The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-03
WILMINGTON. y. c.
WILMINGTON NOT INHosPITABLE


to the papers Of the state on WeoheS-
day last by Rev Mr.. Hale in regard "
tho entertainment or rather to the IN
dication that there would be lack Oh
entertainment by the people OF VIII
mington of the delegates and VlsltorS
nroposing to attend the state conVeh-
+;on of the Baptists of this state. IL
had been our intention to nave noun
ing to say editorially on this SUBJECT
conditions here have become so Sc
rious and the situation among our
hest citizens so strained Of late that
this paper has felt that the pest
course was to say nothing about it,
in the hope that the unfortunate state
of affairs would soon blow over Ana
believing that it was in the nature OF
= family affair, We thought that tne
unfortunate circumstances should not
he published abroad; but in the last
dav or two things have occurred and
nublications made broadcast over the
state to the detriment of our city ano
to the discredit of her peoples we'll
established reputation for hospitality
which we think it our duty to comment
on and to deny We are sorry to state
that the dispatch sent out by Rev.
Fred D. Hale to the papers stating
that only delegates can be entertained
at the state convention in Wilmington
this week and that no ladies can be
observation-disclosures OF Unforeseen
conditions, coupled with his state
ment that so far only seven persons
outside of his own denomination had
agreed to entertain delegates or v1sl-
tors to the convention, does the people
of our city great injustice and holds
them up to the people of the state in
Mr. Hale accepted instead Of rejected
the proposition of a responsible busi-
ness man of the city authOritat1Vely
made that the mayor would appoint Il
committee to cooperate with Mr.. Hale
and any committee he might appoint
there would have been no difficulty
in providing homes for all who wish
ed to attend the convention. Mr..
proposition that the mayor should ap-
point such a cooperative committee
estops him from saying that no effort
was made to secure accommodations
for those intending to visit our city,
The city's reputation for hospitality
and the manner in which it entertain
ed the many hundred delegates and
visitors to the city at the time Of the
meeting here some years ago stand as
refutation of the charge that the people
of the city have any feeling against
the Baptist denomination or refuse to
entertain it's delegates to the approach
ing convention. The statement can
not be successfully denied that if q
committee has been appointed by Mr..
Hale, as is usual in such cases, to pro
cure accommodation for delegates and
visitors to the convention such commit
tee has been very derelict in its duty,
for there are scores of householders
in the city who have not been ap-
preached on the subject. Of the seven
persons who Mr.. Hale speaks of as
having agreed to entertain one, we
know WAS not approached by any
one, but because Of what he heard at
the Baptist church On one occasion.
made the offer He says had he not
been at the church on that occasion
he very probably would not have
heard any thing of the matter and
would not, therefore, have offered to
entertain any Of the visitors. This we
mention to show what little ground
Mr.. Hale has for his wholesale
charges against the people Of our city.
He has not given them an opportunity
to display their accustomed hospital
ity and then publicly criticises them
fol not doing SO.