The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-28
A VERYKNOTTY QUESTION
a FRER-gOR-ALL CONTEST OVER
RAILROAD RATES.

The Naval Stores Men VIII Enter a
Strong Protest-A Hard Question
for the Commissio on ers-The Macon
and Northern - The Nancy Hanks
Story Considered a Fake-Mr. Plants
Projects in Cuba.
Receiver Conner left last night for At
lanta, and will present his argument before
the railroad commissioners to-day asking for
an increase Of 25 per cent. in the freight
rates fixed By the commission for the roads
! operating in the state.
! A telegram from the Macon Board OF
/ Trade was received by MIR. Conner yester-
| day, stating that a representation from
that commercial body had been appointed
to accompany him 20 Atlanta and to assist
| him, as far as in their power. in securing
the rates asked for This was an entirely
voluntary action on the part of Macon's
Board Of Trade, and shows an appreciation
Of the troubles under which the railroads
are now labOrlng.
Mr.. Conner will present a written argu-
| ment, embodying in substance what be
stated at his last appearance before the
| commission, and he will have this argument
printed after it has been presented before
| the commission, as many business men in
| terested in the matter have asked him for q
copy of il.
PROTESTS MAY BE NUMEROUS.
AS was mentioned in a dispatch TO the
| MORNING News concerning the proceed
| lngs Of the turDentine operators meeting at
| Waycross, the operators will offer combined
| opposition to any increase in rates on their
/ products, and delegation, consisting Of
| II ~f
association, a. G. Cassels, secretary; o. L.
Bass, treasurer, and w. G. Powell aud
John K. Young, representing the naval
stores men here, left for Atlanta last night
to present their side of the case before the
commissioners, and to enter formal pro
test against the increase asked for.
The lumbermen aud other associations
will also appear IN the arena and fight the
matter to finish. Savannah is deeply in
terested in both sides OF toe contest on &C.
| count of the large commercial and railroad
interests here, which are foremost in it,
DEFEATED IN '91.
In May, 1891, the railroads OF the state
| especially of the southern portion, made q
similar appeal before the commission, ask
| ing for increased rates on lumber and naval
| stores. The arguments were entered into at
length before the commissioners, both by
| the railroads and the interests
1
made, the result being that
the commission decided not to interfere. and
the rates were not increased
The naval stores men will refer to this
contest, and will endeavor TO show that
their product has really decreased in mar
ket value, and they say they cannot stand
any heavier rates than those they are now
required to pay. They believe they con-
tribute their share to freights, and say the
amount is as large as they can stand. This
Is traffic which pays about 81 900, 900 a
| year In freight rates, and Is now only about
| twenty years old in this section.
The matter Of direct trade may also figure
| in the argument against an increase in
| rates. 1t has been suggested that any in.
crease in the rate might remove the parity
! between this port and New Orleans which
now exists by reason of the fact that Sa-
vannah has recently been given an export
rate.
PRETTY QUESTION.
This question is no doubt one of the most
difficult that the railroad commission has
had to handle in some time. On the one
hand are the railroads OF the state almost
all of them in the hands Of receivers, which
they attribute to the existing freight rates.
| They say they are unable to pay reason
| able dividend on their true capitalization,
and attribute it TO this cause, Here are
immenss interests financially embarrassed
because, as they say, they are not allowed
to charge a reasonable price for their serv-
ices.
On the other hand all the men who are
protesting claim that with increased compe-
tition their profits have fallen off, and they
now stand all the burden they can from
freight rates. Their interests, while small
in individual localities, are immense in the
aggregate, aud they say additional expense
will tend to put them in the same embarn
raised condition the railroads now OCCUPY.
The constitutional question Of protection to
property will doubtless enter both sides OF
the contest. The question as to " hose prop
erty most needs and demands the protection
will be what the commission will have to
decide,