The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-22

That meeting of the chamber Of COM
merce to take action on the ordering
for the e-ncampment OF the state troops
at Morehead instead of at wrightsville
was a warm number
The members present recognized the
fact that the question of location of
the encampment for this year was set
tied, but they wished to put on record
their protest against the action OF the
governor and his staff or personal adj
visors. as the case may be, in making
the. selection.
A set Of resolutions severely CRITICS.
ing the governors action was adopted.
Judging from the general tenor of the
remark made those present were fully
convinced that the location at Morehead
had been decided upon long before the
appointment of the committee to inves-
tigate the advantages of the two places.
There were facts laid before the meet
ing that made it plain that this was
the fact.
1t seems from h report Of the COM
mittee appointed by this chamber that
the governor refuses to allow the public
to know what was the report of the
committee OF state guard officers ap-
pointed to select a camping ground. The
governor declares that his report was
a private one made to himself and
therefore that the public was not snti-
tied to it, while the expenses Of that
committee were paid out of the public
funds.
You may inveigh against Roosevelt
tan imperialism, but our strenuous
president has never done anything to
equal this.
The idea of a state committee of IN
vestigation being appointed by the ex-
ecutive officer of a state or republican
Importance and the expenses Of such IN
vestigation being paid out Of the pub
lie treasury and the chief executive
keeping . the report secret on the
ground that was a privatt and perso-
nal report to himself. This is Roose-
veltism carried to the utmost extreme
by a man who pretends to be opposed
to all that Rooseveltian strenuosity ana
GENERALIZATION stand for.
The truth is the governor having or
dered the encampment to be held at
Morehead OSTENSIBLY ON THE RE-.
PORT OF THE INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE. does not wish the public
to know what that report contained m
reference to the advantages Of the two
places.
OF course Wrightsville expects to get
nothing from his administration, but
the chamber of commerce of our city
wishes to go on record as giving notice
to the next democratic state adminis-
tration that it expects this section to
get it's share of recognition from the
powers that be, and to give notice that
it will no longer put up with the conf
plete ignoring of it's existence which
has been the policy of h present state
administration.
But for the bold and defiant action OF
the white men Of the city Of Whining
ton in the fall of 1898 the executive Of
flee at Raleigh would today be occupied
by some republican, and North Carroll
ma woul be aligned with the republic
can states of the union. The white men
Of Wilmington held the city, and SAY
ed the state" The recognition they get
for it is-what? A complete ignoring
by the state administration Of all their
interests and demands where they come
in conflict with a state institution VI
apparently for the personal and politi-
cal interests if a select circle.