The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-23
PUBLIC SENTIMENT ALL ONE
WAY.


One of the most painful public duties
this paper has been called upon to rem
der is to aEtagonize the report of the
Wilson investigating committee.
We had hoped that the wisdom of
this Legislature would devise method
of submitting the whole question to the
courts where a judge and jury could
determine the rights of the parties.
Such a plan would have let Maj. Will
son sue in the courts of Burke and
Ohio Wilson in the courts of Wake.
If such tribunals had said either was
entitled to recover. no complaint could
have been made. Such method would
have separated the cases so that it
would not be necessary to vindicate or
acquit. both, but to let each stand or
fall upon the evidence a. TO his own
actions. 1t ought not now to be too
late to make such disposition of the
hardest NUT this Legislature has been
cdlleu upon 10 cTdck.
The people in all parts of the State
are deeply interested in the disposition
of the matter, and the sentiment is
ties where there is no personal bias.
This editor in long career Of journal
ism has never received so many endorse
ments of any position taken upon pub
lie question as in the attitude taken by
the paper in opposition to adopting the
report as presented by the committee.
Bankers, lawyers, ministers, merchants,
teachers, farmers, and men from the
extreme west to the extreme east write
words of cheer and endorsement, and
say as one eminent gentleman wrote.
$50 on. The people are with you. in
the fight. They eagerly watch the pa
per and pray that wisdom will be vouch-
safed the Legislature to avoid he
blunder of embarrassing in case
which is none Of our row."
Another gentleman, in private note
says: III
Having incurred the displeasure of
Gold Democrats "a the fear of Populist
pie-hunters and 4 the hatred of Radical
carpet baggers is sufficient evidence OF
your fidelity to Democracy and love OF
White Supremacy, so in the name OF
right give no. ground, but continue in
~. wi, b. 7
that in saying the Wilson commission
report should not be adopted, you
voice the sentiment of the people whom
You represent just as fully now as yor
did before they were elected
We might fill a whole column with
such extracts from letters written by
representative men who have KEEP;
track of the investigation. a member
of the House, who represents one OF
the best counties in Piedmont Nortl
Carolina said yesterday:
AS it now stands / could not thinl
of voting for the report if no Other
man did SO. /, do not know a man il
my county who is in favor of its adop
ton or of reinstatement There are
many others who feel the same way.
The Legislature is doing well to wait
until the evidence is printed before act
ing. 1t is unfortunate that no exam
ination or cross-examination or S. OthC
Wilson was made, and that very little
evidence was taken as to his transac
tions. Before jury such volume OF
testimony would be adduced as wouc
make the circumstantal evidence over
whelmingly against his Reinstatement
There was no public hearing of the ties
timony presented. with reference to hi
case, no argument, no sitting of eyi
dence as there would be in court Blu
there is enough TO make it certain tina
he ought not TO be re-instated by :
Legislature elected to give better gov
eminent by better men than the Fusion
rule from 1895 to 1899 has given us.