The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-19
FOR EQUITABLE RATES.
A Strong Argument Presented by the
Committees From Southern Ports.

They Show How Virginia Points Are
Given Great Advantages in Rates
on Cotton and other Products Over
the South Atlantic Ports-A Strong
Memorial Presented to the Southern
Railway and Steamship Association
at Manhattan Beach.
A dispatch from New York to the
MORNING News last night stated that
the joint committee of three from Savan-
nah and four from Charleston, appointed
to appear before the Southern Railway
| and Steamship Association with regard
to the matter of rates TO the south At
lantic ports, after an interview with Com
missioner Stahlman yesterday, appeared
before the executive board of the asso-
citation and presented report.
The action taken at the first meeting of
the rate committee will probably be re-
| ferred to another board meeting, and
afterward to the board of arbitration,
which made the reduction of the differ
entail to 6 cents. The final meeting of
the committees from Savannah and
Charleston with the association will be
held to-day. 1t is important that the
South Atlantic ports should be repre-
sented at the meetings which will take
these matters under considera ton.
The memorial prepared by the CONNER
cial bodies of Charleston, with regard to
unjust and discriminating rates, was
| presented to the association and
was taken under consideration. The
matter was discussed at some
length with the committees. A
summary of the strong argument pre-
pared and presented by the commercial
bodies of Charleston follows:
THE COMMITTEES MEMO RIAL.
The memorial presented by the Charles
ton committee was in the shape of a re-
port made TO meeting Of the commercial
interests of that city and the citizens in
general at the chamber of commerce
July 10.
The report begins on the broad ground
that each locality competing with others
is entitled to the benefit of all its natural
advantages. 1t was argued that it is not
reasonable, just or lawful that there
should be rate which diverts products
from points in the interior TWO or three
times the distance to the Virginia ports
rather than to the ports of the South At
lantic, which are in their immediate terri
tory, ana that an application of the asso-
citation rate per ton per mile would insure
the business to the South Atlantic ports.
Waving these points for the present ar
gument the committee answered by facts
and figures the reasons given by the
board of arbitration for confirming and
continuing the cotton differential at only
6 cents.
1t was stated that the same unjust and
discriminating rates on fertilizers and other
products obtained as on cotton The
table cited here to show the discrimina-
tion, shows rate from Atlanta to Nor
folk, about 619 miles, of 40 cents per 100
pounds on cotton, and to Charleston,
about S0S miles, 43 cents per 100. Another
example is from Augusta, Ga, about 517
miles to Norfolk, the rate being 81 cents
per 100, while to Charleston, only 1877
miles away, it is % cents a hundred.
Several other points are mentioned.
THE REASON GIVEN FOR 1T.
The reason given by the board of arbi-
tration was that there was a difference of
less than 6 cents on cotton to Liverpool
as between the Virginia ports and those
of the South Atlantic. In answer to this
the committee appended table of ocean
rates, as prepared by Commissioner
Stahlman, which, of course, the associa-
ton could not question, and which showed
an advantage in favor of Norfolk on the
ocean rate of from to II cents or an aver
age, the three months on which the board
based its decision, of more than Ga cents.
This is proof conclusive on this point.
During January, February and March,
1894, twelve months after the reduction
of the differential on cotton from IL cents
to cents, the Virginia ports still enjoyed
an advantage of 1923 cents per 100
pounds in lower ocean freights.
The marine insurance table shows large
II NTsnN.r H. S. ~
Point, Va. The table of highest prices
paid for middling cotton at Norfolk and
Savannah during the last three months of
the II cent differential, the first six
months of the reduction to cents, and
the same period twelve months after,
gives an average difference of 30 cents per
bale in favor of Norfolk,
WHAT THE TABLES SHOW.
From these tables it is figured as fol-
lows: Advantage in average lower ocean
freight rates 6 cents per 100 pounds. which
at $50 pounds to the bale, is 20 S-10 ceuts
per bale; advantage in marine insurance.
IA l-6 cents per bale; advantage in price
spot cotton, 80 cents per bale; total ad-
vantage against South Atlantic ports
about 73 cents per bale.
For February and March, 1894, the
average advantage is even greater, being
70 HIP cents per bale.
The second reason given by the
board of arbitration, namely, that the
cotton movement for 1929 to the Vir-
ginia ports shows much greater ratio of
decrease as compared with the ratio of
decrease in the crop, than the South At
lantic ports, is answered by a tabulated
statement showing that prior to the year
1898, with a differential of IL cents the
receipts at the Virginia ports were actu-
ally larger than those of Charleston and
relatively larger than those of Savannah.
Therefore it is shown these Virginia cities
even had an advantage with the II cents
differential in force
In the first four months of 1929 1t is
stated that owing TO the extra exertion
on the part of the South Atlantic ports
the advantage in favor of the Virginia
ports was, to a certain extent, overcome.
The Virginia ports then appealed to the
board of arbitration, with the result that
the diferential was reduced to cents
per 100 pounds. In these first four
months Savannah received II per cent.
and Charleston 50 per cent Of the total of
the years receipts, while Norfolk re-
ceiyed 67. After the differential was re-
duced TO 9 cents savannah received the
| other q per cent. extending over six
| months, Charleston the Il per cent i'm
six months and Norfolk 81 per cent. in
ha arua fvv,,