The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-04
PORT PRESTIGE.

Marine journal is filled with good
things. the editorial content being par
ticularly interesting to every Gulf
port, embodying as ii does some sane
and practical comment on port de-
velopment. In speaking of the main
tenance of port prestige, the Marine
Journal says:
"A continuous flow OF imports and
exports is necessary for maintaining
port prestige in any city. Nothing
will so surely attract and hold regu-
lar sailings as port equipment.
THE leading ports of the United
States are patronized because of the
excellent facilities for handling freight.
Southern shippers should strive to
make their ports the equal of any in
the world. Southern ports have
found themselves within the past two
or three years overwhelmed with the
stupendous opportunities at hand for
developing a shipping field. In the
advertising of their ports, in evolving
new shipping companies, and seeking
new agencies, events have crowded
each other with lightning speed. Port
building has received a great deal of
attention but the time has come when
expert supervision in all the ports is
necessary if these harbors are to con-
tinue teemihg with the worlds ship
ping.
The most vital question before the
port builders of the South today is
that of port equipment. Electric
trucks and trailers must be installed
within the next few months by the
hundred and every known device for
facilitating the handling of cargoes
must be placed at the command of
shippers. Besides the building of bare
wharves and warehouses, essential as
they are, there are a hundred and one
details of equipment that must have
immediate attention, especially in the
newer ports.
steamship lines are begging for
loading space at almost every dock in
the South In every Southern port
big building program is under way A
certain amount of elaboration is nee
essary, of course. But in the matter
of equipment haste must be made in
many instances in order to hold the
shipping which is at last actually
within the grasp of the South"
Referring to the movement inaugu-
rated at the Great Lakes st.
Lawrence Tidewater Congress
which purposes linking the Great
Lakes with the Atlantic, the Marine
Journal has this:
There is nothing sectional or sell,
fish about the movement-the Middle
West is simply bursting with produc-
tivity, which must find a quicker
D.crs 70 "a y
than is provided by the congested and
teeming harbor of New York.
New York interests fastened to in
form New Orleans of the plan and in
vited the cooperation of that port in
opposing the Great Lakes-St. Law
renee proposed development.
The reply of New Orleans was wor-
thy Southern port-a city in which
traditions of fair dealing toward 9TH
ers, even at a personal loss, have been
graded for generations. New Orleans
informed New York that she feared
no competition; that she believed in
the doctrine of economic freedom and
the right of each section to attain the
highest development possible; that
every section of the country has a
right to those things that will safe
guard it against domination and per-
NIT the use of whatever economic
outlets and in1ets it has or can build
up; that New Orleans has enjoyed for
many years the trade of the. great
Mississippi Valley; and that the Port
of New Orleans would be untrue to
principles for which it has contended
for years if it did not lend every as
sistance to the Northern States of the
Valley in seeking an unobstructed
waterway to the Atlantic by a north
ern route.
In the last analysis, however 1t will
be. found that New Orleans will lose
nothing by championing the cause of
her northern neighbors. No loss ever
occurs from doing right. whether it be
Individual community, or national
interests which are at stake. Should
there be a falling off of river traffic
southwark at the first opening of the
new route of egress for the valley, it
mercial and industrial activity all
along the line will bring to the Port
of New Orleans thrice the shipping in
the end that she enjoys at present.
New Orleans is perfect willing to
rest it's future on it's own fitness as
port and let other sections do the
same. This is the spirit that prevails
crave monopoly.
The Times Union Daraerapher is