The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-05


A Washington dispatch in yesterdays
Morning News relative TO the efforts TO
get a sub-treasury in this city states the
situation. in our opinion. correctly. It IS
that unless an understanding is reached
between Savannah and Charleston no
sub-treasury will be established in this
section.
The ways and means committee will
be influenced greatly by what the secre-
tary Of the Treasury says as to the ne
cessity for such an institution in this part
of the south. There is ground for think
ing that that official does not strongly
favor another sub-treasury in the south,
and the contest between two cities Tor
such an institution gives him an excuse
for recommending that no other sub
treasury be established at this time. There
is also ground for saying that if he should
recommend any place It would be Sa-
vannah. and that he would recommend
sub-treasury for Savannah IL Charleston
should withdraw from the contest. The
conclusion is. therefore. that Charleston
will not get sub-treasury and she may
prevent Savannah from getting one.
A few days ago the Morning News sug-
gested that Charleston should show a lit
tie magnanimity in this matter. by stand
ing aside and letting Savannah have a
clear field. not only because Savannah
has the better chance for success, but
also because she began working for sub
treasury before Charleston did.
Charleston, speaking through the News
and Courier, replies that the sub-treasury
question is purely a business one. and
that there is no more reason why Charles
ton should be magnanimous than that
Savannah should. We do not think the
News and Courier states the matter fairly.
1t is not good business policy for
Charleston to prevent Savannah from
getting a sub-treasury by trying to get
1t herself, when there is no chance for
her to get it. She had it once and lost
it, as we understand. because there was
not sufficient business in Charleston to
justify continuing it. We take it for
granted that the reason that caused her
to lose it would prevent her from getting
II again.
to withdraw for two reasons. First, Sa-
vannah was first in the field. and. second.
because the arguments i'm her behalf are
much stronger than those Charleston can
present. The News and Courier says the
Charleston bankers took up the matter
year ago. Savannah began her efforts to
get sub-treasury in January, 1898, at
xr-bfa oh
citation adopted a resolution asking con-
gress 10 establish a sub-treasury at Sa-
vannah. A similar resolution was adopt
ed by the same association in June 1885,
Representative Lester, in response to the
resolution, soon after 1t was adopted, in
troduced into the House a bill covering
the purpose of the resolution. Charleston
therefore cannot reasonably ask Savan-
nah to withdraw, but Savannah is JUST
fled in asking Charleston to do so, be-
cause Savannah had been working for
two years before Charleston took any
steps in that direction.
We think that on the score of business
even Charleston will admit that Savannah
has superior advantages. Savannah is
the terminal of railroad systems hayins
$3.50 miles of road, while Charleston has
only 1,26O miles. Savannah has regular
steamship lines to Baltimore, Philadel-
phia, New York and Boston, Charleston
is without such lines. We do not men,
ton these facts for any other reason
than to show Savannah's ability to make
a more favorable impression upon con-
gress.
We think Charleston could easily sat
isfy herself that she has no chance for
a sub-treasury. Having no chance, by
remaining a claimant she is likely to ac-
/ complish only one thing namely, the pre-
venting of Savannah from getting a sub