The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-08-16
Ghr Nlessrnarr.
PLEASE STATE FACTS.


We are glad to learn definitely what
We had already supposed, namely, that
we swere undoubtedly correct in as 4
suming that the action cf the chamberl
OF commerce OF Wilmington did not rep
resent the sentiment of the larger part
of the membership" This came in let
ter today from one OF the prominent
members OF the said chamber or COM
merce.
The above is from The Charlotte
News OF last Thursday. We do not
know who is this prominent memDer
OF the Wilmington chamber" who mas
seen fit to write The News that the ac-
-tion OF our chamber OF commerce on the
encampment matter did not represent
the sentiment of the greater part OF the
membership.
There are some rather peculiar facts
connected with the statement OF this
.'prominent member of cur chamber
OF commerce
In the first place. if he had complaint
to make as to the action of that body
why did he not, if really prominent
member Of the body. make his COM
plant and protest as 10 its action toI
the body at the time il passed the reso-
luton of condemnation upon the gov
ernor's conduct. There was full dis
cussion of the governors letter and oil
the reply reported by the committee as
well as of the answer to the governor
proposed by Mr.. NJ. 5. Willard as al
substitute for the committee letter.
If this prominent member or thet
chamber of commerce preferred tol
make his complaint and protest through
the press he had full opportunity 10 dol
so in any one of the three daily papersI
published in his own city. We cannotI
see why he should have ignored theseI
and sent his complaint TO paper pub
lished in city two hundred miles,
away.
Now as TO the facts. We think thsI
''prominent member of the WilminS.l
ton chamber OF commerce. who hasl
taken into his confidence the editor of
that Charlotte paper which has forl
some time made point of knocking
Wilmington every time he had chance,
notwithstanding the fact that our city
has exerted itself. whenever occasionl
arose, to show him especial attention.
and courtesy, has induced that pa.
per to again do d great injustice to our
people. This prominent citizen
writes The News that the action of the
chamber of commerce did not represent
the sentiment OF the larger part of its
membership. If this be true it is al
very peculiar fact. The meeting of the
chamber at which this action was taken
was advertised in all the papers of the
city for several days. In addition,
there was personal notice sent to every
member 1t was known for days that
the governors letter would be laid be-
fore the body at this meeting and reply
made to il. This matter was of great
interest to our people. As a matter of
fact the attendance at this meeting was
much larger than usual. The letter in
answer to the governor, prepared by
the committee, was read and discussed
at length; Mr.. NJ. S. Willard offered as
a substitute letter shorter but much
more severe in its condemnation of the
governor than that of the committee.
the letter OF the committee adopted
with only few dissenting votes-six We
think-and they were chiefly from men
who advocated the adoption of the
Willard substitute. which, as we said
above, was severer in its terms OF con-
demnation of the governor.
If majority of the chamber of COM
merce was opposed to the adoption of
the resolutions condemning the action
OF the governor that majority did
not make known its opinion. 1t either
stayed away from the meeting or those
who attended it voted against their
convictions. Taking the vote for theI
Willard resolution and that for the
committee report, both of which werel
in favor Of censuring the governor fol
his action. there was unanimous actionI
in the condemnation of the governor.
We would like for this very ''promi-
hent member of the vhamber" whoI
goes out of town to ventilate his oppo-l
sition to the action of that body byl
means Of an anonymous communication
anonymous so far as the readers of
The News are ccncerned-to state facts
more fully showing in what way the
action of the chamber did not repre-
sent the sentiment of the larger part
of the membership State facts, Mr..
Prominent Member; do not make sur
miseS,
-scCr--
oAsToT