Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-10
BARRETT WARNS
AGAINST CANAL
OPTIMISM
Declares Excessive Rates viii
Cause Benefits to Fall Far
Short of Expectations.
Continued from Page One.

way, and several representatives, OF the
Seaboard and other lines, were pres
emit New Orleans sent President j. II.
Porch and Secretary NJ. 3. Irrelevant,
of the Progressive union, with several
others. From Birmingham came Frank
p. Glass. editor Of The Birmingham
News and The Montgomery Advertiser,
with several officers of the board OF
trade. REPRESENTATIVES of CONNER
cial bodies Of Charleston, Mobile, Sa-
vannah and dozen other cities helped
to fill the convention hall of the PED
mont where the sessions were held
Vice President Victor II. Kriegsha-
her of the Atlanta Chamber of COM
nerce. presented Mr.. Barrett to inc
audience. The speaker began by a
glowing description of the resources OIL
Latin American countries and the pos
sibilities Of the canal but at he close
he sounded a warning.
uroes Nation to Realize Plain Facts
Mr.. Barrett said:
eft is necessary that the South ana
An fact, the entire country should real
tze without delay, certain PLAIN tacts
about the Panama canal.
."There Is real danger that in our re-
ioincing over It's early completion anu
IN our pride over the great engineer
irg achievement we shall overlook do
inc the practical things upon which
+be s,ccessful use of the canal de-
ponds. ..,
"There is equal danger that we are
doing impractical things which VIII Sc
riously handicap it's value to us
az am not an alarmist, but telling
+ba truth when | say that there is going
~ be widespread disappointment
throughout the country at our sIoWness
in realizing large, appreciate and i'm
mediate benefits from the canal.
"A wall of protest surely viii go up
from the country within year or two
aftar the canal is opened to trade that
the harbors of the Atlantic and Facihc
coasts are not filled with the shipping
and that the manufacturing plants Oh
the country are not overwhelmed with
the orders which are expected as re-
suit of its construction.
There Is no use denying these POSI-
bile canal conditions which the country
may meet. 1t may not be a popular
thing for me to say this, but l am
forced to tell the truth as | see 1t In
order to awaken that attitude OF the
people and that action of our govern
mont which can change absolutely this
prospective but unfortunate situation
Declares Tolls Are Too High
no canal tolls al
S1.25 a net ton are undoubtedly 100
high They should be placed at the
lowest figure permitted by congress
TX cents ton Only by the use of the
latter figure can we get the greatest use
Of the canal in the shortest possible
time after it is opened. One dollar and
twenty five cents a ton means specula-
ton as to possibilities and hesitation as
IA large shipping preparations for the
use Of the canal. Seventy five cents
ton would mean that every possible
utilization would be made of it without
delay.
"while II is perfectly just to charge a
reasonable toll to pay operating eX-
oenses, it is inconsistent with our ma
tional policy, as shown in the operation
of our postofflces and public buildings,
IN charge a toll to cover interest on the
investment
"If we operated our postoftice serv-
ice on the principle of making the post
age paw for the interest on the billions
Of dollars invested in postoffice build
ings. we would be obliged to charge
FIVE cents for every letter and triple
nl =
ter
in the second place, there is very
little organized or individual prepara-
ton for the Panama canal among the
great commercial organizations and
manufacturing interests of the United
States. They are not studying the
markets of the countries reached
through the canal as are the CORE
spending interests of Europe, There
are score of agents of European
chambers of commerce and of European
manufacturing and importing houses
studying the markets of South America
and the Pacific ocean where there is
one from the corresponding interests
of the United States.
Says United States Is Too Selfish.
I'm the third place, there is alto
gether too small preparation for the
canal in the form of the building of
vessels to fly the American flag. A few
are being constructed but even these
are paltry in number compared to the
preparations Of the European and Jap
anese ship yards ana shipping compa-
MES.
I'm the fourth place in discussing
the development Of trade through the
canal, we are considering it too much
from selfish standpoint We are
thinking only Of our export trade or Of
what we will sell ana not enough of our
import trade or what we win buy. Fx-
change of products IS the life Of CONF
merce We must consider what mar
kets we can provide for the products of
the countries reached through the ca.
- nal IL we'll as what we can sell 4,
kA6m.
I'll Bs 80 ~, our commercial civic Din.
ld educational organization,
buttons. from chambers o