The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-16
A FIGHT FoR FREIaHrs.
Charleston Should Be Touched by a
Coal From Savannah's Altar.


From the Charleston News and Courier.
Il have never before seen our people
and newspapers in such perfect accord
upon any subject as they are upon the
vital issues confronting the South At
lantic ports as elaborated in the proceed
ings of the Board of Trade yesterday.
| The very existence Of these ports is in
volved in the issues. They must be met,
met promptly and with steady and de-
termined purpose to conquer against
every obstacle. Defeat should be elimi-
| mated from our vocabulary"
This is what President Purse, of the
Savannah Board of Trade, says in a let
ter received by President Smyth. of the
Charleston Cotton Exchange, yesterday,
and we are permitted to publish it for the
Information and inspiration of the bust
ness men of Charleston. Savannah is not
more deeply interested than Charleston
in the issues affecting the trade and com
merce of the South Atlantic ports--in-
deed, the emergency in Savannah is not
so pressing as the emergency in Charles
| ton, ana we would like to fire the hearts
of our people with the same zeal and
courage that have taken hold upon our
| friends aud neighbors across the river.
We would also like 10 commend to our
| people, SaVannah's example in another
most important respect-in all movements
Affecting the commercial prosperity of
their port, the people of Savannah stand
| shoulder to shoulder. Strike one of them
and you strike all, attempt to take advan-
| tage of the cotton exchange and you find
the cotton exchange re enforced by the
board of trade and both bodies backed
| by the railroads and people and newspa-
| pers of the city. They believe in Savan-
nah, they work for Savannah, they do
not waste their powder on each other
but waiting until they see the whites of
the enemy's eyes, they fire by volley and
| generally whip the fight. Their example
is worthy of admiration and emulation,
and is commended to the consideration of
the business men of Charleston.
| President Purse has gone on the war
| path at this time because he feels that the
very existence of the South Atlantic ports
is involved in the present contest. He has
no special hostility to the Virginia ports.
he would not deprive them OF any part of
their legitimate business. but he does not
| believe that Savannah was built to be de-
stroyed in the interest of Norfolk and will
not consent that its trade shall be diverted
| into artificial channels. Il have never
before seen our people and newspapers, -
he says, lin such perfect accord upon
any subject" We would that Charles
ton could be touched by coal from
| Savannah's altar.
1t may be that we are deeply interested
and the business men of Savannah are
doing because we are selfish; but what
ever the cause of our sudden excess of ad-
miration for Savannah it is fact thaC
Savannah is fighting for Charleston as
well as for itself and that victory in the
present struggle will be a victory for
Charleston as well as for Savannah. The
| issues involved are common issues, and
| the benefits to be derived from a success.
full termination of the contest will be
common benefits. But while this is true,
| it is also true that Savannah, by means OF
it's transportation facilities can suffer de-
feat with less injury than Charleston.
Savannah has its own steamship and rail-
| road lines Charleston has neither ships
nor roads; Savannah is the terminus of
the Central system-Charleston is the
terminus Of no system. The South Caro-
lima and Georgia railroad, with mile
age of about $50 miles, running
through purely local territory" is
all that Charleston can absolutely de-
pend upon. At the present time Charles
| ton is deep water port, but under the
unjust determinations of the Southern
Railway and Steamship Association cot
ton and other produce. grown under
| Charleston's very nose, is hauled by our
gates to Virginia. 1t is so with cotton
and produce which would naturally go to
! Savannah, and hence it is that Charles
| ton and Savannah stand together and
must fight together and lose or win to-
! gether.
THE vital issues elaborated in the