The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-08-17

Ell rate than do the interior towrs |
and if this schedule is put into eff
feet Greenyille, with her low rate to
Boston can buy cotton on the streets
of Greenwood, ship to Greenville,
compress it and ship it to Boston 30
| cents a bale cheaper than the same
can be compressed here and shipped
to Boston and in all the surrounding
territory from which Greenwood re-
ceives her cotton the difference will
be much greater.
This is a measure that strikes at
the very life and prosperity of our
| city and calls for your most thought
| full attention. A meeting will be
held at the League Room every Teus-
| day night to discuss this matter and
get all of the facts in the case, so as
| to be able to put the matter squarely
| before the Commission at its meeting
September the 18th, when the ques-
ton will come up"
The Daily News will not Tretend 20
say that a revision ct cotton rates in
Mississippi is unnecessary, but we
do insist that if revision is at
tempted it must be an intelligent re-
vision.
Looking the subject squarely in the
face, dealing with its several aspects
very frankly, we are forced to the
conclusion that the commission is not
prepared to make an intelligent re-
vision.
We cherish the most kindly feel
ing for Chairman F. M. Lee, and full
ly believe in his honesty of purpose,
but at the same time there is no es-
Gaping the fact that his proposed re-
vision shows an appalling ignorance
of business and industrial conditions
in Mississippi, and of the science of
rate-making, for it is science, and
and equal and exact science.
We venture this assertion, as pre-
diction and as a warning, that if Mr.
Lees proposed schedule is placed in
to effect, it will cause a turmoil, up
heaval and confusion in the COM
mercial affairs of this commonwealth,
endless litigation, and the political
burial of the well-meaning but mis-
guided gentlemen who so earnestly
proclaims that few towns so fortu-
nate as to be situated upon navigable
streams and waterways should be Civ
en- a powerful advantage over interior
towns
About the most pestiferous and
dangerous force in human affairs is
zeal without knowledge, and the zeal
manifested by the former sheriff of
Pike county is zeal OF this character.
The business men Of Mississippi,
and the men out in the fields who
raise a cotton crop valued at from
$60,OO0,000 to $4,000 oo) per annum,
who ordinarily pay but Little attention
to the dOings of the railroad commits
sion, arr bt.inning to waAe up to the
fact TIA mall 10y is running
around q powder magazine with a
lighted match in hand, and that it is
time to throw q wet blanket over the
youngster before he causes disaster.
Mr.. Lee is seeking to do indirectly
what the law prohibits him from de-
ing directly. While his avowed pur-
pose is to reduce local rates on cotton
ne quite overlooks the
fact that there are virtually no local
rates, as applicable to the bulk of the
cotton crop movement in this state,
for practically all cotton is handled
as interstate business. Summing it up
in nutshell, here is just what Mr.
Lees proposed reduction to river
towns, with the lower local rates he
proposes to create, must reduce the in
erstate or local rates to New Orleans,
md that the common carriers will be
'orced to make like rates from inter-
or points to New Orleans, or cotton |
will inevitably seek rail and water
This, if carried into |
effect, must necessarily destroy the
present method of floating, and |
through rates from all interior points
o cotton consuming points, however,
much the worthy chairman of the |
commission may disvow a purpose
If this character
Such plan must necessarily fail,
nd several good and logical reasons
re behind this assertion. 1t makes
1ng hauls cheaper than short hauls