The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-05
AN EXPLANATION IN ORDER.
Our esteemed contemporary, the
Raleigh Morning Post. several days

Our esteemed Inc
Raleigh Morning Post. several days
ago, quoting from an article OF ours,
in which we said there ought to have
been a legislative investigation of the
affairs of the Atlantic and North Car
DINA Railroad Company. and that
proof. etc. had been offered Of the con-
ditions existing on that particular
piece OF { e states property. said this
was news indeed. and broadly init
mating II had never heard Of anything
of the kind. The statement mada in
this paper in reference to the roalroad
matter vas made on the authority OF
a former engineer Of roadway or Tie
Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad
COMPANY and who ought to have
known what he was talking about. This
individual made a detailed statement
OF the condition of affairs as he saw
and knew them. and sent IL to Raleigh
during the asst session of the legisla-
ture. BY some means this comm1njca-
ton came into the hands of the legls-
lative committee composed of Nessrs.
Kicks of Nash, White OF Halifax.
Daughtridge OF Edgecombe. from the
house. and Gill. Gillian. Travis and
Stubs. from the senate. This paper
was turned over to the governor and
since hat time to the present nothing
has ever been heard of it No effort
was made to conceal anything by the
writer. and he then and % says he Is
willing to aid in any investigation that
may be put on o to establish h
truth Of his charges. Ought not the
matter to have been Investigated n
the truth or falsity Of the charges es-
tablished when made by such a n in
such a position to know or not to
know?"
Tho ahnua from The Pnnk~ GOsll
Record is OF so grave a nature that it
should be looked into. We had neve
heard Of this matter before. The Re-
cord. we know would lot make such a
statement without having good
grounds for doing SO. There must be
some mistake though. We canno be-
lieve that a report Of SO much import
nee would have been Intentionally
suppressed by the governor. We feel
sur that he or the gentlemen men
toned as forming the legislative COM
mittee to whom the report was referred
can explain what. without an explana-
ton. seems a very peculiar proceeding,
to say the least of it. The governor
and those members Of the legislature
owe it to themselves and to the peo-
pie Of h state to show what became
Of this report and why it was not act
ed upon. We cannot believe that it
has been Intentionally suppressed.
1t is a good time now for this state
ment to be put in use. 1t would seem
to be a very important document to
lay before the committee which will
Don investigate the affairs Of the
property concerning which it is made
If h committee is anxious for all the
light possible On the matter they are
going to investigate. and we have no
doubt hat they do, they should surely
call for this report. Also. the public
ought to be told why 1t was not pre-
scented to the legislature. how it disap-
peared and who was responsible for its
suppression. 1t is time for somebody
to be making an explanation.
We do not accuse any body or wish
to cause suspicion to rest upon any
particular person for. as we said above
we do not believe Governor Aycock or
the other gentlemen mentioned inten-
tionally suppressed the document. We
are completely in the dark: therefore,
we would like those who can to turn
the light on this transaction. An ex
PLANTATION from somebody certainly &
IN order