The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-05

II is evident that if Savannah is to con-
tinue to prosper she must prepare herself
to handle business offered her as cheaply
and expeditiously as it is handled by rival
ports. II she expects business TO come TO
4 her while rival ports are Offering greater
/ inducements. she will find she is mis-
taken. What she must do, in fact, what
she has got to do, 10 hold her trade and
increase it, is to offer greater induce
ments than her rivals.
/ The day for big profits and extraordi-
/ nary wages is past. To insist upon them
is to kill the goose that lays the golden
| egg. Big earnings now come from the
volume of business, not from large profits.
Each bale Of cotton, each cask of spirits
and each barrel of rosin will stand only
so much toll. Any attempt to levy
heavier toll viii result in driving trade
elsewhere.
The MORNING NEWS, a week or so ago,
called attention TO the fact that the
freight rate for cotton from this port to
Liverpool is considerably higher than at
Charleston or any other South Atlantic
port, and suggested that steps should be
taken to remedy the matter at once. Be
cause OF this difference in freight rates
Savannah has received at least 100000
bales of cotton less this year than she
would have received had she stood on an
equal footing with other South
Atlantic ports in the matter of
foreign freight rates. 1t is true,
she has received over 100000 bales more
than she received up to this time last
year, but she ought to have received 2OO,-
600 more.
1t may be asked, What ought to be
done2 The answer TO that question is
evident We are now at the beginning
of a new year. Make it a year of re-
forms. Let a committee of the trade
bodies be appointed and instructed to
find out why it is that cotton is shipped
at a less rate from Charleston and other
South Atlantic ports than from Savan-
nah. Let the report be detailed one,
pointing out exactly the causes of the
higher rate from this port and suggest
ing what reforms are necessary to put
Savannah on an equality with rival
ports. If the port charges are too high
they must be lowered. II expenses of
handling cotton are too great they must
be cut down. If profits are too great they
must be reduced.
1t will not do to let things take their
course If we cling to that policy our
business will gradually drift away from
us, and we shall find it difficult, ifnot i'm
possible, TO get it back The time TO in
augurate reforms is while we have the
business and are in a position TO hold it if
we adopt the right means.
II is evident that this matter must
be dealt with intelligently, Wig
orously and promptly. The
longer we wait the less inclined
viii we be to 'grapple with it, and the
less able will we be to grapple with it
successfully What we want to know
first is exactly what the causes of the
disadvantages are under which we labor,
aud then we want to know how these
causes can be removed. IL is evident
that there must be united and harmo-
NOUS action on the part of all who are in
terested in having the needed reforms in
augurated. With such action success is
certain, and Savannah, freed from the
obstacles which threaten to hinder her
progress, will become more prosperous
than ever. No time should be lost In
doing this work. Why should it not be
done very early this yearl