The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-29

the report laid before the public has
met at once with the greatest en-
thusiasm and with the promise Of
cordial aid and financial assistance
by the bankers and moneJed men of
New Orleans. Any legislation that
may be needed to carry out the pro-
ject is pledged by the Governor and
the political leaders of louisiana.
It Is not yet known how much the
central ware houses will cost. Six
million dollars has been suggested
as a starter, with $12,o00,O00 to
complete the project, and possibly
$4,000, 900 If 1t reaches the proper
tions expected. The money end of
the project, however, has not been
the most diflcult. There seemed to
be little doubt that the money could
be raised by private capitalists and a
tentative offer to that effect has re-
Gently been pressed before the COM
mittee. There Is strong suspicion
that the real parties behind the pri-
vate offers Of money to build the
ware houses are the railroads, which
had ulterior motives-a desire to get
control of the cotton trade.
The proposition for privately own
ed central ware houses was accord
lingly rejected and public ownership
was proposed and insisted upon. This
is the project which Mr.. Thompson
and his committee has just made
public and which has met with so
much favor. The feasibility of the
scheme Is disputed by 40 one. The
river front Of New Orleans is now
controlled by the dock commission.
1t is a State body, nominally non-po-
liical, has done splendid work and
enjoys universal confidence. 1t has
authority to issue bonds, and only re-
Gently sold $3,0O0,O00 of them above
par, the bonds being secured by the
wharf receipts.
With the money it has erected a
splendid system of wharves along the
river front, as fine as any in the
country, with immense steel sheds
for the protection Of goods. 1t con-
trolls all the river front for 200 feet
from the bank. Another State COM
mission, also with authority to issue
bonds, has constructed belt rail-
road encircling New Orleans, giving
communication to all the railroads
entering the city and running along
side the dock commission's wharves
and sheds so as to deliver goods to
them.
All that is needed, Mr.. Thompson
declares in his report, to put his
plan in practical operation, is to give
the dock commission the additional
authority to erect the proposed CEN
tral ware houses. 1t already pos
sesses the right to appropriate prop
erty for its purposes. It's power to
issue bonds is now limited and viii
not yield sufficient money to erect
the ware houses. That power must
be increased by legislation, the COM
mission getting either the power to
increase its bond issue S6,0OO,OO0,
100000 or S2O,OO0,0OO. or all
limit taken off.
On this point there seems to be
no difficulty The Governor and the
State administration are pledged to
the ware house scheme, and the
Governors proclamation will prob
ably recommend its adopting The
necessary measure is slated to come
up before the next session of the
! louisiana Legislature, which meets
in april. 1910, and it seems certain
to go through.
1t can safely he predicted that the
ware house scheme will De practical
ly tested, but it is doubtful whether
it can be got in good working order
/ for the next cotton crop. Those who
view the project with doubt and sus-
picon as pledging the State of Louis
| lana and city of New Orleans to an
advanced paternalism, if not social
! ism. have little confidence that the
Legislature will stop with voting the
, issue of bonds for public ware
| houses. but believe that, following
the line of this policy. the public
credit will be pledged to broad
schemes of public owncrshop.
!