The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-18
CONTEST OVER COTTON RATES.
DIk'FERENTIAL AGAINST VIRGINIA
PORTS NOT SETTLED.

Six Cents Was the DIReFentiaI Inst
Year, But the south Atlantic Lines
Are COntendinE for IL Cents Next
Year-An of the Lines Entering Sa-
vannah Favored the Higher Differ
eAtiaI.
The dinerentiaI against the Virginia
ports with respect to cotton traffic for the
next season was not fixed by the rail-
roads at interest in the recent meeting Of
traffic mel9 held in Atlanta.
The Savannah railroad men have return
ed from the, meeting where they made a
strong fight for the restoration of the
former differential of Il cents against
Portsmouth nd Primers Point, instead of
cents, which was the differentiaT against
the Virginia ports last year.
II has been stated that the representa-
tives of the roads entering the South At
lantic ports. meaning Savannah, Charles
ton, Brunswick AID Jacksonville, had fall
ed in their fight for the restoration of the
Il cents differential. It was stated that
the traffic men had agreed to hold to the
cents differential next season.
On the contrary, there was no agreement
reached al all on this important score, and
the further discussion of the question was
postponed until Aug. 5, when there will be
another meeting to take up the question.
The vote on the issue before the last meet
ing showed that the railroad men stood
eight in favor of the II cents differeMial
and three against it. Thus 1t is easy to
see that the men who represented the
roads leading into the South Atlantic ports
were not defeated.
The railroads that took the lead in the
fight for the 11-cent differential were the
Plant system, the Georgia and Alabama,
the Florida Central and Peninsular and
the Central of Georgia. They received the
hearty cooperation of other roads more
distant from the South Atlantic ports.
The fight before the railroad meeting
came up over a resolution to restore the
11-cent differential against Virginia ports.
After considerable discussion compro-
mise resolution was introduced drawing
line from Augusta through Camak, Ma
con, Fort Valley, Columbus and Mont
gomery, and proposing that all points
south and east of this line including the
points named should have the differential
against Virginia ports of IL cents. The
territory beyond that was TO have the six
cent differential. This resolution was de-
feated. -.
The matter was discussed again, and 1t
was agreed to propose a change in the
line so as to make 1t extend from Augusta
through Athens, Atlanta, Opelika, Mont
gomery, etc This proposition was put be
fore the meeting and the vote stood eight
to three as stated.
The Savannah railroad men declare that
the matter has not been disposed of yet,
for the reason that il was postponed I'M
I'll another meeting can be held, the
chairman of the last meeting ruling that
It W ould require a majority of the COM
mittee to enact the change. The eight
voting for the 11-cent differential were
not sufficient to carry the question their
way, although they were far in the ma
jority of those voting. 1t will be neces-
saTy 40 have not only a majority OF the
actual members voting, but also a major
ity of those who compose the committee.
The local railroad men declare that they
will favor any equitable adjustment of
the cotton rate this year that will be per
fecrly fair, If they can arrive at some
plan by which the rates on cotton to the
point of destiny, through Norfolk and
through Savannah, shall be equal, they
will be glad to favor it,
The differentia was formerly l3 cents
against Virginia ports. Then il was made
II cents, and last year it was made cents.
The Portsmouth roads hold that the diff
ference in ocean rates from that port and
South Atlantic ports is only from to 4
cents per hundred pounds.