II VIII go
the round Of those papers which seem
to he open to a syndicate OF intolerance
that is doing more to injure State instl-
buttons than their true friends can do
to build them up.
This communication may, as it states,
have been sent from MaXton, but | have
reason, outside of internal evidence, for
thinking it originated elsewhere. But
whether or not my surmises be correct,
if the writer had intended to be entire
ly fair, he would have stated that, while
il was true that one member of the
entire Conference (and a well-beloved
member made a mistake, he apollo
gized for it and withdrew his remarks,
| ho+ bo
vous and had misunderstood DR.. Kilgo,
thinking he had referred to speech re-
Gently delivered by his nephew, at
Greensboro.
Il am almost sure that no citizen of
| Maxton would have picked out a part
! of the only unpleasant incident occur
ring during one of the most pleasant
sessions of Rockingham District Con-
ference for special comment. l say this
with much confidence, because the
members of the Conference were our
guests, and their hosts are gentlemen.
Therefore, | choose to attribute its orr
gin to a syndicate formed for the en-
deavor to break down Dr. Kilgo's in
fuence among the Methodists of the
State, must be permitted to express
hope that this literary bureau is not
maintained at the expense of the State.
II heard DIR. Kilgo's address on Chris.
tan education, referred to by your cor.
respondent, and have heard him several
times upon the same subject. but not
once have ] heard him refer to our
State University in one of these pubic
addresses He, in common with many
others engaged in higher education, not
alone in this country, but in Europe also,
believes there is something radically
wrong in the educational systems of the
world. He believes that our civilization
depends upon making Christ the founda-
ton Of our education. Possessed by this
conviction, he comes, as L belleve, God
sent inspired with a mission to make
North Carolina Methodists think about
Christian education as they never
thought before. Surely he has a right
to talk to his own people, who have
placed him at the head Of their chef
educational institution, without unrea-
sonable attacks. If the State institu-
tons are engaged in Christian education,
then they can have no quarrel with DR..
Kilgo. Last week l read in the News
and Observer q communication from
Morehead City, which contained an ar
gument 60 upon par with most of the
thrusts which stately appear. The cor
respondent stated in substance that Or.
Kilgo was preaching and a drunken fell
low came up to him, the aforesaid cor
respondent, and Prof. Massey (who is
mostly around if the president of Irinl-
ty is to be criticisedD, and asked if they
had been over there to the theatre.
Then that part of the syndicate dismisses
Kilgo and his great mission with the OBJ
servation that he 'rants too much for
him.
"Now comes this later effort to answer
the great appeal that this really strong
man is making to his own people-and
it is an effort to stir up strife between
two men of God, who have probably
plane Of thought and life than all the
syndicators in all parts of the State.
"W. B. HARKER."
"Maxton, N. c., July g."
Having published the above, it becomes
also necessary to publish the following
that appeared in the editorial columns
of the Charlotte Observer of the 18th
of July:
MORE OF MR.. PAGE AT MAN
TON"
The editor of the Observer. who sus-
tains the warmest personal relations
with Rev. Jesse III. Page, of the North
Carolina Conference, had personal let
ter from him by last nights mail in rel
erence to his remarks at the recent Dis
trict Conference at Maxton and to the
communication in Sundays Observer
bearing upon the incident. Since we
have gone into this matter it is as well
to see it to the end, and Mr.. Page will
pardon us for making a few quotations
from his letter. 1t is due him that we
should. He writes in part:
81 stand squarely by every sentence,
line and word Of that Maxton speech
of mine as it appeared in the Observer
| of the 9Th inst. I have not Withdrawn,
nor apologized for one word or syllable
contained in it. I did use one express
sion which was not nice or elegant, and
withdrew it just as soon as my atten'
ton was called to it by friend. 1t was
this: That DR.. Kilgo was throwing dirt
and rotten eggs at our State schools.
/, eliminated the eggs as indecent, blu
distinctly stated at the time that the