The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-04
PRESS COMMENT
sottIina Up Southern Ports.

Bottlins Up Southern Ports.
Senator Fletcher, of Florida, is
/ fighting the demand of the north At
lantic ports that all western export
business be again handled through the
ports of Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia and Baltimore. They Were the
outlets of export business when the
war came on, and the congested, terri
bly, delaying result in those parts has
not been forgotten. 1t was not until
after the ports of the south Atlantic
and the gulf were put into use that
relief came, either for the transport
of men and supplies, or Of the needed
commercial cargoes which had to so
abroad despite the war.
To open the ports of the south to
business, and to assist them in han
ding that business, the United States
shipping board adopted its policy of
leasing, or alloeating, vessels to the
various ports of the country. The
southern port cities jumped at the
chance to secure a commerce carrying
line of their own, and the result has
been the development of southern
ports export business that bids far
to equally distribute the burden of ex-
port and import handling in this coun-
try.
But now comes the north Atlantic
ports to demand that the shipping
board recede from its leasing, allocat-
ing position, and refuse to permit its
ships to be used except by those who
buy them outright. Clearly, this would
work a hardship to southern port cities
which have had so short time to Or
ganize for the new business they have,
and are still after. They are not yet
able to finance the purchase outright
of ships which cost millions of dollars,
in addition to building port facilities
and securing cargoes for these ships.
Later, as the ports develop strength,
they will doubtless buy the ships they
are operating But to force them to do
it now would be murderous to them,
and playing entirely into the hands of
the north Atlantic port shipping in
terests.
Senator Fletcher should have the
immediate backing of every business
interest south of Baltimore, and
around the Rio Grande. The fight he
has started is not a fight for Florida,
but fight for the shipping interests Of
the entire south. A fight against I'M
fairness, fight against the hand of
monopoly reaching out to grasp the
throat of trade now headed to other
ports than the old ones of yesteryear.
The demand of the north Atlantic
ports is not unexpected. 1t has been
seen for months that the rail and
water interests converging in them
have been laying plans to get back the
power those ports once had. The thing
that has hurt the program prepared
by them is that the water routes
through the Panama canal have up
set their plans. Southern ports are
being supplied with many commodities
by water which formerly had to come
by rail to the north Atlantic ports
across the continent and thence be
shipped by water via coastal steamers
and sailing craft to the southern ports.
The railroads of the country are fight
ing the development of any great
southern export ports. They will do al
they can to keep the volume of bust
ness conferred in the four great ports
of the north Atlantic. Senator Fletcher
sees what is intended, and being in
tensely fair, and strictly southern, ne
will not let it get by without the fight
of his life.-Tampa Tribune.
No Such Propaganda.
Under the heading, Tenemos Que
Defendernos''-We must defend our
Noche, a prominent news
paperman of Cuba, announces that it
has discovered that there is deadly
in the United States, hav-
ing for it's purpose the elimination of
Cuban business in this country, and
that paper advises that Cuban people
in kind.
It will be news to the most of us
that the American public, has, any
where, been advised not to purchase
Cuban sugar, for instance, or that
there is any desire on the part of the
American people to cease doing bus
mess with the peoples of the island /
republic. On the contrary, with the |
exception of our tariff laws, there is |
every evidence that we desire to build |
up substantial trade relations with /
Cuba and to preserve friendship with |
her people.
Says La Noche. in many places in 7
he United States, it has been indicat I
I'd many times in this country that !
IN active propaganda against Cuban +
products which in little quantities en- .
ters that market. In public places /
there have appeared notes such as
this: Do not use Cuban sugar. Wei
10 not know the source of the move
nent, nor who would inspire such al /
unjust campaign nor the object with I
which it is carried on. But at any
ate the aggression surprises Us.
However we advise our people to de-