The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-08
TO MEET IN RALEIGH
The Association of Chambers
of Commerce.
4 Brief, Clear Statement Of Conditions That
Place North Carolina Merchants at
Serious Disadvantage.

In the next three weeks a meeting of
the Association of Chambers of Commerce
will be held in Raleigh to perfect their
organization. "a &
Mr.. ]. G. Ball and Mr. Frank Ward re-
turned to the city yesterday. They have
been to Greensboro as delegates from the
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce to a Joint
meeting of the Chambers of Commerce Of
the principal North Carolina towns. When
seen last night in reference to this meet
ing by News and Observer reporter, Mr.
Ball said:
ITO understand what We are fighting
for you must have a clear idea of the dis
elimination in freight rates practccd by
the railroads on North Carolina mer-
chants. A merchant living in Greensboro,
Raleigh or any other North Carolina
town when buying goods from some point
in another State has to pay a great deal
higher rates of freight than do the mer-
chants of the Virginia towns TO illus
trate: If I. wholesale grocer of Raj
eigh, buy molasses in New Orleans. have
to pay forty eight cents. per hundred
pounds freight, while a merchant III
Richmond has to pay only twenty-nine
cents on the same shiDment. Ny freight
is calculated not from New Orleans to
Raleigh, but from New Orleans to Rich
mond and then to Raleigh The freight
itself never eoes to Richmond but is
stopped off here. Thus you see have to
pay twenty one cents extra for the priv
ilege of having my freight stopped off
here.
There is no. town in North Carolina
to which I can have my freight calculated.
1T is always calculated as a straight rate
to some Virginia town and then a local
rate from there to Raleigh is added. The
Virginia merchant is thus able to sell
his goods in North Carolina cheaper than
North Carolina merchants can. The bus
mess that should be done by Eorta Caro-
lima merchants is done by merchants in
Virginia.
"Our object is to form an association
composed of TIE Chambers of Commerce
of the different towns in North Carolina,
and this association will bring this ques-
ton of discrimination before the Corpora
tion Commission to see if we can get
relief. We want the towns of North Caro-
lima to enjoy the same rights and privi-
leges in regard to freight rates as do
the Virginia towns. AS vet we do not
know exactly how we shall proceed, but
we think we will first apply TO the Cor
poration Commission and If cannot get
relief in that quarter then to make ap-
plieation directlv to the Legislature.
his is such an important question that
the Legislature could well afford to ap-
point q man. whose especial business
would be to regulate the freight rates so
that North Carolina merchants will be
able to compete with Virginia merchants
for North Carolina business.
1--WE will hold another meeting in about
twenty days in Raleigh. At this meeting
we will perfect our organization. Mr..
]. H. HAYNES, of Winston. has been elect
ed president and Mr.. J. S. Hunter. of
Greensboro, secretary
"At the meeting in Greensboro dozen
towns were represented. The meeting
was held CONFORMITY with the cotton mill
men, who are suffering from a similar
discrimination.
1--WE have already tried the Inter State
Commerce Commission and failed to get
the desired relief. that body being 6evoid
ef the necessary jurisdiction