The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-03-05
FOR LOWER FREIGHT RATES.

FOR LOWER FREIGHT RATES.
Messrs. Camp, Conner and Jackson,
the committee appointed by the Com
mercial Club to raise the stock sub
scription asked for by the Mississippi
Valley Transportation Company, hav-
ing neglected their own private bust
ness for the past two days to do this
public work, are giving today to their
private affairs, and leaving those they
have talked to and who have not yet
subscribed, to commune with them
selves on the subject. In the two
days work the committee has raised
Just little over half the amount that
must be raised That is not discour-
aging upon its face: but we all know
that it is a great deal harder to raise
the last half of a stock subscription
like this, than it is to raise the first
half
This is so important a matter that
The News feels justified in keeping it
before the people of this city. and
doing it's best to impress upon them
the Importance of it. If every man
who lives in Hattiesburg, and who
hopes or expects to continue to live in.
Hattiesburg, would just stop long
enough to think about this proposition
as one in which he is individually con-
cerned; and then give another mo-
ment or two to the thought of how
much he is concerned, we believe the
trouble would all be over and the
stock would all be subscribed for with
out further delay or persuasion.
There are very good reasons for tho
belief that this stock will become val
liable stock. Water navigation, to
solve the rate question, is attracting
the attention of business men and
financiers everywhere, and Congress
is giving special attention to this sub
ject. It is highly probable that in the
near future water navigation will be
encouraged by Federal aid, and that
a great bulk of the heavy freight OF
the country will be shipped by water.
If water transportation companies can
do the business, why should the stock
not pay? They are subject to fewer
accidents and can run at less expense
than railroad companies can, and If
railroad magnates can become enor-
mously wealthy, as they have done
and are doing and railroad stock be-
come as valuable as it is, why should
not water transportation be profita-
BILE? And if so, stock in these COM
panies should be a good investment.
But aside from that: If this in
vestment will save Hattiesburg every
year from four to six times the
amount asked for, is it not remarkable
that the business interests Of the city
should need argument and persuasion
10 IUuuCc tuCm W lnhhC Tic lhNC5tT
ment? One concern here was asked
to take $4,000 of the stock, and the
Meridian and Jackson freight rate was
compared with the Hattiesburg freight
rate, and this concern did not wait
to see what others would do; wheth-
err others were going to do 9Th -ir
part" or not; they did not offer any
such objections or arguments as that.
The manager said, Eyes, we will take
that; we will save that $4,000 the first
year, and then in the years to come
We will clear an hundred per cent
dividend On that investment every
year."
Now If everybody would look at it
that way Just do their own figuring.
Look over their books and see what
they paid last year for freight; take
the Meridian and Jackson rates and
calculate to a cent what their saving
would be for one year, and give that,