The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-14
WILL TAKE STEPS TUESDAY.
HOARD OF TRADE TO DISCUSS THE
WEST INDIAN PROBLEM.

business Men Generally Invited
to Aid ira Fixing Definite
Plan of ActiOn-Merchants Want
Water Route Direct to Ha-
vann in Preference to Ship
ping Through FIOrida-DiGerence
in Rates Makes a Direct Line Only
Practicable.
President Purse of the Board of Trade
has called a special meeting for next
Tuesday at II o'clock for the purpose of
considering ways and means to establish
trade relations with Cuba and Porto Rico
and incidentally TO feel the pulse of the
those interested as to the continuance of
the Bureau of Freight and Transporta-
ton, which may go unless new life is en-
Unused into 1t.
The meeting is not only for members of
the Board of Trade, but all business men
interested in the matters to be consid-
cred will be invited to attend. With a
View to laying the way for some kind of
united action on the part of all concerned,
it is the earnest desire that the meeting
DC as near representative one as posi-
bic. Unless influential men identity Them
selves with the project there is little pros
pect for its success
AS stated in the Morning News yester-
day, The intention is to arrange for the
sehdlng OF one or more representative
TO those islands, and motion to this eff
feet it is said will be made and strongly
supported by President Purse. He believes
MS idea. as formerly outlined, is the best
course TO pursue and he has received as
surances Of support from business men
generally, which makes it almost certain
some decisive step viii be taken 1t be-
gins 70 look like keen interest has at last
been stirred up, and that all commercial
interests will join hands Tuesday to find
out what if anything, is in store for Sa
Vannah in the way of opening up trade
with the islands.
A talk with the business men here and
there yesterday demonstrates beyond
DOUBT that they are decidedly In favor of
an independent line of steamers, if there
is any difficulty In getting home comma
MES to take hold Rumors of all SORTS
have been talked around the past two
weeks to the effect that parties interested
IN the establishment of a steamship line
from Havana to Tampa had intjmated
that II they We're opposed by lines doing
business, or intending to do business. be-
tween Savannah and New York, an on
posing line would then be put on II is
generally talked by business men that the
only chance of a line to Havana is for
OUTSIDE parties to take hold of it, In or
der to bring this about, merchants freely
assert they viii pledge their business 10
the newcomers, in case it becomes neees-
sary to appeal to them for facilities. They
would otherwise be quite as willing to
unite IN supporting any home COMPANY
might 10 h.
facilities.
one man said he feared Savannah bust
ness men could do nothing in the wav of
building up trade with the islands. If com
PEELED to ship to Florida by rail and then
by the water route on to Havana, He said
1t was altogether out of the question. IL
the present rates between Savannah and
New York by the water route, and to
Tampa by rail, were maintained. An ex-
ample was given in the matter of canned
goods, on which the tariff from New York
here is 10 cents per hundred From sa-
vannah to Tampa by rail is 70 cents per
hundred for the same class of goods II
was inquired out that the proable tariff on
canned goods to Havana by water would
be 10 cents, as against possibly 80 cents
by shipping through Florida The mer-
chant insisted it was simply a matter of
savannah getting a steamship line estab-
Hshed, or keep hands off Cuba.
Has there been anything said about
sending committee to New York to con-
asked.
No, sir; there has not. The fact IL
the Wholesale Merchants Association has
already received letters from companies
anxious to enter the field, and we are onlv
resting on our oars now to see what Is 10
come. If we see ali chances of accom-
phsmng anything from home efforts are
will t,Ir.
with outside companies, and make liberal
offers to get the facilities we desire. We
90 not want a line put on to gouge it.
1t is the general purpose to encourage
and help il in establishing a good business
with the islands This will all be brought
up and discussed at the meexng Tues
day."