The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-11
PLANT TALKS BUOYANTLY.
He Discusses Various Matters Of In
teTeSt to Savannah.

Good Field of Trade-The Tourist
outlook-Hr. Plants Views on
National Lsgislation-What He Says
About the Corbett- Mitchell Fight.
He Has Never Made an Offer for the
Port Royal Road.
Mr.. H. B. Plant spent yesterday in the
city comforting with the chief officials of
the various railway lines of the Plant
system. He arrived from New York on
the morning train and was accompanied
by Mr.. NJ J. O'Brien, general manager of
the Southern Express Company, Mr.. D.
F. Jack, general auditor of the Plant sys-
TEN, and Mr.. Sullivan, Mr. Plants private
secretary He was met here by General
Superintendent Fleming, of the Savan-
nah, Florida and Western railway, Gen
eral Superintendent Dunhams of the
Alabama Midland railway, and MIR T. G.
McLendon, president of the Abbeville
Southern railway,
Mr.. Plant gave very pleasant talk to
a MORNING News reporter, who saw him
in his car at the Savannah Florida and
Western railway depot. He is looking hale
and hearty, and is evidently in the bestof
health. He was in good spirits, too, in
spite of the general dizziness in manufac-
turing and commercial lines, which he
acknowledges to exist at the north and
over the country generally.
THE NEW PLANT ROAD.
This is MIR. Plants first trip south since
the early part of December, when he at
tended the opening of the Abbeville
Southern railroad, an account of which
appeared in the MORNING NEWS at the
H.. IL L. -
this new road, which he has recently
added to his system.
"The road is about 80 miles long" he
said, running from Abbeville junction
on the Alabama Midland to Abbeville, the
county seat of Henry county. This is one
of the richest agricultural counties in
Alabama, and one of the most thickly
populated. The people are as prosperous
and independent as any to be found in
this section.
Cotton can be seen under sheds on the
farms along the line of the road which
has been stored away so long that the
bagging is actually dropping off. The
owners have not sold it because they did
not need the money. This is a sufficient
showing of their independence. The Able
vile Southern opens up new territory
for Savannah's trade, especially for the
cotton factors and the fertilizer manu-
finer lines of goods from the northern
and eastern markets ought also
to do a good business there. We
were handsomely treated by the people
when we were there and received a very
pleasant impression of the people and the
country"
HEAVY TOURIST TRAVEL.
Mr.. Plant said he had just received
letter from MIR j. H. King, manager of
the Tampa Bay hotel, which he will soon
visit. The letter said that the weather
was like that of June at the north and
that spring and summer vegetables are
now being served at the hotel Straw
berries also, are included on the bill of
fare. The patronage of the hotel is good
and rooms are being engaged daily by
tourists who are preparing to visit Flor
ida or are already on their way.
What are the prospects for the tourist
business this year," Mr.. Plant was asked.
I'VE hope for very large business this
year and a fashionable season." he re-
piled. THE northern people are not
spending their money so freely just now,
but this is not owing so much to the lack
of money as to the uncertainty as to what
legislation will be enacted by congress.
| think we can reasonably expect very
large travel however"
NOT IN WITH CONGRESS.
Mr.. Plant does not hesitate to express
his disapproval of the legislation contem-
plated by the present congress. He is
especially opposed to the proposed income
tax.
"Has the country reached such a state
that the re-enactmeut of a war tax is re-
quired2" he asked "That is what the
income tax is and was, and one of the
most oppressive at that. The idea is that
an income tax will place the burden upon
a few and remove from the shoulders of
the many. VIII not the owner of real es-
tate, who is enjoying a certain income
now, increase the rents upon his houses in
order to make up the deficit caused by
the income tax! Will not the merchant,
who is making certain in
come upon his business now, in
crease the prices of his wares
in order that he may continue TO enjoy
the same income3 1t Is proposed to tax
the income of corporations as well as of
private individuals. Will not this bear
more heavily upon the poor shareholders.
of whom there are thousands, than upon
the rich shareholders, who are only a
small minority2 And will it not be an ex-
cuse to the railroads and other corpora
tons to increase their charges1 Is it not
plain that the whole tax will ultimately
be borne by the people, and that it will
fall more heavily upon them in the end
than upon the rich, whom it is intended
to reachl
HIS VIEW OF THE TARIFF BILL.
elbow about the tariff bill7 What is
your opinion of thatl"
Il am neither a politician or a states
man. Mr.. Plant replied, and do not
care to discuss these matters as rule.
but l will say this: l am surprised that
a committee of intelligent gentlemen.
which we may certainly take the WAYS
and means committee to be. should report
a bill which they, themselves, acknowl-
edge will not produce sufficientrevenuef for
the governments need and should make
it necessary to impose such an unpopular
and dangerous measure as the income tax.
1t is not good tinanciering TO say the
least.n
Mr.. Plant repudiates the statement
that he has aided and abetted or is in any
way interested in the proposed prize fight
at Jacksonville.
HAS NEVER SEEN PRIZE FIGHT
81 have never seen a prize fight in nv
life" he said; land do not care to see one.
If anybody wishes to go to Jacksonville
TO prize fight we shall be glad to have
them travel over our lines. We would
carry delegates TO a church conveu-
ton with equal, if not greater pleasure
We are common carriers, and are inter-
ested in any public gathering only to
that extent. The statement made in