The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-13
THEY IGNORED THE SOUTH.
SOUTHERN CoNGREssMEN PRESS
ING THE sOUTH'S CLAIMS.


Representative Livingston Leads
the Indignation Movement Against
the ArmOr Plate Commission Who
Confined Their Investigations On
Iy to Pennsylvania and Illinois
Steel PlNnts-They Hope That
Their Protest VIII Result in the
Reorganization of the South's
Great Advantages.
Washington, Sept. 12.-Representatlve
Livingston is here industriously at work
on the proposition to give one of the
southern cities an opportunity to furnish
armor plate for Uncle Sans new war
ships, in competition with the Carnegie.
Bethlehem iron works and the Illinois
steel works.
The armor plate board refused to visit
the southern cities to secure available data
showing that armor plate can be manu-
featured cheaper than at any OF the great
establishments named, and confined their
investigations to plants already establish
ed in Pennsylvania and Illinois. Repre-
sentative Livingston says Georgia, Ala
bama or Tennessee can offer better facili-
ties for the manufacture of the highest
grade of steel than either Carnegie or
Bethlehem and the southern representa-
tives propose 10 make a strong appeal to
the Secretary of the Navy to order the
board to inspect the southern steel works
before they make their final report on the
subject
In this movement Representative Liv-
lngston says he has the support of the en-
tire Georgia delegation, in addition to the
representatives from Alabama, Tennessee
and all other southern states.
Representatives Gaines of Tennessee
and Wheeler of Alabama are here pre-
pared to go before the Secretary of the
Navy in a few days and put the case in
it's strongest light. Ex-Secretary Herbert
Is also interested in behalf of southern en-
terprises and he will cooperate with the
southern congressman.
The board appears to have ignored the
question of site for the proposed armor
plate plant and confined its Investigations
TO the cost of buildings and machinery
necessary in the manufacture of armor
plate.
Representative Gaines who is taking
very active interest in this subject says
the board has not done it's full duty, ignor-
ing the South, and he will insist that the
southern enterprises be at least allowed to
submit certain data, bearing upon the cost
of the manufacture of steel at Blrming-
ham and other points in Tennessee and
Alabama so that congress may know how
much cheaper armor plate can be produce
ed than that furnished by Carnegie & co.
Delegations from several of the southern
cities are expected here In few days,
when the whole subject will be presented
to the Secretary of the Navy
While 1t may not be possible to induce
the board to recommend any particular
site for the location of the proposed plant
1t is possible that the southern interests
may be fairly stated In the report, provid-
ing the board will take the trouble TO con-
slider the extraordinary facilities offered
In the south for the manufacture of armor
H9late.
&aSavannah offers many advantages as a
desirable site for the location of the pro-
posed plant and as there is already a
movement on foot there looking To the es-
tablishment OF a steel works, her inter-
ests should be especially looked after at
this time.
The Alabama delegation are working for
the interests of Birmingham, and the Ten
nessee delegation is striking to advance
the interests of Nashville.
Representative Livingston, while not op-
posing Savannah's interests, naturally pre-
tunity occurs.