The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-25
SAVANNAH WILL COOPERATE.
AID TO Bic GIVEN FOR THE STATE
EXHIBIT AT OMAHA.


Headed by Ex-Governor Northern
Georgia Needs Increased Tax VAL
ues and These Can BE Secured by
Immigration and Investmcnt-The
Omaha Exhibit to Be Made With
This offset in View-Savannhh's
Support Pledged.
Savannah will aid to secure a Georgia
exhibit at the Omaha Exposition this fan
This much was decided at the meeting
OF citizens with the state exposition com,
mission yesterday. The arguments adj
vanced by The members of the commits
sion were convincing, though, as a mat
ter of fact the Savannahians present were
ready 20 be convinced and already in SYM
patty with the movement.
The members OF the exposition commits
sion present were ex-Gov. w. J. Northen
of Atlanta, Col. D. B. Dyer of Augusta
George Ketchum of Macon, F. H. Rich
ardson of Atlanta, J. f. DeLacey Of East
man, Edwin Brobston of Brunswick
George Smith Of Atlanta and p. A. Sto-
vail of Savannah.
Among the citizens present were Alder
man s. p Hamilton, chairman of Coun-
ell; Alderman T. J. Davis Capt. Henry 7.
williams, president of the Cotton Ex-
change; President d. G. Purse of the
Board of Trade; Vice President John NJ.
Egan of the Central of Georgia Railway
Company. General Manager Cecil Gabbett
and Traffic Manager A. Pope of the Geor-
gia and Alabama Railway, Mr.. j. Moultrie
Lee treasurer of the Plant System; Col
w. w. Gordon, Hon. J. j. McDonough,
Hon. w. G. Charlton, Mr.. Isaac Beckett,
Mr.. A. B. Moore and others.
Mayor Meldrim was unable to be pres
ent, on account of a case in the City
Court, and Alderman Hamilton presided
at the meeting. Mr.. Hamilton announced
the object of the meeting, and introduced
the chairman of the commission, Hon. w.
J. Northen.
Gov. Northen briefly skctched the rea-
sons for the formation of the commission
and the object in view. The members of
the commission are busy men, he said,
and it is a tax upon them to give their
time to this work. They are doing so
without remuneration, and entirely be-
cause of the good they believe will result
to the state if their efforts are successful.
AS the constitution of the state prohibits
the appropriation of money for any pur-
pose of this kind, il is necessary that the
means to defray the cost of such an eX-
hibit must be furnished by the public spir-
tied citizens of the state. Other communi-
ties have responded handsomely and It is
expected that Savannah will do the same.
The way to increase the prosperity of the
state, Gov. Northen said. Is to increase
the value of the farming land. Land is
being returned for taxation at 81 per acre
that can easily be made worth $40 and
more. The way to increase the value of
the farming lands he said, Is to make
farming more profitable and more attrac-
tive, and one of the best means of doing
this Is by increasing the number of far
mcrs.
The necessity of good schools for the
country was dwelt upon. The Increase Of
the farming population would result in
better schools and more attractive social
conditions. Gov. Northon spoke of the re-
sources of Georgia, and said that it was
as easy to make money on the farm as in
the city.
Mr. Richardson of the Atlanta Journal
was introduced by Gov Northen. He spoke
at some length of the immense wealth in
the marble beds and gold mines of Geor~
gia. He said it looked indeed, humilat>
ing that the capitol of Georgia should
have been constructed of Indiana lines
stone with the immense marble beds of
Georgia so close by. In explanation of
this, he said, il should be understood that
there was at that time no plant engaged
in the marble industry capable of furnish
ing the supply of marble necessary for
the capitol building, and this was the rea-
son the building was constructed of In
diana stone. To-day, he said, the state
capitols of Minnesota and Rhode Island
are constructed of Georgia marble, one
hnn Nh
100000 building. The contracts for sup,
plying the material for these buildings.
he said, were secured in competition with
all the world and are ample evidence of
the high estimate placed upon Georgia
marble by experts who had not the re
motest interest in exploiting the state s
resources. While the business men of Sa-
vannah might not be interested in Geor-
git marble MIR. Richardson said, they were
true Georgians, and interested in every
thing which pertained 10 the upbuiding
of the state. Georgia, he said, is one
of the richest states in gold deposits IN
the world. There are now thirty paying
mines in the state, from one of which
$1,000 day is being taken. The state Is
underlaid with granite and that from the
Quincy granite quarries near Sparta is the
equal of any !n the world
Savannah" said Mr.. Richardson, "will
continue to be the commercial capital OF
the state so long as the cotton fields exist
and the forests continue 10 give up then
wealth.
Gov. Northen said that some limited eff
forts made by a few had produced re-
markable results in Georgia. He intro
duced Mr.. Ketchum of Macon TO tell OF
one of these results.
Georgia's answer to the cry of distress
from Nebraska in 1894 Mr. Ke4chum said
was twenty carloads of grain and grain
products, shipped into the granary of the
Northwest This, he said led Mr.. Filz-
gerald TO correspond with Gov Northen
and led eventually to the establishment
OF the Fitzgerald colony. In 1895. wher
he visited Fitzgerald, he said. there was
nothing there but a pine forest besides
two houses. Recently when he visited il
he found a thriving city with 500 suburban
homes outside the corporate limits. eacr
surrounded by its garden and truck farm
Georgia is an undeveoped empire D
said Mr.. Ketchum. you might take one
OF the governments new i6-inch rified can.
non, plant it at Savannah. fire to the
westward and the shot would land in un.
developed territory. We have seen what
can be done. We should furnish an oh.
ject lesson at omaha in order that thl,