The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-07
THEY PLEAD NOT GUILTY.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS DENY THE
MAYORS OH ARGES.


Of the Plant System Says the city
Is Not Disseminated AGainst-En-
Joys Local Rates Into which Char
lesion Cannot Break-TO Common
Competitive Points the Rates Are
the Standardization Has Hereto
fore Been the Complainant of Dis
crimfnatipn, Mr.. Jack Says-CoI
Pope OF the Georgia and Alabama
Says Their Is No Discrimination,
Though IA state of Affairs That
should Be Corrected.
Freight Traffic Manager d. F. Jack II
the Plant System takes issue with Mayor
Myers in the latter's arraisnment of the
railroads as the prime factors initiating
against the DEVELOPMENT of manufacturing
industries in savannah by discriminating
against it. Mayor Myers claims the rail-
roads freight rates favor other cities. no.
tably Charleston. and that ii is impossi-
BILE for manufacturing enterprises to flour
ish as long as such state Of affairs exists.
Mr.. Jack says Charleston does not enjoy
any advantages over Savannah. Rates
from that city ana this to common com
petitive points, he says. are the same as
with all cities, but in it's local territory Sa-
vannah enjoys freight rates that make II
impossible for Charleston to infringe.
The railroads have absolutely no wish
to discriminate against Savannah and
there is no reason why such should be
the case, Mr.. Jack said on the contrary,
there has been constant cry in the ears
of the railroad men that the city enjoys
advantages over Charleston, business
men of the latter place having made that
the burden Of their song for a long while.
In fact. Mr.. Jack said it is history that
protests were made by Charleston when
the Interstate Commerce Commission he'd
its session in Savannah. II was argued
that from g. to so cents more per ton on
fertilizers had to be paid by Charleston
to points southwark than was demanded
of Savannah shippers. Complaint was also
made that it cost % cents bale more 10
get cotton to Charleston than to SaVan-
nah.
AS long as there are many small rail-
way systems in the country, Mr.. Jack
says, there are sure to be these protests
against certain rates. Under the present
way of managing the roads there is no
help for 1t. Mr.. Jack believes the time is
not far off when all the roads will be in
cluded in several great systems and that
then errors that exist in freight combina-
tons will be corrected and not till then.
1t is not in the nature of things that
freight should be carried long distance
for less or no more than for a ridiculously
short haul in comparison. Great combina-
lions of the lines must be effected before
absolute justice and equity will prevail
in the matter of rates.
In the meantime, Mr.. Jack says, it will
be necessary for Savannah to do some
thing else than cry out against the rail-
fKaf., faVfy,r oil
the city enjoying its local rates, without
Charleston or other places being on an
equal footing regarding those points, and
having just as good chance as other
large shipping points by getting the same
rates TO common competitive points What
Is needed, he says, is for Savannah capt.
talists to stop clinging to a dollar until
they can see another for it. They should
go ahead with their enterprises, depend
ing upon their energy and activity to make
what they go into pay. The railroads
are interested in the upbunding and prog
ress of the city and would not try to
prevent any steps that might benefit it.
General Freight and Passenger Agent
A. Pope of the Georgia and Alabama says
Inc territory of the city has been greatly
increased within the last three or four
years. 1t has been increased along his
line and also along the Plant System. He
declared that the limits of the territory
in which Savannah can and does sell
goods ore 100 miles to the westward of
where they We're in Inc section through
which the Georgia and Alabama runs.
Col. Pope admits that rates from the
West eastward are lower than those from
the east westward Explaining this, he
said the representatives, of the railroads
when they make UP their scale of rates
recognize that water rates. being natura "
less expensive than all rail rates. give S a
ports the advantage. Their merchants
can buy goods and get them into their
stores much cheaper than can merchants
in interior cities. Interior merchants
therefore, demand that railroads recosnize
this fact by making rates for them that
will counteract the influence in favor Of
seaport merchants that was gained by the
water rates they enjoyed in getting their
goods from the manufacturers.
on his own line, Col. Pope says, this dis
advantage for Savannah is not SO rro-
nounced as on Others. 1t is the purpose
to seek to bring about a reformation.
though just how he would proceed he was
not at the time ready to say. He has the
Interests of the city close at heart and
purposes entering into The plans OF the
merchants for the formation of an indus
trlal association. Railroad rates will be a
matter for such an association to take up.
he declares. and il is possible that son. e
thing may be done to improve the D esent
situation, though he stoutly aiflrms that
savannah Is I'm no worse condition than
other cities. She is not Disseminated
against at all
Railroads that have a great mileage
reaching away from the scaboard. Col.
Pope says are interested in keeping the
rates eastward higher thau those for the
reverse movement Of freight II VIII be
to their interest 80 oppose any effort for
modification of the present system. His
line, on the contrary would favor, if not
IN advantage In favor of the westward
movement at least an eQuaAzation. Col