The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-27

1t has been charged in certain quar-
tiers that those people of Wilmington
who have taken active part in the eff
fort to secure the location of the state
test farm a u city were actuated
entirely by selfish motives. Their plea
that Wilmington was tie most GEN.
trally located point in the trucking
section and for that reason the farm
should be here has been denounced as
a sham. The charge has been made
that the movement to have the farm
located here was a scheme in b in
terest Of certin business men, hotelists
and pleasure resort keepers Of city.
None who advocated the location Of
the farm here was given credit for
being sincere in such advocacy. No
heed has been given to the arguments
made by Our people in favor of the
location Of the farm here.
To show that there are merits in the
location Of this farm neal our city we
publish from the Trucker and Fruit
Growers Journal of the Oath the fol-
lowing interview of DIR. George E. Lu-
cas- on this subject. 1t must be borne
in mind that DIR. Lucas is a citizen Of
Fender county-nOt a resident of Will
mington-and is, and for several years
has been, q member Of the executive
committee Of the East Carolina Fruit
and Truck Growers Association. He
is one Of the leading farmers and
foremost citizens of Fender and has
the interests and welfare of his coun
ty at heart as much as any person
within her borders. He sees the rea-
soning in the argument of the people
of Wilmington for the location Of the
farm near this city. In the interest of
the truckers and vegetable growers Of
this section of the state he advocates
the location Of the farm where he
thinks it will do the greatest good to
the greatest number. He puts aside
his feelings is a cOuntyman and adj
vocates what he thinks for the best
Of all concerned. Here is what he
says on this subject to the editor Of
The Trucker and Fruit Growers Jour-
nal:
II am a citizen of Fender county
and proud OF it. To my people I am
as loyal as any man living. but the
trucking test farm is not and should
not be considered a Fender county In
stitutiOE nor q New Hanover county
institution. but a truckers institution.
AS such it should be located at the
most accessible and centrally lccat-
ed point II. the district. You are. there
fore. correct in the position you have
taken for the greatest good to the
greatest numher and this good can
only be realized when the growers are
given an opportunity to visit the test
farm in person and witness. as you
say. the test and experiments then
and there made. Your doctrine will
win out as it deserves to. We would
all like to have the test farm in my
county. but not at the expense of in
conveniencing four-fifths of the grow
ers along the three OF four other roads
when it might be advantageousty To-
Gated near Wilmington to an over
whelming majority. AS one of the di-
rectors C. the association. I feel that
the position I hold makes it Eanda-
tory on my part to guard the interests
CT the growers along all the railroads
in this~te!ritory penetrating. the truck
ing belt. and not only those along the
line mon which I chance to live. Your
article in the last issue of the Journal
is unanswerable."