The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-04
FIRED FIRST GUN
PROMINENT CITIZENS CONFER TO
ADVANCE sAVANNAH's TRADE.
GATHERED WHEN CALLED.
COMMITTEE NAMED TO SUGGEST
FORM OF NEW ORGANIZATION.


Protect savannah's Interests and
Advance Her Industrial Growth.
business Men, Disngreeing in De-
tails, All Agree That an Organi-
zntion Must lie Formed-POpuInr
Trade Body, with Large Member
ship, Advocated by Majority.
Valuable for It's Moral support.
The movement for the establishment
Of a Chamber of Commerce or some
similar trade or industrial body in Sa-
vannah was formally inaugurated at
IA conference of prominent business
men held in the Mayors Office at the
City Exchange yesterday afternoon.
The result of the meeting was the
appointment of a committee 10 investi-
gate the question, confer with such
other trade bodies as may manifest an
interest in the movement and report
to a future. meeting the result of its
deliberations
The meeting had been called by
Mayor Myers and Mr.. ]. p. Wniams.
In addition to His Honor, there were
y; esent at the conference, Gen. w.
". Gordon. Mr.. ] Z. Williams, Col.
j. II. Egtill. MAJ. w. ". Williamson,
,Ir. 1. A. Solomons, Mr. A. 3. Pal
mei. Capt. d. G.. Purse. Mr.. John r.
Young, Mr.. w. d. Krenson, Mr.. Leo
pold Adler. MIR. A. S. Guckenheimer,
Mr.. George Tennille. Mr.. Oscar Kul-
man. Mr.. William Kehoe. Mr.. John
Rourke, Mr.. C. H. Dorsett and Capt.
A. F. Churchill.
Gen. Gordon was called TO the chair.
and at his request Mr.. j. P. Williams
stated the purposes of the conference.
Mr.. Williams said that in their
present shape and with their present
powers and influence, the commercial
organizations of Savannah had shown
themselves incompetent to deal with
the situation and inefficient in protect
ing the interests of the city against
discrimination and injustice. Mr.. Will
liams said combinations were the order
of the day. and that Savannah must
follow the trend of the times.
A Popular Trade Body.
Requested to state his conception of
the form of organization the city need
ed, Mayor Myers said he believed in
a popular commercial organization,
which would attract business men of
all classes and induce their active and
loyal interest in the commercial ex-
pansion of the city. Mammoth projects
for the development of the city were
now in contemplation, said Mayor My
ers, and such an organization as he
suggested could assure them of a CO.
operation that would be invaluable. In
the past industries that would have
added much to the wealth of the city
had gone astray because there was
none here to give them a welcome or
promise a helping hand.
Capt. d. G.. Purse was opposed to
the idea of any new commercial Or
CARNATIONS. He said the Board of
Trade offered all the facilities needed
for carrying on such work as had been
suggested, and that all it needed was
the cooperation of the business inter-
ests. If the business men desired to
increase its activities and usefulness
he, as president and the officers and
directors of the board, would be glad
to step down and out and let the good
work go on.
Col. ]. II. Estill wanted something
new. The Board of Trade. he said
when it came to aiding generally the
development of the city, had been
weighed in the balance and found
wanting. Efforts to popularize 1t and
extend it's usefulness had failed. and
what was needed was new organiZa-
ton, working on new plans and with
new enthusiasms towards the develop
ment of the city. Savannah has advan-
tages that cannot be surpassed. said
Col. Estill, and all that Is needed is
the active and alert interest of the peo-
pie generally in the city'S welfare to
bring it a greater share of material
prosperity than it has ever enjoyed in
the past.
stat of Trained Men.
In the opinion of Mr.. ]. P. Williams
the Board of Trade could do what is
needed If the people would get behind
1t. staff of well-paid men, experts in
particular lines, should be employed
whose constant duty and endeavor II
would be to advance the city's inter-
ests, wage effective warfare against
unjust determinations of all kinds and
bring industries to Savannah
"The trouble with Savannah to-day"
said Mr.. Williams. sis supineness in
not standing together to protect our in
terests and abate the evils of discrim-
nation. Resoluting accomplishes moth
ing. You must commit your interests
to an intelligent organization capable
of protecting them
There was further discussion of the
subject by Messrs. c. H. Dorsett.
George Tennille. Oscar Kulman, Holm
Rourke. w. ID. Krenson and John r.
Young, all of whom agreed on the gen
eral proposition that an organization of
some character along the lines suggest
ed was vitality necessary to the con-
tinued expansion and prosperity of the
city.
Maj. Williamson thought the Board
of Trade could do the work, but he
acknowledged that a considerable eX-
tension of its present activities would
be necessary to assure it's usefulness.
Retail Merchants, Views.
A statement of the position of the
retail merchants came from Mr.. Leo
pold Adler. president of the Retail
Merchants Association. Mr.. Adler said
the men in his line of business had
much to contend with, in the way of
apathetic Indifference on the part of
would support with enthusiasm any
movement tending to increase loyalty
to Savannah and build up a sentiment
of local pride and more general inter-
est in local business matters.
The chairman, Gen. Gordon, then
summed up the varying and various
suggestions that had been made.
Roughly they embraced proposals of
two descriptions, the organization of
a popular body of large membership
and small annual dues, and, second.
the organization of a more compact
trade or industrial body, employing
trained experts. fighting discrimina-
tons and reaching out after new in
He ~