The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-06-16
The Messeuger.
THE STATE TEST FARM

signed PenueF, III reference 10 the
location of the state test farm, with
the request that we either publish the
ately return the copy to the Writer.
We did neither. The article was of
a character which we did not care to
publish. 1t contained charges, made
mostly by iuendo, some of them quite
broad, against persons who had taken
active part through public interest in
the location of the farm. Our columns
are never open to personal attacks by
correspondents, especially when made
by persons not willing that their arti-
cles should appear over their real
names. AS to returning the rejected
manuscript, the writer thereof is of
such education and profession that he
should know that it is the universal
rule in newspaper offices that rejected
communications go to the waste-paper
accompanied by stamps sufficient to
pay the return postage.
'.Pender" in his article refers to the
agitation in the newspapers from a
certain quarter liz regard to the loca-
ton of this farm The Messenger has
from time to time of late had some
thing to say about this matter. II the
above mentioned allusiOn of "Pender"
was 70 these articles we are at loss
to know how he has acquired any
knowledge of them, for he is not sub
scriber to this paper nor, SO far as we
our subscription lists. We, therefore,
feel under no obligations to him to sur
render so much of our space to his
abuse, anonymously made, OF such of
our leading citizens as have taken the
trouble by legitimate and honorable
means to secure the location of the test
farm near our city. His imputatlOns
against these men are unworthy
of the honorable professionalism
longs. The article is apparently
az attempt to stir up prejudice on the
part of the farmers against men of
other business callings and to create
the impression that the location of this
farm is a fight between the agricul-
tural elements in one section Of our
state and the people interested in
summer resorts and other enterprises
in and about our city and against the
business men of Wilmington.
The above, we think, are sufficient
reasons for our refusal to publish the
communication from ''Pender.'
Our readers will remember that the
committee appointed to select a loca-
ton for this test farm visited several
sections of the state and then decided
to locate it near Willard, in Fender
county. That committee rejected a
valuable tract of land near this city,
which was rendered the state at nOmi-
Ial cost, almost the entire purchase
price being made up by the county of
Several reasons were given by the
committee why this land was not Sc
lected none of them in the opinion of
competent judges, who were acquaint,
eG with the character of the land offer
ed, being considered sufficient.
AS to the competency of the commit
tee to judge of the question as to the
best lands of those offered we will call
attention to two facts: 1t has been
decided by unanimous vote to reopen
the question of location of the farm
since the one near Willard was chosen
and to give those who think the one
near our city preferable an opportu-
nifty to more fully present the advan-
tages of the latter. The other is that
this land which would cost the state
today by its owner for ten times that
sum 70 farmers and truckers who
know what kind of soil they need fOl
trucking and intensive farming: also
that the owner of this farm can at any
time dispose of much of it at one hun
dred dollars an acre to men as expert IL
judging of farm lands as any man or
the committee having in charge the Sc
lection of the test farm or as any mar
on the state board of agriculture.
AS soon as The Messenger heard tina
President Roosevelt had decided to pa.
visit TO this state next fall it declare
that inducements should be held out L