The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-08-27
HOW MR.. McEACHERN'S RE-
PLY FALLS DOWN.

found communication from MF'
A. R. McEachern, a member OF
the board of county commission
ers. We want to be absolutely
fair to Mr.. McEachern and the
other members of the board, and
we trust that all who read the ed
itorials to which he refers will
read Mr.. McEachern's reply and
will also read the following re-
marks, which we wish to sub
NIT in regard to Mr.. McEachern's
communication.
Mr.. McEachern says that the
commissioners were not respon-
sible for the action of the eXecu-
tive committee in passing a re-
solution to the effect that it dis
approves a joint canvass and re-
commends that none be held. We
did not charge that the commits
sioners were responsible. Mr..
McEachern himself is the only
member of the board of commits
sioners we had reference to in
that matter, for he is the only
member of that board who is al
so a member of the executive
committee. We will accept his
statement for it that in voting
for that resolution he was acting
for himself alone, though he now
speaks for the entire board and
says that they are willing to
meet any opponents that may ap-
pear and let the people know
their position. He says that they
are not afraid of their record and
any one who desires to investi-
gate it may do so. We beg tC
remind Mr.. McEachern that thai
is just what the matter is; then
record has been Investigated ano
all the criticisms that have beer
made of the commissioners are
based upon an investigation int
the very record of which he say
they are not afraid-based, too
upon sworn statements of thu
commissioners themselves: out O.
their own mouths they have beer
condemned. But we are glad t
know that Mr.. McEachern ha
reconsidered and is now read
for a joint discussion. He say
that that resolution was not in
troduced by an aspirant for office
That is neither here nor there
Mr.. McEachern knows and wi
not deny that before any resolu
ton was offered to that effeC
and before Mr.. Hamer mention
ed thematter at all, ex-Shel
if Geo. B. Mcleod, chairma
of the committee and g
that time a candidate for til
Senate, called Mr.. Geo. Fishe
to the chair and addressed til
committee at length, pleadin
earnestly that the Safeguard
of no discussion be placed arour
the primary, if a primary VIZ
ordered. After that Mr.. L.
'Hamer stated that he could NJ
be present at the afternoon Sc
sion and he wanted to say b,
fore leaving that he hoped Il
committee would take son
action that would do away wi
any discussion. But candida
for Office was the first man wi
spoke on that matter, and his pl
was a most earnest one; and
the candidate members of t
committee voted for it, and tn
is what the editorial in quest
was based upon.
Coming to the matter of
taxes, we were in error as to
amount. We were informed
Mr.. J. P. Stansel, who has be
at work on the books of
county officers for same tin
that they amounted tomore tn
$3.50, 600, the amount we stat
AS matter of fact, Sheriff. \
Neil was charged with a lit
more than $148,0 900, but he v
allowed rebates which brou|
the GmOunt down to the figu
given by Mr.. McEachern.
addition to the amount Mr..
Eachern gives the county
borrowed $14, 800, making a tc
of SAB, 2O4.66. The figures
gave at first included the Ell
taxes of the county, and we
not say the commissioners
the disbursement of the EN-
amount. But in 1OO5-O6
commissioners had the disbul
ment of the road fund, besides