The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-29

u'sPalcH OF freight outward and inward
on an equally favored basis with any of
the ports on the Atlantic or Gulf coast
"A tirst-class dry dock, with. a ship
building plant, is a need of the port and
negotiations now pending in the East may
secure both of these indispensable Access
series of commerce to us at no distant
day. If pending negotiations should fail
new ones will be Immediately undertaken
to accomplish this end
"A most marked and distinct feature in
Savannah's business growth is to be
found in the clearing house report of her
banks For 1898 the aggregate clearngs
were S129, 24S, S5494 and for 1899 $13S, 515,-
n4.24. In the months of January and
February, 1898, the aggregate clearings
were $23, ops, against an aggregate in
same months for 1900 of Sal, $685. 442.5S or
nearly double In comparison with the
clearings of other Southern and South
western centers of trade, figures from the
Financial Chronicle for week ending 18th
inst. places Savannah in the third place
in financial growth.
Referring to the Endorsement of the
measures pending before Congress by the
board of directors, the president referred.
especially to the proposed amendment to
the Interstate Commerce act, with the fol-
lowing comment:
only recently a decision in the matter
of an appeal from the members of The
naval stores trade of this city and 9TH
ers, seriously affecting the transportation
of naval stores in competition with Pensa-
cola, will prove of no effect, because it
cannot be enforced and the real defendant
railroad will observe 1t in the breach. In
stances of this character could he indef-
nitely multiplied to establish the necessity
for increasing the power of the commits
s:oners under the act to regulate COM
merce.'
Your directors have also favored bill
pending before Congress to increase the
coast artillery and thus permanently en-
large the small garrison stationed at Fort
Screven, Tybee Island.
EVERY encouragement has been given
to induce the adjustment of a perma-
nent line of steamers between Savannah
and ports in Cuba, and there is every rea-
son for believing that the line will be Sc
cured at an early date, against the efforts
Of competition to divert the line from this
port"
Speaking of the important question of
sugar cane culture, the president said:
Your president has given much per-
sonal attention to the revival of the cul-
tiva ton of sugar cane in Georgia which
was a leading crop in the state as far
back as the American Revolution, and
Georgia did in 1925 furnish the seed cane
upon which Louisiana has built her wealth
as the sugar state of the Union Remark
able success, so far, has attended the eff
forts TO revive interest in the industry
among our planters. and a thorough study
of the situation, by personal observation
and investigations in Louisiana and COM
pairing them with conditions in Georgia,
warrant the prediction that, in the next
year or two, Southern Georgia and Flor
ida will have a companion money crop
with cotton. that can be made profitable
even against free trade with Cuba and
Porto Rico which the people of both Of
these islands are entitled to enjoy with
out reservation and the people of the
United States should gracefully bow TO the
inevitable.
Before dismissing the matter of cane
cultivation in Georgia your president
takes extreme pleasure in expressing to
those who have so materially aided in
the investigation of the sugar industry
the sincere thanks of the people of Geor-
gia, as well as those of this board; first,
to Dr. W. c. Stubbs, director of the Lou
siana Sugar Experiment Station, univers-
ally admitted the foremost practical ag-
riculturaf chemist of his day, for services
of the most important character, both by
visiting Georgia and in placing his SER
vices at the command of the committee
from Georgia and Florida, who visited
Louisiana in December last, and throwing
open the facilities of the Louisiana Ex-
pertinent Stations to the planters of Geor-
ga and Florida In a spirit of the broad
est lberality to aid these states in re-
storing an important industry to its for
mer commanding position in them, and
take their place by the side Of Louisiana
in its further enlargement, and, secondly,
to the Southern Express Company, who
have by gratuitous services cheerfully
rendered TO meet every demand made
upon them by your president, in aid
of the Investigations undertaken by him
for gathering information in order to
make an intelligent presentation OF the
subject to the public.
The history of the harbor Improvement
and the reasons for urging change in
the present plan were discussed by Pres
ident Purse as follows;
I'm 1866 Gen. c. A. Gilmore, then the
engineer in charge of the Improvement
of our river, which primarily meant the
removal of Instructions placed in it to
prevent access to the city by the vessels
of the Federal fleet during the Civil War,
halted in his conclusion as to the best
Man TO pursue, after removing the OBJ
structions, for improvement of the river
to meet the demands of commerce.
"Capt. II. F. Willink one of Savannahs
most valued citizens, whom Gen. Gilmore
frequently conferred with at that time,
because of his intimate knowledge of the
river. SAYS that the whole trend of Gen.
Gnlrnore's mind was that the best results
could be obtained by abandoning the
north. or present channel and opening up
the south channel 10 the ocean. But
the means for such work were very mea-
ger. as compared with the appliances of
to-day for such undertakings. and offered
an effectual bar TO the south channel
project. 1t was simpler and safer to open
the north channel to re-establish the com
ynorca Of the city. To have undertaken
the opening Of the latter and left the
other as II stood at the close Of the war,
might have greatly embarrassed che city
IN rs intercourse with the outside world.
and then the improvements of the south
channel might have disappointed expeo-
tntions. Under these circumstances no
one can question the wisdom of
Or Gilmore in devoting his en-
ergies and applying his limited appropria-
ton to secure the best results possible
out of the obstructed north channel, more
especially when its known that his con-
cinsion az TO the south channel was over
ruled at Washington
"As there has been no purpose 70 ques-
tiou the wisdom OF Gen. fillmore 5