The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-15
DIRECT TRADE.
THE ATTENDANCE ON THE CON-
VENTION RATHER SMALL.

lTudIduGGC-
ATLANTA, GA, Jan. 1A-The direct
trade convention which met here to-day
was less largely attended than was ex-
pected. Gov. Northen presided. In addi-
ton to the Georgians present Hon. Mr..
Wilson of board of trade OF Port Royal. s.
c., Hon. L. R. Carkaston of Keyser, W.
Va, and Mr.. Gillebrand of London at
tended
The report Of the committee on charters,
as already outlined in this correspondence,
was submitted.
A committee on business was appointed
and to it it was referred the charter incor-
porating the South Atlantic Trade and
Navigation Company. presented by the
Fleming committee, and the proposition Of
MIR. GilIeDrand and his English associates
to start a line of bi-monthly steamers to
ply between this country and Europe
ISLANDERS AGAINST THE SOUTH.
Mr.. Gillebrand, in presenting his propo-
sltion, offered some interesting remarks in
writing concerning the advantages Of
direct trade. He gave as a reason why
immigrants never come south that the
country is represented to them to be un>
healthy and inhabited only by negroes The
line of steamers proposed would traverse
much more agreeable route to Europe than
those now in operation. Better water
might be looked for, and there would be no
danger OF collisions with other vessels or
with tcsbergs in the fogs which render more
northerly tracks unsafe. The expelse
of railway journeys TO New York
before taking ship would be unnecessary.
European capitalists and tourists would be
attracted to tho south by the prospect of
direct transportation.
WANT A GUARANTEE.
Mr.. Gillebrands company stood ready to
begin operations In Europe next February
If satisfactory arrangements could be made,
but III order to carry out the scheme he
asked a guarantee of 5 per cant. on the cap
ital of the company for seven years, to be
given by the southern states. In his opin-
ion, the required capital would not exceed
81 SOC, 900, which would make the guarantee
$125, 600, but Mr.. Gillebrand thought that
the outlay of only about 2 per cent. for two
years, or $4,000 annually, would be
actually involved-a very small subsidy, he
insisted, when compared with the import
ance Of the project,
MAI. HoUsToN's VIEWS.
Maj. Houston followed Mr.. GiIlebrand.
He thought it would be easy TO give the
guarantees. He had studied the immigrant
though fairly dealt with at Castle Garden,
had always their destination fixed in ad-
vance, and the south had no chance to catch
them, except by the help of direct line Of
steamers to transport them.
Col Livingston thought the only question
was how to get up the per cent. He
knew she south was willing to give this
the agricultural society aud the different
cities should get together and raise the
necessary amount.
NEED THE HELP OF THE WEST.
Mr.. Webster of South Carolina thought
we should have to unite with the west to
keep the ships moving, and that we should
have good, large steamers, or there would
be few passengers.
J. B. Hunnicutt thought some arrange
ment should be made for the grain and meat
of the west to pass through the south so as
to keep the vessels at work after the cotton
season.
The committee on business. after consid-
ering the proposition Of the Englishmen,
recommended its rejection, with thanks,
on the ground that the convention had no
right to make legal guarantee, ard that
no such guarantee could be made till a
strong company had been organized and a
large portion of the stock SUI soribed and
some, at least, paid in.
QUALIFIED ENDORSEMENT.
On motion of Mr.. Hunucutt this section
of the committees report was amended by
the addition of the following: 1--WE recon-
mend the South Atlantic Trade and Navi-
cation Company, when formed. to accept
and put in force the liberal proposition of
Messrs. Gillebrand and Won Heyer, if it pos
sibly can do So"
The committee on business recommended
the following preliminary steps toward tho
organization Of the South Atlantic Trade
and Navigation Company and the Gulf
Trade and Navigation Company, which it is
proposed to form with view Of securing
direct trade; the representatives of each
slate shall appoint a com mittee to secure su b.
scriptions for the companies one Of which is to
carry on business with foreign countries
through a South Atlantic and the other
through Gulf port. A blank subscription
form shall be printed at once for the two
companies and supply furnished each dell
egate to the convention, with the request
that he canvass fer stock subscriptions to
each of the two corporations. In ninety
days each delegate shall for ward to the
chairman of his state committee his list of
subscriptions, and the several chairmen
from these lists shall consolidate the total
subscriptions in their respective states and
forward statements Of the aggregate to the
secretary of the convention, the Sec
rotary TO COnSOuQdUS IDo SUBSCRIPTION
returns of ali the states, and if
ii should be found that each of the pro-
posed corporations has as much as $3.50 900
subscribed meeting in Atlanta of the
stockholders OF the Atlantic company shall
be called for the second Wednesday in May
next, for the propose of organization. The
stockholders of the Gulf company shall
also be called together for the same pur-
pose at point to be selected by them. The
shares of the company's shall be 800 each,
payable 25 per cent. on the
organization Of the company
and 25 per cent. not oftener
than once every four months
thereafter. The committee presented
resolutions that each delegation
to the convention from states
in which no immigration asso-
citation exists be requested to appoint a
committee to press the Importance of the
subject on their respective legislatures and
urge legislation favorable to the securing of
desirable Immigrants by organized effort.
CLAIMS OF THE CITIES.
Resolutions were also presented, urging
that all commercial organizations of South
Atlantic seaport cities be asked to submit
to the convention of stockholders in May
next the reasons each of said cities has to
urge in favor of its selection as the port
from which direct trade shall be conducted;
also, that all chambers of commerce.
cotton exchanges, ETC., in the