The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-09

bound TO do 50. seeing our representa-
ton before the advisory board had
pointment Of the committee, In whose
disinterestedness We had entire conf
derce. Your action was accepted b.
the public as an INTERPRETATION OF the
report Of the committee anc thuse was
produced the very condition that YOU
say would have ELECTED adverse criri-
cism Of the committee from this quar-
ter, and which you hoped to avert by
Withholding this report. and yet not a
word Of criticism Of the committee has
eminated from Wilmir gton- Thus we
have fact against theory.
Nor do We think the numerous anal
ogies instituted by You cen BY any pos
sibility be called parallels. As we IN
derstand IL, the law requires the gov
ernor TO report to the legislature rea- /
sons for his pardons. communications.
etc, but there is no provision OF the con-
stftution or the laws requiring the gov
ernor to make these reasons puolic in /
advance OF his repoT, to the legislature.
However, as a matter OF fact. theg gov
ernor gives his reasons to the public
for such acts; and as eSpec pardons
and communications tee reasons assignel
are generally a recSm OF the
jury, solicitor, judge, etc. 1t Is clearly
within the right OF h governor 10
withhold such information from the
public, but he sees fit to give it out vol
a. ~ as eSSS- ~
such instances the public is informed
roll gh the press, so that the humblest
citizen Of the state has access to the
information and does not find IL neces-
sary to apply TO the governor in such
matters. Indeed. we submit that pub
licity is given through the press iii orr
der to render unnecessary the PERSONAL
application of citizens and thus the
humblest citizen of the state Is not dis
eliminated against. Again, the practice
of the United States Senate in the mat
ter OF nations, Investigations,
etc, affords no parallel. 1t is true
that the senate often withholds the in
formation on which it's acts are pred
icated, but when an appointment is not
confirmed, the result of investigation
is mad public by refusal to confirm,
There are good and sufficient reasons
for this, because both the private and
Official character of an appointee may
be under investigation, and it is Sufh-
cient for the public to know that the
senate refuses to confirm. The pub
lie is not left in doubt as to the ad-
verse report of the senate, even IL
| such NATTER, and where subjects of
| investigation are not of a personal ma
ture reports are not Withheld, such for
example as sites for public buildings,
army posts, navy yards. etc; so we
| can only epe that We fail to SEE
wherein our citations are parallels
with your treatment Of the case m
| hand. The committee appointed by
| you to examine into the relative ad-
vantages Of Wrightsville and Morehea5
/ were dealing with mere Physical facts
in their relation to the best interests
i of the National Guard. No private or
public character was involved, and in
the nature Of the case the report OF
/ the committee could not have given
rise to resentment, as is proven by the
1 Interpretation of their report through
I our action.
i You pardon a criminal or commute
a sentence on the recommendation OF
the judge, solicitor, jury, etc, and do
/ not fail to publicly the basis
of your action, while as a matter o.
fact there has perhaps never been a
change Of sentence by the governor
/ that has met with the unanimous APP
prevail of an entire community. We
submit that it would have been in no
/ wise incompatible with the public in
T terest for you to have avowed your
reason" for selecting an encampmeEt
site. for we cannot admit that you
have sustained your action on The
ground of the public good" and il
reason" be permissible why not the re-
port?
The example of corporations makins
reports to the state auditor is answer
ed by himself. These reports are Of a
private nature. and are not subject &c
Il III Willy ~>O0 NN
i no right to expose the secrets Of tn:
business OF it's citizens and make then
subject to unfair use by competitors
AS We understand il. it is the dutJ
i Of the commander in chief to seiec'
encampment sites with the sole pur
81 pose Of conserving the interest of thu
National Guard. The question, there
fore, is not whether encampment'
have been held more frequently a
= WTightsville than at Morehead, bu
L@ I-- sf~- - Tho
Of your committee was the more ad
~vantageouS, or, in other words, VIVA
did the report recommend?
We cannot admit that our request
for a copy of the report evidences
81 falling away of our traditional man
it is unwise to demand" that which
you are unwilling or unprepared 10 en-
III force. and we are frank to say tina
We did not consider the injustice don
WrightsviEe adequate .uuse for revo
luton. Nor do We see wherein a d
mand'' would have produced the report
al inasmuch as You are the sole judge o
~ whether or not we "are entitled to tn
report Furthermore, our "reques
ri should have had all the force of a de
nj mand' with the chief executive of tn
oi state, and in making the request" w
felt hat we were appealing to tn
Governor Of North Carolina whose in
II terest attached to every part of tn
state alike.
ot In conclusion, it is hardly necessar.
al to assure you that the presence of tn
81 governor among us is at all times
~ source Of pleasure, but really We ar
at a loss to know the application o
lI your address On labor day at Wrights
,oI Vile to the matter in question.
Your Excellency, we respectfully, bu
yj earnestly, ask that you give us the re
port, or make it public.
rel Very Respectfully,
Wilmington Chamber Of CONNIE rec.
General Discussion.
~, The discussion which took place b
fore the adoption of the letter was in