Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-16
SEN. SMITH ASKS
TWO RESERVES
FOR SOUTH
Make Plea Before Special Com
mittee Sent to Atlanta to Hear
Claims of Atlanta.
Continued From Page I.

. SSsAiHdSd from rage u
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 Gncludlng Knoxville
and ChattanooHa).
For Birmingham, W. T. G. Harding,
OF the Chamber of Commerce, was
the only speaker, and made a very
good impression. His selection of a
Birmingham district included Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi and Florida.
You have a very heavy borrowing
district there" was Secretary Nc
Adoo's comment.
Chattanooga District Outlined.
The Chattanooga hearing, which
began the previous afternoon, pro-
/ crossed rapidly, but was interrupt ed
just before its close by the flash and
boom of a flashlight 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 Seaboard
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 Ohin.
4 kr~..
trict," he asserted, and on the request
of Mr.. McAdoo named Louisville as
| second choice, and did not favor New
| Orleans at all.
CoIumbia's Case Opened.
Columbia's case was opened by w
n Stevenson, a lawyer, banker and
former Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, spoke for the State Leg
| islature
Mr.. McAdoo asked for 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
! SeCOUu CUOlCc, anu ulu ilOl Noi e IoA
| 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-bu+ we feel somewhat more
at home there now" he added, and
there was more merriment.
| Richard l. Manning was the next
| speaker. He insisted that he was a
farmer, not an agriculturist and as
, serted that a farmer made his money
and spent it in the city, while an ag-
riculturist worked the other way
round.
Speakers Confined to Facts.
Secretary McAdoo held every
speaker down to facts. He constant
ly interrupted those who appeared be-
fore the committee such remarks as
81 don't believe we care to hear any
more on that point" please leave
that matter to our discretion, as 1t is
purely an inference"
Secretary McAdoo, Secretary Hous-
ton and Comptroller William often
stopped the speakers for Atlanta with
shrewd, close questions on given
points.
]. X. Orr, first speaker for Atlanta
outlined the region Atlanta best could
serve with a regional bank as in
Guiding North and South Carolina
Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missis-
sippi and Florida.
Mr.. Orr pointed out that Atlanta
has several million dollar banks, that
the territory named tends toward
Atlanta through the natural channels
of trade. that the crops, commerce
population and finances represented in
the district constitute one ninth OF
the crops commerce, population and
finances of the entire country.
Moore Presents Statistics.
This is one big reason why We
feel we are entitled to one of these
nine or twelve banks in Atlanta,
concluded Mr.. Orr.
Wilmer L. Moore, former president
Of the Chamber of Commerce. fol-
lowed Mr.. Orr showing in detail and
with a wealth of statistics how the
territory named to be served by At
lanta is geographically and CONNER
cially well balanced as compared with
the other parts of the country.
Mr.. Moore showed that in the last
five years more than half the mer-
flleIlS III Tie nave oOhl liz
bulk of their business to Atlanta. he
touched specifically on the volume OF
bank clearings here, on telegraphic
and telephone business, but more
particularly upon the sequence OF
crops in the region, showing that 1t
produces in the market a crop of
enormous value once every month the
year round.
Business Increase Normal.
One of J. K. Ottley's strongest ar
guments to the committee was the
compactness of the Atlanta region,
the similarity of business methods
throughout this Southeastern terri
tory, the fact that the s725,00O,000 OF
bank clearings in the district repre-
sents q doubling thereof of twelve
times since 1898, putting Atlanta in
the lead over any other city in the
South
Specific data presented by Mr.. Ott-
ley proved to the committee that the
increased bank clearings have been
brought about by normal increase OF
business
Robert f. Maddox, who followed
Mr.. Ottley, offered the committee
statistics showing the capital, sur
plus, reserves and resources of the
Atlanta banks. He pointed out that
practically every eligible bank in the
district has signified its intention of
joining the national banking associa-
ton, and that there are ample funds
OF ha Il he hpV VII NHfff