The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-24
AT THE COTTON ExCHANGE.
The Board of Trades Resolutions
PaSsed-Nr. Corners Explanation.

PaSsed-Mr. Corners Explanation.
The meeting of the cotton exchange
for the purpose of taking action along
the same line was to have been held at
u O'Clock noon, but had to be postponed
until 1870 O'Clock. as several of the MEM
bers were in attendance on the board
of trade meeting.
There were between fifty and sixty
members OF the exchange in the room,
when the meeting was called to order
by President Williamson. He said the
object of the meeting had already been
stated at a previous gathering at noon,
and that the subject matter in hand
could be proceeded with at once
Mr.. j. r. Anderson then presented the
case for the Georgia and Alabama, rail-
road, making similar statements to those
made at the board of trade meeting and
given above. He was followed by Mr..
A. r. Lawton, Jr., who spoke of the
different construction that they placed
on the law. and explained the Central
railroads position from a legal stand
point.
MIR. Corners argument was about the
same as that made before the board of
trade, with the exception that he made
a statement in explanation of his remark
that the bill was dead, and would not
be passed by the legislature.
Il stated this morning, gentlemen" he
said, that that bill was dead, and could
rot be passed by the legislature as at
present constituted. l had no idea that
any such construction as has been placed
on that statement would be given It, My
authority for that setement was Senator
Osborne, who introduced the bill and
who is chairman of the committee before
whom it went. Mr. Osborne told me of
the substitute that had been prepared,
and which was In his possession, and gave
me a copy of it, which / now have.
THE statement that the bill would not
pass as long as the legislature is con-
stituted as il is now was based on my be-
lief that that body will respect the rights
of railroads. Capt. Purse stated before
the committee that railroads had no
rights which the people would respect
where their interests were involved, and
my reason for saying the bill could not
or would not be passed by the legislature
as now constituted, was the fact that I
knew the present legislature does think
that railroads have some rights But as
Stunning Capt Purses proposition TO be
correct, that railroads have no rights
which the people would respect and un-
less this proposition is adopted BY mem
bers of the legislature, they will lose
their seats, on this idea they might pass
any sort OF a law without regard to private
AIR. Anderson then concluded for the
Georgia and Alabama We cannot
come into the city" he said, without the
railroad. 1t was never the intention of
the law that it should be so. The pres
ent law allows the question to be raised
whenever there is new railroad to be
built We simply want to change the law
as little as possible in order to afford now
railroads the rights to which they are
Mr.. Henry T. Williams introduced a
resolution which called on the Senate and
House Of Representatives to make some
change in the present law. 1T is only
the principle that we are after" Mr. Will
iiams said, we have nothing to do with
me light between the Central and the
Georgia and Alabama"
After the preamble Mr.. Williams reso-
lutions read as follows:
First, That we emphatically protest
against the injustice of the existing law
in allowing any opening for such a claim
or contention to be raised by any exist
ing railroad entering or any of the cities
OF this state, as being contrary to the
interests of the public welfare
Second, That we earnestly urge and
request the senator from this district
and our representatives in the legisla-
ture TO take active and vigorous meas
ureS and to use every effort to obtain
such modification of the existing laws as
VIII secure not only free and unobstructed
access to this port for all new railroads
seeking deep water here, but also as will
make the laws so plain on this point as
to set at rest all doubts on the question.
Third, We earnestly invite the atten-
ton OF the Senate and representatives of
the general assembly of Georgia TO the
existing conditions of the laws on this
SUBJECT and to the advantage that NAV
be taken or claimed under them by exist
ing railroads for the purpose of obstruct-
ing the building of new lines and to the
consequent great damage and injury which
would follow to this, the chief seaport of
the state. and likewise to all other cities
throughout the state by deprivine them
OF new and additional lines of transpor-
tation which the growth of their com
merce and business and the welfare of
their citizens need and require: and We
respectfully request that the Senate and
representatives will promptly move for the
protection of the interests of the citizens
or this state in the premises by granting
such notifications of the existing lawg
on this subject as will enable new rail
road lines TO be built into the cities of
this state without the fear of protracted
ana costly litigation before they can have
established their right to do so.
Mr.. Conner rose as if to say sometime,
when Capt. Williamson called for a sec
ond.
II rose to second those resolutions -
Mr.. Conner said. They are resolutions
which take pleasure in seconding. They
embody the right principle, and propose
Legislation in the right manner
Col. w. w. Gordon objected to these
resolutions on the ground that it Womb
not do to have two sets of resolutions 90
different in character going to Atlanta
because IN order to accomplish anVthine
perfect unanimity of action should bR
shown. He proposed therefore that tbe
resolutions passed at the board of traGs
meeting be read, and that as a substi-
tute for the resolutions just introduced
they be passed. Mr.. Williams resolutionS
were read again. and then the board of
trade resolutions were read.
The question on the adoption of the sinh
stitute was put, and there was SO much
doubt about 1t that a division was called
The vote was found to stand l6 to ii i'm
trade resolutions. 1t was evident from
this that there were between twenty-6ve
and thirty members present who did nor
vote.