The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-19

THE south
The Railroad Administration
Pledges a Square Deal To
Southern Ports
REMARKABLE HEARING
IN WASHINGTON


IN WASHINGTON
Delegates From Chambers of
Commerce from the South At
! lantic, Gulf and Mississippi
! Valley States Present Claims
for Fair Play
Washington, July IA square
deal 10 the Southern ports.''
TO the student familiar with the
Souiil's long uphill struggle for her
share Of the country's trade, the
words sound like the words OF q dream
! but to those VINO attended the re-
naar;;able hearing last Tuesday given
! by the railroad administration to
/ delegates from the Chambers Of Com
merce from the South Atlantic, Gulf
and Mississippi Valley States, the
stantial person TO be pu. down as
a mere dream When the hearing
was over and the briefs and arguments
were all in, Edward Chambers, di-
j rector Of the division Of traffic of the
railroad administration rose and said:
Il think I can assure you gentle
men that the railroad administration
is in complete sympathy with the con-
tcn,ions for far play which you have
! advanced here today and that we
expect to grant your requests, though
! perhans with some minor changes in
! detail
His sententious remarks were greet
ed with prolonged applause by the
audience which was made UP OF dele
cations modified by:
| The South Atlantic ports, through
the South Atlantic Maritime Corpora
ton.
The Mississippi Valley Association,
representing the Middle Western
States which demand additional gate
ways through the South.
The allied, Gulf ports aided BY the
! organization built up by William Al
len Of New Orleans.
In the audience were United States
Senator's Simmons and Overman of
! North Carolina. Hoke Smith of Geor-
gia, Ransdell of Louisiana. Gore Of
| LOkIahoma. Harrison Of Arkansas, Nc
Ke,lar Of Tennessee, Fletcher and
Tran,mell Of Florida. and Smith and
Dial of Soutl, Carolina.
i Among the speakers We're Judge J.
(! Harry Covineton of Washington, D..
| X
Maritime Corporation; Attorney Luth-
or NJ Walter Of Chicago who argued
! the technical case for equal rates
Will, New York for the Gulf and
South Atlantic ports" Senator Hoka
Smith Of Georgia; Senator Simmons
of North Carolina: Senator Fletcher
! of Florida; Senator Ransdcll Of Lou
isiana; Senator Smith Of South Caro-
lira: Senator Gore OF oklahoma; and
| Colonel Hubert r. Miller of Chicago.
representing the Chicago Association
IF Commerce and the Mississippi VAL
fey Association.
Tn the audience were a number CT
men conspicuous in the new COM
mercial life Of the South: George n.
Baldwin and ". D. Nelson Of JACK
sonviIle. Florida; c. w Thacke- of
the Chamber OF Commerce Of Pensa-
cola. Florida; J. A. Won Dohlen Of
Overstreet Of Sylvania. Ga; John D.
Frcst OF Columbia, S. G.; w. ". Nun
ne-:yer. Z. G. Campbell and Jam cs
r.. Fraser of GEORGETOWN. S. C.: Hugh
| MacRae. Frank G.. Harris and c. J.
f; Becker Of Wilmington. \ C.: II. 3.
Tanner. j.. of Charlotte, y. c.; c. G..
Yates of Greensboro. n. c.; besides
an enthusiastic delegation from New
Orleans headed by John NJ. Parker
and Including Edward j. Cay, II. c.
| Donaldson. w. l. Ruheson, Carl Cres-
sou and others.
j Director Chambers announcement.
while not unexpected by his hearers,
fairly electrified them by its inform
ality as well as by its significance. It
means that the railroad administra
ton has determined:
| TO give the Gulf and South Atlantic
! ports substantially the same freight
/ rates from the Middle West for ex-
port and import. as those now enjoy
! cd by New York
To give the Middle West all the
gateways 20 foreign trade which it
needs instead of compelling it to ship
everything through the neck Of the
bottle namely. the approach to Nav
: York
To cut down transportation costs.
and indirectly the ccst Of living. by
! encourasing goods 20 be shipped hy
the shortest route instead Of as at
present over the powerful but con-
gcs;ed trunk lines running into New
York
we have determined to treat the
ports OF the country as whole" said
! Director Chambers. instead Of as
merely sectional affairs We want TO
equalize port charges and rates, SO
far as we can, SO that the great pro-
ducing sections of the country can
get to the seaport at the lowest pos
siblc cost We have had this matter
under consideration for some time and
while there are some minor difficult