The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-10


Commissioner Stahlman responsible for
the reduction IN ths cotton diff
ferential between the South At
lantic and Virginia ports. A few days
ago the Morning News suggested that the
commissioner is not responsible for the
reductisn-that he is simply the agent OF
the Southern Railway and Steamship As
ISOLATION. and is doing only what the as
ISOLATION has authorized him 10 do, and
wants done. In an article in its issue
Of Wednesday, in answer to the position
taken by the Morning News, the News and
Courier says:
What our contemporary says Of Gem
missioner StahIman is in a sense true-he
is simply the agent of the association
but he Is a bigger man than the assecia-
ton, and 1t has been due to his efforts,
his schemiug his determination to render
good service to the railroads which he
represents in return for the very fat sal
airy which he is paid. The authority dele
gated to him is absolute. lie is clothed
with plenary power; he may increase or
decrease this ACKNOWLEDGEMENT when tho
association, after hearing argument and
taking counsel and considering CONNER
cial conditions, direct? Not a bit of it. Tn
der authority of the association the COM
missioner may increase or decrease this
differential in case it shall appear to him
necessary. The movement Of the business
through the various ports does not seem
to the commissioner to warrant change
in the dlfferential at his time; certainly
not an increase"
We do not see that in the foregoing
extract the News and Courier strengthens
it's position. 1t is undoubtedly true that
the commissioner has absolute authority
to increase or decrease the differential
when it appears to him necessary. But
what is meant by necessary" Does it
not mean when the commissioner is
Informed that the cotton is not moving
in accordance with the agreement of the
association by which the cotton at the
competing points is parcelled out among
the competing roads? The commissioner
has no authority to so fix the diherential
that more cotton shall go to the Virginia
ports or the South Atlantic ports than is
provided for by the agreement of the
association. His authority is absolute
only within the limits of that agreement.
If he finds a greater share of the cotton
is going TO the South Atlantic ports
than the agreement calls for he reduces
the differental. If he finds the roads
leading to the South Atlantic ports are
not getting the share they are entitled to,
he increases the differential If he should
fail to do this the roads that were the
losers would call his attention to the
matter at once and require him to eX-
ercse the authority vested in him. We,
therefore, repeat that we do not see what
Commissioner Stahlman has to do with
the matter AS we see it, the whole ques-
ton rests with the railroads of the assoc
citation, and our own railroads are to
blame If they enter into an agreement
which permits cotton to be taken from
their territory to the far away Virginia
ports.
We refer to this matter again not be-
cause we desire to defend Commissioner
Stahlman. We have no interest in him
whatever. We think he should be called
to account If he is doing. or has done, any
thing which shows an unfriendly spirit to
the South Atlantic ports, But we submit
that it is useless to attack him if he is not
the party who is doing the South Atlantic
ports harm The thing to do is to find out
the party who is responsible for the injury
that is being done US and attack that par
ty. Does the News and Courier suppose
that the roads that are carrying cotton to
the South Atlantic ports would submit TO
having cotton from their territory diverted
to the Virginia ports if it did not meet
with their approval?
We are, Of course, obliged to the News
and Courier for it's efforts to arouse us
and the people of Savannah to the fact
that business is being diverted from the
South Atlantic to the Virginia ports. and
for its warning against the wiles of Uncle
Stahlman,' but at the same time we hope
| our contemporary will see that it is not
likely to accomplish much if it wastes its
ammunition in firing at the wrong mark