The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-04
TOWNSEND AND THE 8. T. A.
what Mr.. McLendon Eas to Say About
Charges gainss Townsend.

Charges gainst Townsend.
IHoAAsvILLE, GA. June 2.-Edttor
Morning Necs: l have Just had brought
to my attention the controversy thrown
upon Mr.. Z. b. Townsend by the lumber
men on account of statement made by me
before the railroad commission last week.
AZ seems that have thrown an apple OF
dlscord not only into the ranks of the Gaor-
gia Saw-mill Association and naval stores
dealers, but have also disturbed the peace
OF the Southern Travellers Association.
Whlle 1t may be a very hazardous under
taxing, stall, at the risk Of nv life.
shall rush upon the battlefield and sieze
TINS apple OF discord and exhibit IL TO the
world 10 show how grave aud unpardona.
Die is the cffense charged against Mr..
townsend. 10 arguing before toe railroad
commission last week 10 support of the petit
ton OF the railroads for an increase in rates
on lumber and naval stores, l used these
words: MIR. Q. B. Townsend, who repre-
sents the Standard Oil Company, and who
travels extensively through the turpentine
regions, informs me that there are now in
use Tor turpentine purposes 1000 900 acres
"The Georgia legislature, which I have
JUST put upon the witness stand, says that
4,oo9, SIT acres or land have been boxed for
turpentlne purposes, Of course including
That now in use. Mr. c. B. Townsend
states that 10 his opinion &c, 900 acres of land
per annum are destroyed by fires that
sweep over lands in actual use-that ia to
say, that per cent. of the land in use by
turpentine men, notwithstanding their
watchfulness and care. is destroyed for
milling purposes by fire every year." This
Is exactly what l said, and this is all |
said about Mr.. Townsend. Understand me
Mr. Editor, am not un iertakiug to defend
Mr.. Townsend, for l think him entirely
capable Of taking care of himself. But I
write this simply in vindication of the
truth. 1t is fact that Mr. Townsend fur
nished to the Constitution in March, 1890
substantially the facts quoted by me as
coming from him. 1t is a matter Of great
surprise to me that my good friends of the
georgia Saw-mill Association and the naval
stores trade should select Mr.. Townsend as
their victim when the petitioners quoted
from so many others equally prominent
and equally trustworthy. For instance,
we used before the commission
a statement showing the prices
OF naval stores at Savannah for a period Of
thirteen years, which was furnished by the
secretary Of the board Of trade. It seems to
me that if Mr.. Townsend is to be investi-
gate1 that the secretary Of the board Of
trade ought also to be investigated and
ASKED to resign. We used also statement
concerning the value of turpentine and
rosin on each acre Of land, furnished by nv
most excellent friend, Mr.. John r. Young,
and 1t seems to me that he ought also to be
Investigated and asked to resign. We used
statements furnished by the controller gen.
eral, which were no more injurious to
Ssvannah's commerce than the
Information furnished by Mr..
Townsend, and it seems to me
that If Mir. Townsend is to be made
to suffer that the controller general
ought not to be allowed to escape I'M
whipped of "justioe." We used the testi-
mony Of large number of the members of
the legislature as TO the acreage which had
been boxed for turpentine purposes, and if
Mr.. Townsend Is to be dismissed because he
stated how many acres are now in actual
use, the members of the legislature, who
made the larger statement, ought also 20 be
asked to resign. The charge against Mr..
Townsend. as learned from public prints,
is that "he furnished information to
certain attorneys representing railroad
corporations, which information is
not alone inimical to the interest
Of Savannah's commerce, but tends to the
destruction of the influence and usefulness
OF the Savannah branch am at great
loss to understand just wherein Mr. Towns
ENDS offense lies. 1t certainly cannot rest
upon the fact that he said that 100000
acres of land were in use for turpentine
purposes, because this statement he had
made IN newspaper over a year before
this charge was preferred. 1t would seem
that Mr.. Townsend was guilty IF
an objectionable sin 10 repeating
to an attorney representing
railroad corporation what he had
said in a public newspaper. Or II may
be that Mr.. Townsend was guilty Of great
wrong because the attorney in question had
repeated before the commission what he,
Mr.. Townsend, had said. l freely admit
that do not see how MIR. Townsend could
prevent an attorney, who was at the time
several hundred miles away, from repeating
q statement publicly made by him. Still
have no doubt but that in she eyes of these
excellent gentlemen who represent our lum-
Der and naval stores business, Mr. Townsend
did very wrong in permitting this to be
done. Ny good friends seem inclined to
favor the organization Of a mum society
extra dry in so far as the great business In
which they are engaged Is concerned. 1
think they are entirely right, from their
standpoint, In not wishing the public to be
fully informed as to these matters l am
very confident that as soon as the passion of
the moment subsidies the gentlemen who
have preferred charges against Mr.. Town
send will make haste to withdraw them.
beg to hand you, Mr.. Editor, q copy of
my argument submitted the railroad COM
mission, in order that you can see not only
in what manner and to what extent
quoted from Mr.. Townsend, but also for the
purpose of giving you some idea Of our view