The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-24

by the attacks OF competing interests,
Of Tree booting expeditions, of disap-
pointed bidders, or of political enc
mics. One OF the largest stockholders
in the road and director of it, is
leading Republican, competent
business man, the Collector of Inter-
mai lteVenue for the Eastern District
OF North Carolina, Mr.. E. c. Duncan
One CT the stockholders who attended
the last annual meeting and voted to
approve the report of the president
and other officers Showing the trans
actions of the past year is Mr.. Dan
Patrick, a leading Republican of
Greene county and a former president
OF the road. | mention the names OF
these gentlemen as showing that there
could not be any possibility of the
road having been badly managed, or
else these men have been very dere-
.iCt in their duty in failing to point
out wherein and directing my atten-
ton to it. The charges of misman-
aSement having been repeatedly made
In the public press, | deemed it my
duty TO appoint a committee to thor
oughly investigate the conduct of the
road. That committee was composed
of as able, heightened and impartial
men as the State contains within her
borders. Their report has been pub
lished. There is nothing in it show
ing the slightest dishonesty. There
is in the report tie dearest evidence
OF difference of business judgment
as to the proper conduct of the road.
IT is possible that the road could have
been better managed. Indeed l am
sure that it would have been better
II some things done had been left UNI
done and if some things left undone
mad been done, but we must judge
/ the work of men by the sum total Of
their actions-by the wisdom which
they have shown. as we'll as by the
mistakes which they have made, and
taking all this into consideration it is
manifest that a property which has
doubled its income within the last
five years and doubled the market
value of its stock within the last
three years, is certainly better man
aged than the business of the average
business man of the State and has
been better managed than can ordi-
narily be expected from public SER
vice.
| have thought it needful to say this
much concerning the dolngs of my
administration. / trust that you will
now permit me to say something of
the effect of them
a Prophecy and Reflection.
oCCiiIcu Ill lily SpeCSh " "SSCpt-
ance that with the adoption OF the
Constitutional Amendment we will
have peace in the land" Ihere will
be rest l said, from political bit
terness and race antagonism. indus
try will have a great outpurst' We
shall have intellectual freedom Pub
lie questions will stand or ran in the
court of reason and not OF passion.
We shall forget the asperites OF
these years and shall go forward into
the twentieth century q united peo-
pie, striving in zeal and IN generous
rivalry for the material. lnteliectual
and moral upbuilding OF the State.
May an era of good feeling among US
be the outcome of this contest
There are those among us VINO
fear that these predictions nave not
been fulfilled. These douptefS are
looking upon the surface Oh lniiigS
They do not look at the sreat uhueT-
lying truth. They declare ~ pit
terness is more rife than ever oeiore,
that the era of good feellhs n@ao not
come; that criticism is mole ot,
than ever; that freedom o. sp 49,. y
not permissible. They have i - 9'tt.a
appearance for fact. There ,r ~ 80
ness between individuals. - :
STRIFE and enIsity between SOM 60