The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-15
SAVANNAH AND BREMEN.

that should commend itself to the earn
est consideration of the trade bodies
| and business men of this city. The
benefits to the port and surrounding
country that would flow from such an
| establishment are so many that they
need merely TO be touched upon to
| commend themselves to persons inter-
ested in the upbuilding Of the South
! Atlantic section. There would be a
saving of freights and insurance, as
we'll as of time. by direct shipments.
The economy resulting would be
far reaching, benefting producers,
shippers and consumers. We send to
Germany considerable quantities of cot
| ton and naval stores. Much of this
now crosses the ocean in tramp ships
We import from Germany kainit and
other chemicals that are used on
Southern farms and in Southern fer
tilizer works. These we now receive
in the South by indirect routes and
consequently at a cost greater than
would be afforded by direct line. In
addition Germany sends TO the United
States quantities of mineral waters,
much of which are eventually con-
sumed in the South. and numerous arti-
cles of manufactures that are likewise
of Southern consumption. Taken all
together there must be very large
volume of trade between Germany and
the Southern part of the United States.
Why should not this trade be di-
rect? There is now in operation be-
tween this port and Antwerp a direct
line of steamships carrying out naval
stores. This line has worked uD a
nice incoming trade, so that its ships
nearly always reach Savannah from
Belgium laden with steel billets. ce-
ment, mineral waters, etc. The same
sort of thing we believe, would be true
of a line to Bremen.
Year after year an increasing num-
Der of Southerners go to Europe to
spend their vacations. The tourist
travel from the South this year was
probably larger than ever before, and
the indications are that it will be still
larger next year. Many of these peo-
pie would welcome the opportunity to
save time and distance. if not money,
by taking a good passenger ship from
Savannah direct to Bremen. In the
fall months, when returning tourists
are homeward bound the southern pas
sage across the ocean is less subject
to storms, and in the spring it is less
subject to icebergs, than the northern
passage. These things would have
their weight with passengers in favor
of the Savannah line.
Another matter. and one which we
consider very important in view of our
wish to secure great number of de-
sirable white immigrants to settle in
and assist us in developing the South
Atlantic section, is that a passenger
and freight. line to Bremen would place
US in direct communication with the
very sections from which to draw such
desirable immigration. Germans, Nor
wegians, Swedes and Dutch are the
kinds of people we want here. They are
thrifty, frugal, honest people and make
as good citizens as are, to be found
uiie W1lClt III lAlG WIZ H. AiiliihtN eANhSiA
statistics show that a very large pro-
portion of immigrants arriving at the
North stop within d few hundred miles
of the port at which they enter. The
Germans and other north-of- Europa
people, however, are greater scatter
ers" than the averages of immigrants,
so that we might expect the whole
section from the sea to the Mississippi
river to be benefited by an influx of
such immigrants through the port of
Savannah.
1t seems to us that the railroads
should look at the proposed line in a
most favorable light by reason of this
immigration feature of the scheme. The
railroads are DESTROYS of having the
country along their lines settled by
thrifty producers. The more dense the
population III the territory of a rail
road. the more business there is fol
the road naturally. Several of the
systems traversing the South are MAX
ing intelligent and commendable ef-
forts to attract farmers and others
| Aioih bhS hSSt anu %Noi NilWCol " IhN
South. Why should not these efforts
be extended across the ocean, intC
countries that give US a highly desira-
BILE class Of immigration? Savannah
is not now, we believe. a port of entry
for immigrants, but there would be nc
| trouble in having it made such port
And with a passenger and freight line
to Bremen we could probably offer i'm.
migrants such inducements as would
cause them to come to us in large mum.
bers.