Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-14
B|RM|NGHAM'S PLEA FOR
REGIONAL BANK To END
COMMITTEES HEARINGS

When the Saturday hearing OF the
regional bank claims was adjourned
for luncheon at 1850 o'clock, Chat
tanooga, Columbia and Savannah had
been heard, and the national commit
tee was well under way with its hear
ing of Birmingham, the last of the
cities to present its claims.
It was understood, however, that
the Atlanta committee might ask the
privilege of bringing forward testi-
mony on a number of points not
thoroughly covered Friday, and it was
certain that Senator Hoke Smith
would speak, advocating that the
Southeastern territory be kept as
nearly intact as possible in the pro-
posed regional distribution.
B. f. Taylor, a Columbia banker,
stated that Columbia was not at all
in sympathy with Atlanta as a re-
gional banking point and recommend
ed Richmond as second choice after
his own city.
Savannah Not Good Center.
Savannah would be a good point,
so far as Columbia is concerned" he
stated, but it would not be d good
reserve banking point for the entire
region"
There was some disagreement as
10 the proposition that the trend of
trade was followed by the trend of
banking paper. Mr.. Taylor held that
the first had no effect on the second,
while E. j. Watson, South Cardinals
Commissioner of Agriculture, was of
the opinion that banking should fol-
low the trend of commerce.
Secretary Holds Up Hands.
The opening of the Panama Ca
nal" Mr.. Watson began, but Secretary
Houston held up both hands in pro-
test.
Please don't" he nleaded. THAT
canal has pursued us all over thus
country"
Mr.. Watson took another tack.
Joseph +. Gray, of Savannah, rep
resenting the Chamber of Commerce
and clearing house of that city, was
the chief speaker for his delega ton.
Savannah handles the greatest
volume of basic commerce on the
South Atlantic seaboard,' he stated,
and Savannah finances a greater
portion of that commrce than any
other city or group of cities in the
South"
McAdoo Again Dssents.
Mr. Gray laid great stress upon Sa-
Vannah's Importance in connection
with the export trade, until Mr.. Nc
Adoo asked if the export trade were
not negligible in comparison with the
domestic trade.
The district suggested by Savannah
included North and South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South
east Tennessee Cncluding Knoxville
and Chattanooga.
For Birmingham, w. r. C. Harding.
of the Chamber of Commerce. was
the only speaker, and made very
good impression. His selection of a
Birmingham district included KenG
lucky Tennessee, Georgia. Alabama.
Mississippi and Florida.
You have a very heavy borrowing
district there" was Secretary Ne
Adoo's comment.
Chattanooga District Outlined.
The Chattanooga hearing. which
began the. previous afternoon, pro-
crossed rapidly, but was Interrupted
Just before its close by the flash and
boom of fashlight explosion from a
photographers outfit in the rear Of
the courtroom.
Colonel Edward Watkins, speaking
in conclusion for Chattanooga, again
referred to the eight districts which
his delegation had mapped out as a
tentative division of the United
states, designating the Chattanooga
territory as the Atlantic Heaboard
District"
He outlined the latter section as
comprising Virginia, Kentucky Ten
nessee, North Georgia Alabama, the
eastern part of Louisiana and the
southern part of Ohio
1T would be a self-sustaining dis
trict," he asserted, and on the request
of Mr. McAdoo named Louisville as
a1lN Il 60,
Orleans at all.
CoIumbia's Case Opened.
Columbia's case was opened by w.
\. Stevenson, a lawyer. banker and
former Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, spoke for the State Leg
stature.
Mr.. McAdoo asked for a map of his
proposed district, and, on being in
formed that he had none, requested
him to outline it. He named the Dis
trict of Columbia, Virginia, South
eastern West Virginia. North and
South Carolina, Southeastern Geor-
gia and Florida.
1T is a self-sustaininG district" he
asserted He favored Richmond as
second choice. and did not care for
Washington.
Politics Charge Made.
Everything in Washington is DOM
mated by political consideration, he
stated, and there was much laughter
in the crowded courtroom. Wash
ington has been hostile to us for so
years-but we feel somewhat more
at home there now" he added, and
there was more merriment.
Richard I. Manning was the next
speaker He insisted that he was