The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-07

right Of the Governor to withhold such
information from the public, but he
sees fit to give it out voluntarily as
justification of his acts. In such in
stances the public is informed through
the press, so that the humblest citi-
zen of the State has access to the
information and does not find 1t ne
ceSSary to apply to the Governor in
such matters. Indeed, we submit that
publicity is given through the press in
order to render unnecessary the per-
sonal application of citizens and thus
the humblest citizen of the State is
not Disseminated against. Again, the
practice of the United States Senate in
the matter of combinations, inveStiga-
tons, ETC., affords no parallel. 1t is
true that the Senate often withholds
the information on which it's acts are
predicated, but when an appointment
is not confirmed, the result of inVes-
tigation is made public by refusal to-
confirm. There are good and suf-
ncient reasons for this, because both
the private and official character Of
an appointee may be under investiga-
ton, and it is sufficient for the public
to know that the Senate refuses to
confirm. The public is not left in
doubt as to the adverse report of the
Senate, even in such matters and
where subjects Of investigation are
not of q personal nature reports are
not withheld, such, for example, as
sites for public buildings, army posts,
navy yards, ETC.; so we can only re-
peat that we fail to see wherein your
citations are parallels with your treat
ment of the case in hand The COM
mittee appointed by you to examine
il to the relative advantages of
WrightSVille and Morehead were
dealing with mere physical facts in
their relation to the best interests 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
of their report through
your action.
You pardon a criminal or commute
d sentence on the recommendation of
the judge, solicitor, jury, ETC., and do
not fail to publicly announce the
basis of your action, while as matter
or 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 |
terest for you to have avoWed your |
reason" for selecting an encampment |
site, for we cannot admit that you
have sustained your action on the
ground Of the public good" and if |
reason" be permissible why not the
report?
The example of corporations MAX
ing reports to the State Auditor is an
swercd by yourself These reports are
Of private nature, and are not sub
ject to publicity only because the State
has no right to expose the secrets of
the business of its citizens and make
them subject to unfair use by COM
petitorS.
AS we understand it, it is the duty
Of the COMMUNICATIVE Chief to select
sites with the sole pur
pose of conserving the interest of the
National Guard. The question. there
fore, is not whether encampments
have been held more frequently at
than at Morehead, but
which of the two sites in the judgment
Of your committee was the more adj
or, in other words, what
did the report recommend?
We cannot admit that our request
Tor a copy of the report evidences q
falling away of our traditional man.
hood. We are mindful of the fact that
il is unwise to demand" that which
you are unwilling or unprepared to
enforce, and we are frank to say that
we did not consider the injustice done |
adequate cause for revo-
luton. Nor do we see wherein q de |
mand' would have produced the re-
port, inaSmuch as you are the sole |
Judge of whether or not we ARE enti-
tied to the report" Furthermore, our
request should have had all the |
force of demand" with the Chief |
Executive of the State, and in making
the request we felt that we We're
appealing to the Governor of North
Carolina whose interest attached to
every part of the State alike.
In conclusion, it is hardly necessary
to assure you that the presence of the
Governor among us is at all times a
source of pleasure, but really we are
at a loss to know the application OF
your address on Labor Day at Wrights-
vile to the matter in question.
Your Excellency, we respectfully, but
earnestly, ask that you give us the re-
port 'or make it public.
Very respectfully,
CHAMBER OF COM