The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-15


Second. The territory affected is not
/ confined to the section covered by the
| points named, but "A large territory out
/ side, and also outside the state is like
wise affected. Under Circular 301, for
| instance, Atlanta gets a cheaper rate
| to Troy, Ala, and there again comes
| into competition with Savannah which
| operates under the old rate.
Third, 1t not only discriminates
| against Savannah. but it prevents
! manufactures from coming there.
Fourth, 1t is not proper for the
commission to start out on the theory
| that it can thus induce people in
Georgia to buy Georgia goods. Any
such effort will prove abortive.
The SyruY Rate.
Col. Garrard then took up Circular
S02 regarding the syrup rate for which
Cairo, is the basis point. The At
lantic Coast Line hauIs syrup from
Cairo. to Savannah at Is cents per 100
pounds, though the commissions stand
ard tariff rate is % cents. The COM
mission had given Atlanta rate of II
cents because the railroads had given
such rate to Birmingham.
The commissions he held, had no
right to fix rate for Atlanta, based
on a rate to Birmingham, which is
an interstate rate. If this rate to
Atlanta had been fixed on a percen-
tage basis he said, it would have been
about 1873 cents to Atlanta. Yet Sa-
vannah with a fifty mile shorter haul
and over only one road, had rate
only cents less per one hundred
pounds, than was given Atlanta, in this
circular.
Effect on Doors and Sashcs.
Mr.. Dinkins, of the Savannah Lum-
Der Company. presented some figures
to show what advantages the rates i'm
Circular 301 gave Atlanta over Savan-
nah on sash, doors and blinds.
Mayor Myers said he felt Atlanta
was entitled to a syrup rate based on
the distance, which Was 1873 cents. If
Atlanta's syrup rate is put at II cents
Sayannah's should be a fraction less
than IA cents. Savannah, he said felt
more liberal toward the railroad and
did not think rates should be put down
too low. The railroads have aided
greatly in upbuilding the country. and
he felt that they should share in the
general prosperity.
No jealousy of savannah.
Mr.. Battey said with the other Sa-
vannahians that Savannah felt nc
jealousy whatever of Atlanta, but sim
ply wanted the same advantages. He
told how by reduction of the rate
on cotton from Western Florida, made
by the Louisville and Nashville,
though the reduced rate had been in
force but short time, much business
that belonged to Savannah had been
diverted to New Orleans, and Savan-
nah had not been able to get it back.
j. Randolph Anderson said that no
member of the Savannah committee
was asking any favor for any railroad;
they represented only Savannah and
chatham
DO Not Care for a Change.
1--WE do not care for any change in
the existing rates." he said. THE pres
ent scheme of rates has been in effect
twenty-five years and has produced
great benefit to the state.
Savannah objects to Circular 30l
and does not wish to be put i'm that
circular by amendment, because If Sa-
vannah were made the fifth column
of that circular, she would simply get
rates between Savannah and Atlanta,
and would not get rates to Macon, CO.
lumbus, Augusta and other points,
though Atlanta would have them.
What we ask is that If the rates are
TO be revised. let them be revised as
to every point in the state at the same
time" He declared that Savannah and
Atlanta had both prospered under the
present rate scheme, and that Atlanta
had prosDered more in the past five
or ten years than any other city in
the South
IF you should put these new rates
into effect" he declared, 1.-The through
rates will go down relatively to where
they were before. Then the only suf-
ferers will be the railroad, and in that
we are not interested"
No Difference of Opinion.
There is not the slightest difference
OF opinion between the commission
and Savannah" said Commission j. w.
Brown. ION the adjustment of rates.
We believe they ought to be made
equitable all around. But Atlanta
brought her case and we attended to
Atlanta's complaint. We were sure
we would hear from Savannah and
Rome and other points, and it was our
intention to attend to these as fast as
1t could be done"
Upon being asked whether Savannah
objected to the same rate being pro-
mulgated in both directions between
Atlanta and Savannah. Col. Garrard
and other members of the committee
replied that they did not. That, they
said, was a matter for the railroads.
Col. Estill called attention to this fact
also, showing that the rates from At
lanta to Savannah are Is to 40 per cent.
lOMcI lndn lEOlll OdNdAlildil 10 AlldHld.
He regarding this as a discrimination
against Atlanta.
Equal Justice to be Done.
Chairman Brown said in conclusion.
that the commission was glad to hear
from the Savannah Committee, but
that nothing could be done at least
until after Oct. q. when the court
would take up the injunction case. In
the meantime, he said the commission
would consider what the Savannah
committee had presented, and would
endeavor to see that equal justice was
done to all. He did not know that
there would be any material objection
to promulgating the revised rates from
all points at the same time, and the
commission would consider this re-
quest.
After adjournment the commission
accepted an invitation from Mayor
Myers to visit Savannah at any time
convenient to the commission.
WaycrOss Items.