The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-24
HAS STRONG HOPES
MIR. WILLIAMS THINKS sUB-TREAS-
URY PRACTICALLY ASSURED.
OLD POLICY IN THE WAY.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT OPPOSES
EXTENSION OF ITS SYSTEM.

PreJudtce Will BE Removed by the
Strong Arguments Adduced in
Favor of Establishing the Sub
Treasury Here-Matter of Cost to
the Government Mere BaEateIIe.
Receipts From Internal Revenue
Collections Would BE Large-At-
Iantn Has Withdrawn From the
Race and savannah Has an open
Field.
Mr.. ]. P. Williams, PRESIDENT of the
Cotton Exchange and a member of
the delegation that presented Savan-
nah's claim to a sub-treasury to the
Ways and Means Committee of Con-
gress last week, returned yesterday to
the city. He brought with him high
hopes and cheering and encouraging
prophesies as to the eventual success
of his mission.
Mayor Myers, who preceded Mr.. Will
liams home, shares and has expressed
the same views, and Mr.. Mills b. Lane
is expected to add his voice to that
of his confreres of the delegation when
he returns. He is expected to-day.
Our conferences with members of
the committee and with Secretary
Shaw were encouraging to our hopes"
said Mr.. Williams. "It is true that it
has been the policy of the Treasury
Department to discountenance or dis
courage the institution of new sub
treasures, but this prejudice we hope
to be able to overcome. 1 feel reason
oh
vince the Secretary of the justice OF
our claim and secure his Endorsement
and this important aid to our enter
prise gained, 1 have no doubt that
Congress will pass the bill
I'VE were able to show, I think that
a sub treasury is very greatly needed
at some point between Washington and
New Orleans, and to demonstrate what
"a very great advantage it would be
not only to Savannah, but to the peo-
pie of the entire section. We showed
also that on account of the magnitude
of its trade, and because of the fact
that Savannah occupies in a large de-
gree the same relation to the South At
lantic coast and the adjacent country
| that Chicago does to the West, this
| city was entitled to the sub-treasury,
| and should have it.
"Of course, we adduced the argu-
| ments as to the use of the federal
buildings already erected in the city
| and the consequent fact that the sub
| treasury could be operated at a cost
| that would be relatively mere baGa-
| telle. The question of cost seemed TO
be the one that was of principal weight
with Secretary Shaw and when an in
| vestigation is made l am convinced
that our contentious as to this phase
of the subject will be shown to be cor
rect"
Mr.. Williams said he did rot believe
| that the expense of maintaining the
sub-treasury would be more than $4,000
per annum, and that this amount, COM
pared with the great good to the COM
munity and the section the sub-treas-
ury would accomplish and the ends of
convenience in the transaction of busi-
ness it would subserve, was indeed a
mere bagatelle.
| 1t has been stated that the views of
the Secretary of the Treasury would
| be largely affected by the amount of
revenue receipts that would flow into
| a sub-treasury from the regions nat
| urally contributary to Savannah. On
this subject Mr.. Williams said he had
no doubt the receipts would be ample,
the immense cigar and tobacco in
| dustry at Tampa furnishing alone a
very large contribution to the internal
revenue receipts of the government.
Il think now we have practically an
| open field" said Mr. Williams. AT
lanta has withdrawn her opposition to
the selection of this city as the place
for establishing a sub-treasury and no
other city has filed an application or
had bill introduced in her behalf.
The only opposition comes from that
policy of the Treasury Department,
which is in opposition to the estab-
lishment of new sub-treasuries. This,
as l have said, have every hope we
| shall be able to overcome