Evening journal., 1907-04-04


ON under conditions that no city Of the
wealth ana resources ~ Wilmington
has a moral risilt to Dlacc upon any
three me-. aa4.-, 81.
Il lons 20 sec the time whel not
only good streets. but good roads
everywhere VIII be the ruie and not
she exception What could add more %
the beauty and value Of our city and
State than wide well built highways2
They would add greatly to the value
of each. But I have said enough.
come to the parting
"GenHemen of the Board, 1 have
been freed from the onerous duties Of
a director by the expiration Of my term
of Office. The duties and responsible
ties that / carried fan upon another
shall not envy you in any favor that
may come TO you in your service un-
der what may seem moro favorab Q
conditions, but win rejoice with you
in any success that you may achieve.
AS directors We have not always
agreed. our differences have been at
times acute. / have never imputed nor
suffered anyone else to impute Inn
proper motives to any director of this
board having firm faith in the per-
sonal integrity of each, and in parting
carry with me no sting, and trust
that l leave none. have contended
only for what I believed TO be right;
you have done the same.
IF / have said anything that l
should not have said, and for which
full atonement has not been made
offer the most humble apology for that
unwarranted word
ITO you who have so kindly remem-
bered me as to ask my presence this
evening, / feel greatly indebted. While
! / appreciate to the fullest this evidence
liz your goodwill, it would give me
greater pleasure if l felt more worthy
of it. You have been loyal to the
board and faithful IN the discharge OF
your duties. and if in our official part
ing I may carry with me that love and
1 confidence that goes out to you, it Will
/ be the greatest recompense that l may
expect to receive.
There is an absent one-one that /
have no doubt you have missed; one
/ that has moved in and out before us
for some years. Always ready to serve,
faithful and Jealous in her work, COM
manding our respect and full conf
dence, tie one that does more work
perhaps for the dollars she receives
than any other member of the force.
May she have your most generous
consideration. And there are others
lon the payroll who have shared the
Idepartments poverty and are receiving
Hess pay than is given in any other
department Of the city for ike service
an my labor in this department,
lhave always tried to keep in view my
obligation to the city. and this at times
has led me along unpleasant paths
That / have made mistakes no one Is
more conscious than myself. In these
times of somewhat loose and free criti-
cism OF public officials, it would not
perhaps be cat Of place for me to say
that during my term Of Office no man
lhas sought favOritism by the offer OF
reward.
"The nearest approach to Il was
the offer Of trade without intimaune
what afterWard became evident was
the purpose Of this tender. The busi-
mess never came my way. To the gen.
ltlemen who represent tie press ! owe
a debt Of gratitude. ! have said many
foolish things in their hearing, and
have waited with fear and TREMBLING
TO see how it would read in print. And
you don't know how thankful 1 have
been. more than once, when after they
! had passed through the sitting and
refining process. to find them appear as
chips from the wisdom Of solomon.
And now l must say that word thai
trust will only mean an official sep
aration. Under the most favorab''
conditions your work is such that yo'
may not expect to entirely escape criti'
cism. But I leave you in the hope an'
belief that the work before you will bl
less burdensome in the future than !
has been i'm the past.
Il have endeavored to contribute e
the bringing about of this condition
and may it be fruitful Of good results
Thanking you. as 1 cannot emplo,
words to express for your exceedingl,
kind and generous contribution to m,
pleasure, bid you an official farewell.