The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-20

signed "Pcnder," in reference to the
location of the State test farm, with
the request that we either publish
the same in our Sunday issue or inn
mediately 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 innuendo, some of them
quite broad, against persons who had
taken active part through public in
terCSt in the location of the farm. Our
columns are never open to personal at
lacks by correspondents especially
when made by persons not willing thai
their articles should appear over their
real names. AS to returning the re-
jected manuscript, the writer thereof
is of such education and profession
that lie should know that
it is the universal rule in
newspaper offices that rejected
communications go to the waste-pap"r
basket unless the request for return Is
accompanied by stamps sufficient to
pay the return postage.
"Pcnder' in his article refers to the
agitation in the newspapers from a
certain quarter" in 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. If the
above mentioned allusion of "Pender"
was to these articles we are at a loss
to know how he has acquired any
knowledge of them, for he is not a
subscriber to this paper nor, so far Is
We know. has his name ever appeared
on our subscription lists. We, there
fore, feel under no obligations to him
to surrender so much of our space to
his abuse anonymously made, Of such
of our leading citizens as have taken
the trouble by legitimate and hono:-
able means to secure the location or
the test farm near our city. His impu-
tations against these men are un-
worthy of tho honorable profession
that of the law--to which he belongs
The article is apparently ain 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 4
fight between the agricultural ele-
ments in one section of our State, and
the people interested in summer re-
sorts and other enterprises in and
about our city against the business
men of Wilmington.
The above, we think, are sufficient
reasons for our refusal to publish the
communicati ton from "Pender."
Our readers will remember that the
committee appointed to select 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 q
valuable tract of land near this city.
which was rendered the State at nomi-
nal cost almost the entire purchase
price being made up by the county of
New Hanover and from other sources.
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-
ed with the character of the land Of
fered being considered sufficient
AS to the competency of the COM
mittee 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 a unanimous vote e
reopen the question of location of the
farm since tho one near Willard was
chosen and to give those who think
the one near our city preferable an
opportunity to more fully present tho
advantages of the latter. The other is
that this land which would cost the
State about five dollars an acre could
be sold today by its owner for ten
times that sum to farmers and truck
ers who know what kind of soil they
need for trucking and intensive farm
ing: also that the owner of this farm
can at any time dispose of much of il
at one hundred dollars an acre to men
as expert in judging of farm lands rs
any man on the committee having in
charge the selection of the test farm
or as any man on the State Board OF
Agriculture.