The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-07
The Anti-RaIlroad BIZ.

During the discussion OF the anti-rail-
road bill. which. IL IS understood. IS 10
be considered by the House committee on
railroads to-day. the origin OF the bill
may be disclosed. II was introduced at
the request Of capt. Purse. but there Is
a quite general belief that IL did not orig
mate with him. Il certainly does not ex-
press the prevailing sentiment Of the peo-
pie Of Savannah and from expressions
which have appeared in the newspapers
there is good reason for saying that IL does
not express the prevailing sentiment OF the
people Of the state outside Of Savannah.
a long communication. which was pub
lished in Wednesdays Atlanta Journal,
may contain hint Of the purpose Of the
bill. assuming. OF course. that It did
not originate with Capt. Purse. In that
Communication it is said that II the South
ern railway were prevented from re-or-
ganizing the Central, the Louisville and
Nashville might easily get entire control
Of an outlet to the seaboard at Charleston.
BY this it is meant. of course, that II the
Central system were broken up the Louis
Vile and Nashville might get entire con-
troll Of the Georgia railroad. and that road,
together with the road which it is prepar-
ing to build from Augusta to Charleston.
would give it a line from Atlanta to
Charleston.
But how would the opening Of such a
line help Savannah? Indeed, how could
the breaking up of the Central system help
Savannah? And If the Southern railway
were prevented from recognizing the
Central is it not probable that the Cen
trail system would be broken up? How
would it be possible to re-organlze it in
the face of such legislation as that pro-
posed in the pending bill?
1t is true that the writer of the cummu-
nication in the Journal assumes that II the
Central should be re-organized as a part
Of the Southern railway. the Southern
would turn traffic from Savannah to Nor
folk. That is the basis Of his argument,
but he does not give any satisfactory rea-
son why it would divert traffic from sa-
vannah. He simply assumes it would in
order to make out his case. And he doesn't
show how Savannah would be benefited
If the Central system should be broken up.
He doesn't take. into consideration, in
arguing for Georgias interests, the fact
that If the system were broken up part OF
it might be obtained by other systems
and used against Savannah. In fact. he
admits that the Louisville and Nashville
might get absolute control of an outlet to
Charleston. Would Savannah be any better
off il her traffic were diverted to Charles
ton rather than Norfolk?
The Southern railway owns the control
ling interest in the Central and it can
not be deprived Of it. 1t may be prevented
by hostile legislation from re-organizing
the Central If it should be and the Central
should be sold without any re-organiza-
ton plan, the chances are that Savannah's
interests would suffer, and the junior
securities would be practically worthless.
If the Central should be recognized by
the Southern railway it would not be i'm
possible for the railroad commission and
the legislature to protect savannah's and
even Georgias interests if they should
need protection.