The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-09
THE SUGAR MILL QUESTION.
An Answer to some Remarks of
Judge TIilman.

Allmah, or Quitman Ga, undertook 10
criucize an article over my signature In
your issue of the 18th ultimo.
NOW the learned judge is never at his
pess without anecdotes TO point his moral
ana adorn his tale" In this instance
however the anecdote so aptly illustrates
lhe very opposite of my position in the
penang controversy upon sugar cane Gull
uNdtioh IN Georgia, that l cannot make
oe'tef retort than by paraphraslng By
ron rebuke to one of his Reviewers,
py saying to my learned critic that all
VINO see the" minister in his glory con-
ceVe the Judge, the hero of his story"
Inc entire letter Of Judge Tillman evil
uehces that 1t was a criticism on hear
say testimony" of what | have said when
MS attention was drawn to article. etc,
anu am Justified in this conclusion by
a Ie,,er addressed TO me the day follow
ing, IN which Judge Tillman saws:
nave read with unfeigned pleasure
oI your efforts (of your untiring efforts)
70 get al bottom facts relative to estab-
iishlhg sugar refinery at Savannah You
nave pursued the subject in all its phases
ana When the conclusion is reached. which
l trust, is not far in the distance, the most
iasudlous doubling man in your city will
nave to admit that you have proven vour-
sen 10 nave been their very best friend
Allow me to congratulate YOU on being
the most indefatigable worker that I GER
fanny nave ever known. Savannah
southern Georgia and Florida will owe YOU
oeptn or gratitude they will never be
ape 70 pay. But you are en-
nsa n, 1 the people. so so ahead; you
are doing good work"
AS further evidence that nv dear friend
Judge Iillman, was right in his letter
ABOVE quoted as to the unversality of the
service l was seeking to render TO a whole
sectlon and not, pessimistica seeking
SaVannah's advantage only, 1 quote from
= letter antedating appearance of my good
IIlenu' Judge Humans criticism. addressed
10 Col. w. II. Peasants, general freight
agent, Florida Central and Peninsular
haliroad, replying to one from him in
Whlch ne had expressed the opinion that T
was suggesting too low a line of rates for
transportation of cane. After formal
acknowledgement of Col. Peasants letter
1 said:
Make your rate commensurate with
character OF cane as an object of trans
portation and the volume it will afford. and
/ shall be satisfied
In my opinion, sugar mills will go IN
at Jacksonville Thomasville and Valdosta
concurrently with those at Savannah. Do
not want anything more for Savannah
than you can give to Jacksonville. only do
not let any rate agreed upon stifle this
traffic that is so full of promise for trans
portation companies"
In all the investigation and study have
DEVOTED to sugar-cane. it's cultivation and
products, have steadily aimed to accom-
plish the greatest good for the greatest
number, and. from the moment I consented
to interest myself officially in the matter.
have studiously cultivated acquaintance
with my venerable friend, Judge Tillman.
keenly approaching the value of his flow
ing and fiorid style in arousing public Gu
riosity and directing public thought to i'm
portant questions And whatever good
comes from the discussion of pending cues
ton, am ready to award all the credit
and glory to Judge Tfllman for his mis-
sionary labors when he cried from the
housetop unaided by other pen and I'M
supported by great journals. He has drawn
the whole states attention to the restora-
ton of an industry in which Georgia once
led, and that, again, under wise direction.
may advance our agricultural interests in
a large proportion of the state to a higher
plane of permanent prosperity.
While however, my dear friend Judge
Tillman, and myself are working to a
common end, the processes differ widely
by which we are seeking to reach that
end.
Judge Tillman finds his immediate sec
lion over burdened with a surplus produc-
ton of syrup, and vehementfy urges Sa-
vannah capitalists to erect a refinery and
draw that surplus to it for conversion into
refined sugars, and grows impatient al
any suggestion that would seem to side
track his panacea for existing Ills. or seek
to postpone the realization of his dream
of empire for his immediate section.
Loyalty TO ones country or home is an
enrolling sentiment. always entitled ia
fullest praise, and l, therefore, applaud
my venerable friend, Judge Tillman, III al
he is so radiant with this patriotic fervor
But in the weighing of great questions af-
fecting the welfare of a country or Sec
ton of il, it is better that enthusiasm be
suboTdinated 10 reason by which the claims
upon ones patriotism will be more clearly
defined-for reason and loyalty should be
synonymous terms.
When I entered upon the discussion OF
the pending issue. my first move was 10
relegate syrup to the subordinate position
IT should at present occupy; first, because
il represented, on an average, not exceed
ing 80 per cent of the juice value of the
cane produced; and, secondly, the lack OF
uniformity in boiling the juice extracted
by imperfect and inefficient methods en-
ployed. encountered its treatment for re-
filming by indefinite factors of expense.
which would put a refinery at a dsad-
vantage in competition with rehneries
working on raw sugars from syrup uni
formly prepared at first.
Fer boldly taking the foregoing position.
I have been roundly censured by the press
and Judge Tilman. Yet every day since |
planted my contention upon this broad
premiss. | have had new reasons to con-
firm me in my stand.
When l ventured to suggest that in my
Judgment a sugar plant for grinding cane
and producing raw sugar should precede
a refinery, or be concurrent with one, at
Savannah and other points, central to cane
production, the cry was raised around my
ears that / was making light of a serious
matter, because freight on cane to mills
would be prohibitory, and my sugges Ron
meant the destruction or plantation cane
plants. and farmers owning these outfits
would fight my plan 20 death before they
would consent to turn over these plants
to the junk dealer, and haul cane in stalks
five miles TO twenty miles to nearest de-
pot.
l have never contemplated the destruc-
ton of single farmers plant TO draw his
cane to Savannah or elsewhere for the
support of a sugar plant, and no such
conclusion can be extorted from any
thing said by me. These plants have their
origin in a home demand. A plant at Sa-
Nnpnpb vAuIH n a r1prCial 81 lea