The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-16
SAVANNAH FIGHTS
FOR ALL GEORGIA
JUSTICE FOR ALL TOWNS.
ATLANTA SOUGHT LOWER RATES
FOR ATLANTA ALONE.

|
road COmmissiOn-BeIiev That it
Now Better Understands the situa-
tiOn and VIII do Justice to This
and Other Cities-MnyOr Myers
Says There Is Much in Atlanta's
Spirit for Savannahians to Emu
I late.
| All of the members of the commit
tee that visited Atlanta to represent
| Savannah in the protest of it's munich
pal and commercial bodies against the
discriminating rates accorded Atlanta
under orders Nos. 301 and 3O2, returned
home yesterday morning well pleased
with the reception accorded them by
the Railroad Commission, and with
the strength of the arguments made
in Savannahs behalf. They are salts
fed that the commission received much
| new light on the rate question, and
that good results will follow. AS one
of the party expressed it: Atlanta
and the commission now realize that
Savannah is in the state of Georgia"
Mayor Myers said that the commits
sion gave the committee a patient,
painstaking hearing, and showed by it's
attitude and questions that it's sole de-
sire is to secure the fullest information
! possible to guide it in its future &C
ton.
Represent the Whole State.
eve were convinced by the course
taken by the commission, and the great
! interest manifested by its individual
members in our position, that it is
the desire of that body to represent
| the whole state of Georgia and not one
city, and that it will seek to protect
and promote the interests of Savan-
nah, Macon, Augusta, Columbus, Rome
and other interested points as we'll as
those of Atlanta" said the Mayor.
Incidentally 1 feel that this whole
| business will do good in awakening a
fuller realization of the Importance of
the interests of Savannah and other
points. Being located at Atlanta, and
subject to more or less local influences
at all times, any commission is liable
to become impressed with the idea
that the local interests there are para
| mount. Recent events will better ac-
quaint them with the enormous inter-
ests of Savannah and other great CEN
ters of trade outside of Atlanta and
effectually disabuse them of any con-
| trary impression they may have OBJ
I'VE were well pleased with the per-
sonnet of the commission, the prompt
ness with which it acquiesced with
| our petition for a hearing, and it's
| manifest desire to inf1ict no injustice
on any point. We believe now that
| when any change of rates goes into
effect it will be made to apply to all
principal points at the same time, so
that no injustice will be done to any
one of Them
Smvannah's Great Advantage.
"In our arguments before the COM
mittee," said the Mayor stress was
laid on the fact that Savannah pos
sesses great advantages, natural and
acquired, that it cannot be fairly dis
possessed of. To begin with, we have
the enormous advantage over Atlanta
of water communication with the great
markets of the North and correspond
ing cheap rates from them. Atlanta,
unable to secure such an advantage as
nature has conferred upon us I'm this
respect, practically seeks to deprive us
of it, and put itself on parity. with
a seaport, by the creation of discriml-
native freight rates within the state
in it's favor. That is really the gist of
it's whole fight.
Vast Expenditures Here.
but our natural advantages would
be of little avail were it backed
up by those of an acquired artificial
| nature. The United States govern
ment has expended $7000,000 to give
us a deep water harbor, the railroads
entering here have expended in all not
less that $l5,OO0 900 in the creation of
magnificent terminals, terminals that
are the equal of any in this country.
Here is a gross expenditure of $22,
100000 to give us a commanding posi-
ton which would be, in a measure, at
| least, taken from us If Atlanta's plans
could be carried through and that city
obtain rates that would offset the ben
eft we obtain from our superior loca-
ton and this vast expenditure OF
money
Snvannah's Aid to Railroads.
Savannah, too, it must not be over
looked, has advantages that many
points do not have in it's superior
| transportation facilities by rail, four
| great railroad systems centering here,
| i'm addition to two coastwise steamship
lines with large fleets of fast steam
ships Two of these railroad systems
were largely started and established
| through the liberality of this city. OF
Savannah's public debt of to-day two
thirds, at least. is the fruitage of it's
contributions to the building of the old
| Atlantic and Gulf road, and it's expen-
| ditures in cleaning out its harbor Out
| side Of the money expended by It's IN
dividual citizens. the municipality of
Savannah expended millions of dollars
in this way, and lost considerable of
| it. 1t does not begrudge what 1t has
done for the building up of Georgia,
and I merely allude to this to show
that this city is entitled to favorable
consideration rather than to any treat
ment at the hands of a branch of the
state government, which would unfair
| ly favor rival at our expense.
Thought Savannah Asleep.
"Of course we cannot entirely con-
denim Atlanta for trying to get the
| whole earth, II IL can succeed in doing
so. 1t has wonderful enterprise and
shows a spirit of devotion to home in
terests that is highly commendable,
and which we might emulate to our
| advantage. But Atlanta, l believe, la
bored under the impression that Sa-
vannah and other cities of Georgia
| were asleep, and that its plans could
be carried out without opposition from
any source except the railroads.
II am sure that our trip to the cap
ital, and the hearing before the Rail-
road Commission, at least disabused
the Atlanta mind in that respect. Sa-
vannah is never asleep when II comes
to watching such vitality important
matters as freight rates. Neither are
the other cities of the state. which are
equally interested with us I'm the pre-
| vention of discrimination I'm favor of