The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-05
ONCE MORE, GIVE
OUT THE REPORT
So Speaks the Chamber
to the Governor.
HIS LETTER is READ
He Gives His Reasons For Not Making
Public the Report Of the Encamp-
ment Site Commission.-The
Chamber Reiterates
Its Request.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Wilmington, N. c.. August 4.-The
meeting of the Wilmington Chamber
of Commerce this morning to conside,
the reply of Governor Aycock with
reference to the encampment matter
was largely attended and lasted until
well in the afternoon. The Governors
reply and the chambers rather harsh
criticism of his action in sending the
encampment to Morehead in prefer
ence TO Wrightsville without making
public the report of the committee
sent out to inspect the sites were read
at the meeting and provoked heated
discussion, the cause of Governor Ay-
cock being rather vigorously cham
picned by eX-Representative Martin
S. Willard.
Governor Aycocks letter is as fol-
lows:
''The Wilmington Chamber of Com
merce, No. IA Princess street, Will
mington, n. C.
"Gentlemen:-I acknowledge receipt
of the resolutions adopted by your
Chamber on July goth. with reference
to the selection of the site for the en-
campment for the National Guard of
North Carolina.
THE tone of the resolutions is such
that | was tempted at first merely TO
acknowledge their receipt without
further reply, but I am mindful of the
truth of the old saying What others
say of ME matters little, but what
myself say and do, matters much to
me- [ can therefore with calmness
pass by the suggestion in your pream-
bic that / have been unmindfui of
the best interests of the State Guard, ;
and deny without heat that 1 am
seeking conserve the interest of
Morehead City at the cost of the mill
tary service of the State and that I
have done Wrightsville grave and
deliberate injustice
"TheSe are serious charges 20 be
brought against the Governor of the
State by the Chamber of Commerce of
the leading city In the State. Your
propinquity to Wrightsville undoubt-
edly entities you to a lively interest
in the growth, development and pros
perity of that delightful summer re-
sort but the Constitution of this State
and he laws expressly confer upon the
Governor the duties and responsible
ties attached to the position OF Com
mander-in-Chiefo of the military forces
of the State.
II am not conscious of having failed
in this duty at any time since / have
been Governor.
Il note that your resolutions de-
clare that The power to select the
sites resides absolutely with the Gov
ernor,' but that 'whan he appoints
committee to look INTO the relative
merits of the claimants the Governor
waived his arbitrary right of selection
and was in good faith bound to either
accept the recommendation of the
committee or to give satisfactory rea-
sons for not doing So
This statement of yours approaches
correctness, but misses it by one word
THE Governor was bound to accent
the report of the committee or to
have not give satisfactory reasons
for not doing so.
II am aware of no provision in the
Constitution or laws of this State re-
ouiring the Governor to give reasons,
satisfactory or otherwise, for his ac-
tion, save in one instance and that is
when he pardons or commutes the
punishment of a prisoner, and these
reasons when given are to be COM
municated to the Legislature and not
TO private individuals, however honor
able and high their position in life
may be.
81 note further in your resolutions
that the report is not the private prop
erty of the Governor, as said report
was procured at public expenses and
embodies a recommendation which the
Governor in good faith was bound to
observe It did not require your reso-
luton to establish the fact that the
report is not the private property of
the Governor nor that 1T was pro-
cured at the public expense Neither
has ever been denied by
any one It does not follow however.
that you are entitled to copy of the
report because it is not my private
and was procured at public
expense If you are entitled to a
copy of the report, each individual!
i'm North Carolina is entitled to de-
mand and have n copy furnished from
this office to him. l cannot recog-
nize any higher right III your Cham
ber,-composed as it is Of able, honor
able, wealthy and influential men,
than abides in the humblest citizen Of
this State If there is anything in the
laws of this State emitting YOU to a
COPY of that report, the humblest citi-
zen in the State is likewise entitled to
Il and / should furnish it to him as
readily as to your Chamber. But
there are many papers. reports and
essential to the conduct of |
he affairs of the State which, while |
paid for at the expense of the State. |
ire still not public documents in the |
sense that they are to be furnished |
lpon application to individuals asking |
'or them, nor are they to be published I
Except in the discretion of the officers /
laving them in charge. l need but to