The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-07
CAPT. PURSES MISTAKE.

1t is a source Of regret that Capt.
Purse doesn't read what we say carefully
before undertaking to criticise our re-
marks. In a communication from him
which we publish this morning he
says: your editorial in Sundays
Morning News, Capt. Purses com
plant. shows your willingness TO
let the people of Savannah put their
money into a refinery upon an exparte
hearing in d great economic issue, as
Judge Tillman has only suggested syrup,
etc" The inference from this is that
Capt. Purse is not willing to let them put
their money into a sugar refinery on any
statement that Judge Tillman may make
as to the profit there is in a refinery for
making sugar from syrup which the farm
ers of this section have to sell, and for
which We are informed, they are very
anxious for market
No doubt they feel very grateful TO Capt
Purse for this watchful care of their in
torests. We feel satisfied, however, that
the business men of Savannah are 100
shrewd 10 put their money into a sugar
refinery before they are satisfied that it
would be a paying enterprise. SIN, there
is no telling what they might do under
the stress of Judge TiIman's persuasive
eloouonce and Capt Purses commune
cation is calculated to put them on their
guard. In fact. it casts a doubt upon the
feasibility Of Judge Tnlmans project
We don't recall, however, anything
which we have said which showed a will
lingness to let the people of Savannah
put their money into sugar refinery un-
til they had thoroughly satisfied them
selves that such an industry would pay,
and we don't think anybody else can re-
call anything to that effect From the
very beginning of the discussion of this
sugar refinery question we have insisted
upon a thorough investigation of the
claims made by Judge Tilman.
Briefly, the claims are that the syrup
which the farmers have to sell will yield
from six 10 seven pounds of sugar to the
gallon, and that they can furnish an
ample amount of syrup at a price that
| would permit the refinery to make a fair
| profit. We haven't shown any Willingness
for the people of Savannah to so into the
enterprise on the exparte statement of
most thorough investigation. We cannot
conceive where Capt. Purse got his idea
that we were willing that anybody should
go into the projected refinery enterprise
before it was clearly demonstrated that
it would be a profitable one.
What we have objected to is this: We
have objected to saying anything about
Capt Purses project, namely, the estab
fishing of a sugar mill here for the handl
ing Of cane, as well as a refinery, before
Judge Tinman's project was given consid
Grafton. Capt Purses project may b'
feasible; it may be better than Judge Till
mans. But it isn't what the farmers o.
South Georgia have been considering
They may be anxious to consider it, anC
Capt Purse may convince them that it il
much better for them than Judge Till
mans But because we haven't expressed
approval of Capt. Purses project i
doesn't follow that we have shown a will
lingness to have the people of Savannah
put their money in sugar refinery in sa
vannah on an exparte statement befor
they have become convinced that an enter
prise of that sort would be profitable.