The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-20
than to create prejudice against our

than to create prejudice against our
people.
Some lawyers pride themselves on
being able to write in such an am
biguous style that their sentences Cal
be construed TO mean anything they
choose to declare them to al There
are some sentences, in The News and
Observer letter, evidently written in
the attempt to be sarcastic, over which
we are sure the writer must have ex-
pended much time and mental exertior
and he has succeeded so well as to
their ambiguity that we do not believe
a Philadelphia lawyer could tell what
the author intended TO say.
We regret having to devote so much
space to this matter, but the letter in
The News and Observer signed, j. 7.
Bland" was calculated to create such
an erroneous impression in connection
with our refusal to publish, because OF
it's abuse of some Of u citizens, the
article sent US by Mr.. Bland, to which
he did not see fit to attach his OWL
signature, but wished to go before the
public through our columns fictitiously
subscribed, that we have deemed il
necessary to state the facts above set
forth in behalf of this paper and OF the
business men of our city and section
whom Nj. J. T. Bland, alias "Pender'
has attempted to misrepresent.
In his letter to The News and Obser-
yer Mr.. Bland says:
To the editor: Some weeks < ii
committee appointed by the State
Beard Of Agriculture to hoose a site
for the test farm for the trucking
section of North Carolina. selected a
tract of land near Willard in Pender
county. The land vas secured and
the people of the state thought that
the matter was settled. The people
at Willard and of Pender county. who
had made no effort to secure the test
farm. felt gratified that land suitable
for such a farm was to be found in
this county-a tract of land having all
the different qualities of the whole
trucking section. whereas such land
was not found elsewhere by the
com mittee. Since the action Of the
committee a considerable agitation
has prung up in and around what
would be the states metropolis in re-
gard to the matter. It would seem,
from their viewpoint hat a great mis-
take has been made bS the committee;
that the farm should by all means be-
located in New Hanover county: that
fho ooro-oiffoo o~roinfa1 hwy thu cfofn
board were either incompetent to
Judge properly of such land, Or that
they had been Influenced by unworthy
motives. Not satisfied with the de-
cision as announced. they have secur-
- the re-ODening Of the matte" with
the state board. and. it seems. desire
to carry their point by force or-strate-
gJ. Even the papers of this said city
seem to ave econ blinded to all
arguments Of those of different opin.
ion. The editor Of the leading daily
of his city. if it has one. (Alasl Nane-
less here forevermore!) has condemn
ed to the waste basket an article VOC
ing the sentiments of The people Of
'Pender county: yet in the following is
sue Of June 18th, in a column editor
ial. he has seen fit to criticise ard con-
denim the said article, as well as TO
attempt to stigmatiZe its author before
the people OF the state. nor IN las
widest flights (mirable dictu), does
re fail To question the competency of
the committee appointed by the state
board.
Since the leading paper in the larg-
est town m our state. which SHOULD
also be the most broad-minded and
puDlic.sp;rited. has refused to see but
it's own side Of this issue, since it
seems ir possible for Fender coun.
tvs voice to be heard through its
columns. we turn to The News and
Observer. a paper Of another section.
though existing for the state. to pre-
sent our views an6 feelings in regard
to this matter. which are. vojcing as
l Go. TIE sentiments of the people Of
Pender as follows:
First. That the people of Perder
county have every confidence in the
ability. honesty and intelligence of the
State Board of Agriculture. and thu.
able assistants it has called to it's aid.
Second. That they have acted con-
scientiouslv and free from improper
influence or bias.
Third. That the location selected
by the committee, purely upon the
merits Of the LAND itself. should be.
sustained by the board. and that s,ichI
action will be upheld by the sensible
people Of the state.
j. T. BLAND.