The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-06
THE LION AND THE LITTLE
LAMBS.

We were in hopes, when we heard
that the governor of the state had re-
ceived a proposition for the lease of the
Atlantic and North Carolina railroad
which he and his advisers considered
advantageous to The road. TO its private
stockholders and to the state and that
they had accepted such proposition, af-
ter a large majority of those private
stockholders had declared in favor OF
it, that the Lion of Mecklenburg and the
little lambs OF the press of the state
might lie down together in peace but
alas, we were doomed to disappoint-
ment. The Lion is still rampant and
still shows desire TO devour the poor
little lambs. He a even stopped
his refrain of Me Too as accom-
paniment to the o Of tine
organ" at the capital and goes
counter to its views on the results Of
the meeting at Morehead City on the
LIST instant of the stockholders and d.
rectors OF the corporation. And i n so
doing the Lion of M~ecklenburg inciden-
tally and we suppose, accidentally,
gives under credit to the influence n
weight which the little lambs have
welded in this matter.
The News and Observer seems well
satisfied with the results of the meet
ings Of the stockholders n the d.
rectors of the Atlantic and North Car
DINA railroad. The Post of the same
city and also The Chronicle and The
Observer, of Charlotte hin the gov
ernor has done well. The News of
Charlotte evidently does not agree with
them. In it's issue of the End, in speak
ing editorially of the contract made
with Mr.. Rowland it says:
While we doubt that the full value
Of the road has been obtained, consid-
ering the splendid development of the
section through which the road pass
es, a development which is just be-
ginning, yet considering the persistent
hammering, hammering, hammering, OF
the property by certain newspapers in
North Carolina and the necessary de-
probation of the property from these
clamorous attacks, together with the
insistent cry that the state was
to lease the road and was utterly una
bile to conduct it neutrality-suspicious.
lCS AAA6 w
ment ma Ion the best that could nave
been lone for the state. The injury
done by this course can hardly be estl-
mated. If there could have been an
assurance against the continued clamor
it would have been better to postpone
a lease for a yea or so. 1t might have
been better to accept the fi~fteen-year
offer.
But those on the inside knew best
and have no doubt acted for the best
under the unfavorable conditions with
which they had to contend.
There are two points in the above to
which we want to call attention. The
News speaks of the persistent "ham-
mering'' of h property by certain
newspapers of the state. We claim to
keep up pretty we'll with what is being
said editorially by newspapers of the
state and we must say we have failed
to note any -hammering'' of his proper
ty by one of them. If there has been
In attempt on the part Of any of the
papers to hammer down this rail-
road stock it has proven a most signal
failure. A few months ago, about the
time Finch brought his suit for the
appointment of a receiver the stock of
the Atlantic and North Carolina rail-
road could be bought at thirty-five or
thirty-seven and a half cents OF the
dollar Now holders are refusing sixty
five cents for their shares. A bank in
this state has a standing order to buy
for a patron at the latter figures and
cannot get any SO much for the re-
suits of the ''hammering'' tactics of
certain papers"
Then The News doubts that the full
value of the road has been obtained"
We will let The News and Observer of
Raleigh reply to this proposition.
The editor of The News and Observer.
as every one knows, stands very close
to the governor of our state. He is one
of his right HAND men, and chief ad-
visors. AS the governor himself sal
during the Finch-MdBee trials, he has
always stood by him, and that paper
has most vigorously championed the
cause of the state and of the private
stockholders of the road ever since
there began what it termed a ~conspira-
cy to rob the state of it's property in
hat road, and it must be remembered
also that up to the acceptance of the
Rowland proposition The News was
an C of the strong language COLI
tinually being used by the Raleigh pa
per. But it seems that they have come
to the parting of the ways. The News
and Observer in commenting editorially
on the contamination of the deaf with
Mr.. Rowland says:
The lease made on Thursday night
was in full accord with the promises
made by Governor Aycock, and in con-
formity with his views as expressed
by the vote of the states proxy in the
meeting. In voting to accept the Of
fer made in what is known as the
Rowland Proposition" Governor Ay-
cock maintained the position he has
consistently held that when the terms
offered were such as to satisfy him