The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-21
TO ORGANIZE FOR RATES.
A SOUTHERN TRANSPORTATION AS
ISOLATION IN PROSPECT.

A Plan 10 Combine All the Southern
Commercial Organizations for the
Purpose of Presenting a United
Front 10 the Railroads in All Mat
tiers Pertaining to Rates-The Cor
respOndence Between President
Purse and President EggIestOn OF
Charleston Being Circulated TO
Arouse interested Meeting 10 he
Held in Atlanta, Sept. ~.
A circular is being sent out to the
boards of trade and other commercial
bodies in this section from Charleston,
giving a correspondence between Presi-
dent Purse of the Savannah Board
of Trade and Mr.. N. H. Eggleston, Jr., Of
Charleston, on the subject of the South
ern transportation Association, of which
Mr.. Eggleston is president. The CORE
spondence discusses the aims of the as
ISOLATION and is circulated for the pur-
pose of interesting commercial bodies in
this section in it.
The first letter is the reply of Capt.
Purse to the circular letter sent out by
Mr.. Eggleston last month, stating the OBJ
Jects of the association, which are, in
brief to combine all the southern COM
mercial bodies into transportation asso-
citation, with headquarters at some central
point, for the purpose of looking after the
interest of southern shippers generally
in transportation matters. 1t is modelled
largely upon the plan of the National
Transportation Association, an organiza-
ton of the northern and western com
mercial bodies, which has been in sue
cessful existence for several years.
Capt. Purse, in his repIy, approves the
object of the association and says: I'm
my judgment the movement is such an
Important and necessary one for the
south, at this time that it should be
undertaken with the utmost care and a
full appreciation Of the work to be ac-
complished by it. It should be a perma-
nent, not a temporary body to serve a
particular interest, but should be or
dered to cast its protecting wing over
every interest affected by the question Of
transportation, and the work entered
upon with intelligence of its importance
and an unflagging determination to win
in every contention by the mighty power
of right. Charleston and Savannah can
not afford to join any association of
this character not thus founded and thus
intended to be operated"
He asks to hear directly from Mr. Egg
gleston before laying the matter before
the directors of the board of trade Mr.
Eggleston in his reply indorses the ideas
advanced by Capt Purse, and says that
he has stated "as the proper aim and
plan of the association exactly what its
founders intended" He refers to the
fight of the Georgia fruit growers before
the Interstate commerce commission,
which he says brought prominently for
ward the necessity for such an organi-
cation as he had outlined. temporary
organization has been effected, but a
meeting Is to be held in Atlanta Sept. "a
for the purpose of forming a permanent
| organization. 1t is purposed to have at
this meeting representatives from all
southern commercial organizations, If
possible. He intimates his intention Of
retiring from the head of the organization
at that meeting in favor of Capt Purse.
Capt. Purse has been authorized by the
| directors of the board of trade to at
! tend the meeting in Atlanta, Sept. "a. and
to use his discretion in the matter of in
| GLIDING the board of trade in the proposed
| organization. 1t is very likely that he will
also represent the Savannah Freight Bu-
reau.
Capt. Purse said yesterday that while
he approved heartily the purposes of the
association and would do everything in
his power to make it a success, 1t would
| be impossible for him to accept any office
or take any especially active part on ac-
count of having his hands full of similar
| work at home. and he states as much in
his letter to Mr.. Eggleston which is the
| last of the series published.
''Sueh an association" said Capt. Purse,
might prove of immense benefit to us
| here. There are many matters which
might be too great for us to accomplish
alone. but which might be accomplished
with the aid of such an association. 1t is
a matter of cooperation as compared with
/ Individual effort"