The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-18
WILL HAVE TO FIGHT
HARIEF ASSOCIATION WON'T TAKE
OFF 10 CENTS NOW.
PROTEST OF MERCHANTS
HAS FAILED TO BRING THE DE
SIRED RESULTS.

sOctatiOn Says IL Is Matter OF
Retweeu $4,000 and $4,000 to
Business Men Merchants Have
Been Imposed on Long Enough
He Snys-Comniittees Will Prob
ably Attend Meeting of Executive
Committee of Tariff Association.
Letter From SectS. LawtOn.
Unless the merchants of Savannah
who carry fire insurance put up a
stiff fight they will have to pay the
penalty change of Is cents until the
city has been rerated.
The request OF the Retail Merchants
Association, the Chamber Of Com
nerce, and City Council that the
penalty charge be taken off immediate
ly has been refused. Letters were re-
ceived yesterday morning by Mr.. Sig
Gardner. secretary Of the Merchants
Association, and Secretary Donlan Of
the Cham Der of Commerce. from Sec
Rotary Fleming of the Southeastern
Tariff Association. They contained
the same information; that is that Sa-
Nannah would have to stagger under
the IL cents burden until Agent Raine
had finished rerating the city.
But MI Leopold Adler chairman of
the Retail Merchants Association. and
chairman Of the special committee from
the Chamber of Commerce, says that
the merchants will not be imposed up
on. That is they will make a strenuous
EFFORT to secure immediate RELIEF from
what they are prepared to snow IS =
great injusuce-an imposition OF the
1irst type. 1t is d maCter of between
$lO,U0L and $4,000 TO the merchants or
Savannah" said Mr.. Adler. 1t was
moi found necessary to rerate the city
when this penalty charge was put on.
II is not necessary to wait now until
a new rating has been secured in order
Tor it TO be taken off.
Savannah imposed Upon.
1T is admitted that we have been
paying this penalty charge long after
the conditions complained of We're bet
tered This shows that We have been
imposed upon, and yet it is desired
that this imposition be continued for
a few months longer. We will have
meeting on Monday and some plan
will be adopted at that time. The local
insurance agents will be seen, and a
Eethar.
If necessary VIC will have commit
tees from the local agents, from the
Retail Merchants Association, the
Wholesale Merchants Association, the
Chamber of Commerce and the city. go
TO Atlanta, and appear before the EX-
ocutive Committee of the Tariff Asso-
citation. We viii have them cali a
special meeting and take up the Sa-
Nannah situation. We find that we
can accomplish nothing by writing let
tiers, and we can go before the EXecu-
tive Committee and argue the matter
out. We have all of the arguments on
our side, it is a question of more than
$4,000, and we feel that we are being
imposed upon"
When Vice President Reynolds of the
Tariff Association was in the city he
stated to a Morning News representa-
tive that the Executive Committee had
placed the Savannah situation entirely
in the hands of Secretery Lawton, and
that the secretary had been authorized
10 relieve the city of the penalty charge
OF - cents. 1t appears from Secre-
tary's Lawtons letter. however. that he
is without authority and that the mat
Ter Will have to again be brought to the
attention OF the Executive Committee.
Secretary LawtOn's Letter.
Secretary Lawton's letter to Mr..
Gardner follows:
Your telegram of this date was duly
received this afternoon, at which time
We also received a letter of the 18th
inst, signed by Messrs. Collat, Dryfus
and Falk, committee. The Executive
Committee finished its session yester-
day and adjourned, so that it will be
impossible TO present your communica-
ton to the committee.
The writer is without any authority
whatever to remove the 15c charge at
this time. The association has not
been asked to take such steps by for
mer cities when rates were being re-
vised, and we recall to mind Macon,
Jacksonville, Atlanta and Augusta
Though we could easily name other
places where no such action was taken.
The truth is. Savannah has not vet
been placed on a first-class basis. in
asmuch as several important improve
ments agreed upon have not vet been
PROVIDED. We are not waiting on the
introduction of the improvements. how
ever to begin our work, but have be-
gun 1t Immediately. There ia no pre-
cedent for taking off the charge at this
5uncture, and it is contrary, as we
nave indicated. to the general practice
OF the association. The work of re-
VISION VIII be carried on as promptly
as possible, and ii will be accomplish
ed in our candid judgment, in a short
er time than you seem to expect.
Were the Executive Committee in
session, the writer is satisfied the same
reply would have been made to your
communication as is now made"
Is RerHtinG the City.
Agent Joseph S. Ralne, Jr., began his
TASK OF rerating the city last Monday.
ana will continue his work. Following
MS conference with representatives Of
the city, az which time it was agreed
certain things would be done Mr. Raine
TOOK up the work of rerating Savannah.
ne mas received no instructions from
secretary Fleming since that time, and