The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-08-20
NOWlWATCH
s,.,,aTHE HOME
PORTS BOOM

Washington, Aug. 2O.-That sue
cess has crowned the efforts of the
South Atlantic ports to secure from
the Railroad Administration equai
ra es, with New York City, for ex-
rorts and imports between the Middle
West and South America was made
clear today by a formal notice re-
oeived from the Division of Traffic, U.
s. Railroad Administration, by Mat
thew Hale, president of the South At
lantic Maritime Corporation.
That notice reads as follows
instructions have been issued for
the preparation of tariffs which are
to provide for line of export rates
to Brunswick Ga; Charleston, SC;
Georgetown, S. c.; Gulfport, Miss;
jacksonville, Fla. Key West, Fla;
Mobile Ala. New Orleans La; Per-
sacola, Fla. Savannah, Ca, and Will
mington, n. G.
"These rates will be made to apply
from points in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
including cities located on both banks
of the Mississippi river from Du-
huque, Iowa, to st. Louis, Missouri
inclusive; from points in the south
ern peninsula of the state of Michi-
gan upon all export traffic; also from
points in Pittsburg and Buffalo dis
tricts and from Johnstown Penn, on
iron and steel articles.
an all cases, the export rates to
South Atlantic and Gulf ports are no.
to exceed the domestic rates to the
PORTS via which traffic moves"
The point of this is that the Rail
road Administration has decided that
the pleas put up by the South At,
lantic ports for equal treatment with
New York are based on sound eco
Ionic grounds. For time it was
said that the Railroad Administration
proposed to equalize commodity rates
alone and let it go at that but appal J.
emily they have thought better OF 1t
and are now going to include class
rates as we'll as commodity rates.
Definite and clear instructions,
said an official of the Railroad Admin
istration, "have been issued to Chair
man Johnson of the Western Freight
Traffic committee and Chairman
Wright of the Southern Freight Traf-
tic committee to proceed at once with
publications to provide line of class
and commodity rates. to South Allan
tic and Gulf ports. These proposed
rates are to apply on traffic destined
to all foreign countries, except Mex
leo and Central America; the rates
applicable to those two countries will
be considered separately. We are go
ing to keep right after this question
and you may rest assured that every.
thing will be done to have the rates
effective at the earliest possible date.
"This means that shippers located
in the great industrial Middle Wes
can ship to South America through
the South Atlantic ports as cheaply a:
through New York." said Mr.. Hale
1--WE have many natural advantage!
ever New York and there is no reason
If we keep on working harmonious!
: together for our common ends, VIII!
we should not divert to Wilmington
Charleston, Savannah, Brunswick ant
Jacksonville an immense volume O.
exports and imports.
"The Middle West has assured u:
through the Chicago Rssociaticn o
Commerce and the Chambers of Com
merce in other cities that they arr
eager to get more gateways out K
i. South and Latin America. They arr
i tired of having their goods periodical
! ~ caught in the jam at New York
I They are tired of the excessive ter
{ nlinal charges at New York. They ar,
i tired of New York! With a fai
q
I sible by the forthcoming reduction il
: freight rates we can make the flv
+ ports boom.
! "The fight is not all over, by an,
Z means, but the main obstacle-th
{ discrimination in freight rates hither
+ to existing-has been removed. Thes
! are going to be great days, in m,
- ;,,d f0r &bA Nov, Co,,4L