The news & observer., 1905-12-30
MIR. HILDEBRAND AGAIN.
He Says Mr.. Rollins Knew He fXaS
Not Seeking the ASheville Post
office.

The Rollins -Hilderbr8nd contro-
versy is not so liVd as was in the
earlier stages. Here is the reply of
Mr. Hilderbrand to Mr.. Rollins pub
lishad as the leading editorial in
the Asheville GazettNeWs:
THE Chairman of the North Car
olina Republican Eecutive Commit
tee. Thomas S. Rollins, makes reply
to the article of Mr.. Hildebrand III
yesterday afternoons GaZette-NeWS,
concerning an alleged special special
from Asheville to the Greensboro IN
dustriaf News which stated i'll effect
that Mr.. Hildebrand was a candidate
for the office of postmaster at Ashe-
vile. There is one feature of Mr.
Rollins rejoinder to which we shall
give few moments consideration
while the matter is warm; and, we
shall call no names ind ulge in no
personalities. We shall have to quote
a little from Mr.. Rollins:
His (Mr. Hiidebrand's state
ment or intimation that | SEM
it out is erroneous and he could
have ascertained tho falsit of his
statement by making reasonable
inquiry. AS a matter of fact
was not in Asheville on Decem-
ber 21st and had not been for
several days, but on that date
december 21) | was in Raleigh
looking after some legal mat
ters and did not return to Ashc-
vile till the 22nd. l did not send
out the news item, directly or
indirectly and did not even know
that such an item appeared in
the Industrial News until / saw
it Yesterday In Mr. Hide
brands intimation that | was the
author of the item referred to.
or that l procured it to be sent
out, he is entirely mistaken about
the matter"
JLet us present the situation in n
feT sentences:
t',rhe article i'm the Greensboro In
dustrial News was calculated to con
vey the idea that Mr. Hildebrand was
a candidate for the office of post
master. which is a very lucrative
and desirable one.
'Thss statement being accepted
as true. anything the GaZette-NeWs
of which Mr.. Hildebrand is editor,
might say on the subject of the post
mastership would be open to the crit
cism that it was inspired by interest.
'"Therefore such a statement was
of a nature exceedingly damaging to
the Gazette-NeWs The Gazette-NeWS
has a large and growing business,
botn in subscription and Advertising
which is based almost entirely upon
it's claims as a truthful, independ-
ent. unsubsidized newspaper; claims
which it has made good time and
again: following the truth, setting
forth the facts. delving under the
surface of things and getting at the
basic facts, at all times and often
when policy indicated a different
course.
"It was ito Mr. Rollins interest
to damage the reputation of the Ga
Zette- News for truthfulness and in
this instance, because its columns told
of the claims Mr.. Roberts. an appli-
cant for the office had for recagni-
ton at the hands of his party, where
as Mr.. Rollins father, the postmaster.
was an applicant for reappointment
"Color was given to the idea that
Mr.. Rollins wrote. dictated. telephon-
ed. telegraphed or inspired the arti-
Gle referred to by the charge that
he. some weeks ago, gave to an
AsheviIle paper what purported to
be a blackburn slate" in which the
name of w. A. Hildebrand was men
toned for the place of postmaster;
which charge he does not deny.
"The dispatch in question. bearing
an Asheville date line. was not sent
bv the Asheville news CORRESPONDENT
of the Greensboro Industrial News.
"Mr. Rollins says that he was not
in Ashevile on December II. the
date of the dispatch. but was in Raj
eigh. An article published in the
RsEeieh Times. following tele-
graphic dispatch. and cut off AS it
were local matter. contains almost
verbatim the sta elements contained in
the Industrial News article.
"Mr. Rollins has stated privately
to us that he had nothing to DO
with this. We mention it because II
is a part of the evidence that point
ed to the conclusion.
GAS State Chairman. and as the con
Of an applicant for the office. Mr..
Rollins was in position to know
who were and who were not so"t-
inc the place He know that Mr. Hill
debrand was not seeking it.