The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
NO TARIFF ON POTATOES.
DR.. OemleT DenOunCeS The Truck
Growers Protective Resolution.


he Asks tosBe Recorded as Dissent
ing From the Resolution Asking
That the Tariff on Potatoes Remain.
His Opinion Made Part of the
Minutes by Unanimous Consent.
An Attempt to Be Made to Get
Lower Freight Rates on Produce by
Paying the Freight in Advance.
The monthly meeting of the Chatham
County Truck Growers Association, held
at the court house yesterday morning,
was characterized by some unusually in
teresting discussions.
At the last meeting, held the first Satur-
day in January, the association adopted
resolution protesting against the removal
OF the tariff of % cents per bushel on
Irish potatoes. A copy of this resolution
was sent to Col. Lester at Washington
with the request that he enter the pro-
test of the association along with the
other protests that were coming in on the
same line against the removal of that
tax.
The meeting at which the resolutions
were adopted, while not large one was
the resolution. The resolution was sent
to Washington and the protest filed. The
| sequel TO the meeting came out at the
meeting yesterday 1t was talk by DIR.
! Oemler, in which he charged those men,
oers OF the association who had voted for
the resolution with being republican in
! spirit. He also made the charge that
there was not quorum present and that
! proxies had to be secured before the reso-
| luton could be passed
AGAINST PRoTECTIoNIsTs.
When the meeting opened DR. Oemler
stated that he desired to say something
with regard to this resolution. He
wanted to place his dissent on record and
wanted it placed on the minutes. His
statement before the meeting is as fol-
lows:
l believe am the Oldest or earliest, truck
farmer In Georgia. For the past thirty-seven
| years have been deeply interested in the
| agriculture Of the south, and especially in the
| truck industry in Chatham county In so far
as lay in my power have promoted the well
| fare OF both, and was chiefly instrumental
| in organizing our first Truck Farmers Asso-
ciatlon with that object IN view, becoming It's
/ president. A resolution was adopted by this
| society at the December meeting protesting
| against the repeal OF the tariff on Irish pota-
| toes, and Col. Lester was requested TO hle its
| plea for this protective tarln 1t was the
most important act ever performed by this
| association; and, yet, while the presence OF
| only seven members is required to form a
| quorum, proxies had to be procured TO accom-
| plish its passage.
1 adopt this course in order to place my dis
| sent upon record, because:
| believe protective tari1 Is antagonistic
| to agricultural prosperity,
| l am democrat and not a republican, the
| question OF tariff reform chiefly distinguish
| ing the two paeties.
| No man could pass that resolution unless
he was, in so far as the chief question Is con
| cerned republican.
II it has any effect at all, 1t is unpatriotic
and antagonistic, or inimical to the policy Of
| the DemocT attic party, and to the adminstra-
| tion. which is the safeguard to the liberties
| or the south we have so ardently longed for.
believe the sooner agitation ceases and
! tariff reform becomes an accomplished fact
| the earlier will confidence be restored and
| general prosperity be realized.
| believe that democratic supremacy is OF
| more Importance TO the public OF the south
| than the success OF any local industry, even
| II il were assured by protection
believe truck farmers will participate in
| the benefits OF that restoration. The con-
sumption OF all their prod uce will be in
! creased at higher prices, and they will be en-
abled to supply all their wants at lower
| rates.
II the orange growers OF Florida, the potato
| and cabbage growers OF Georgia South Caro-
| lima, North Carolina Virginia, Michigan,
| Texas and Alabama, rice planters and cane
! sugar producers OF Louisiana and the beet
| sugar manufacturers Of the west reinforce
| the republicans in congress, Mr.. Cleveland's
administration may be hampered or defeated
and the advent OF prosperity delayed and
action of the senators from Louisiana, men
toned by this today dispatches.
WAS PLACED ON THE MINUTES.
Although not in strict accord with the
| bylaws of the association DR.. Oemlers
dissenting opinion was placed on the
minutes of the meeting, at his request, by
unanimous consent And at his request
also the secretary was instructed to for
ward copy of his views, as presented
above to Col. Lester. It will be for
warded as an individual protest, and the
members all agreed to stick TO their origi-
| nal resolution.
The members of the association, how
ever, could not allow the charge made to
go unnoticed, and those who had attended
the meeting at which the resolutions
were adopted all had something to say
with regard to the matter. The substance
of the statement made by those members
who had voted for the resolution was the
| same as was told DIR. Oemler when il was
known that he dissented from their views.
| They stated one and all that the associ-
alton was non-political in its views and
actions, and that such was expressly set
| forth in the bylaws Their action they
! all claimed, was business action. in and
for the interests of truck growers in this
section, and the adoption of the resolu-
ton had no political significance what
eAer.
| With regard to the charge made that
| no quorum was present when the meeting
/ was called TO order, and that proxies had
to be secured before the resolution could
be passed, Secretary Exley said last night
that while he could not be certain. as no
roll is called at the meetings, he believed
there was full quorum present, and he
said that no proxies whatever had been
secured for that particular meeting, nor
for the purpose of passing the resolution.
THE MEETING LARGE ONE.
The meeting yesterday was one of the
! largest and most enth usiastic that the
truck growers have held in some months.
| There were several business men from
! different parts of the country at the meet
/ ing. and its proceedings were quite inter
esting.
Among others present we're: MIR. G. II.
| Killough, of G.. H. Killough & Co., a COM
mission house of New York city, and Mr..
/ Gavin, representing G. b. Tatem & Co., of
1 Baltimore The matter of transportation,
in which the asso iation is largely inter-
ested was brought up, and these gentle
men took part in the discussion.
/ The fact that produce can be shipped
from Baltimore and New York to Savan-
nah and other southern points at lower
rates than it can be shipped from Savan-
uah to those same points in the north is a
! npculiaF one and one which the truck