The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-08-01
Port DEVELOPMENT.

sport" o ding
the ports OF the Gulf Of Mexico in sections
has been nsstentiy consistently to damn the
facilities. ~ P .
Look over the situation applies to the railroads
operating In the South. 1t is undenabe fact that
most railroads of the South many ports and
Ioro nave interests in ALL and generally speaking
special interest in any port.
we must assume, naturally So that the railroads
are primarily interested in making them
selves pay dividends, and therefore logically So
not particularly in making the port paw dfyi
dends.
But the people residing in port on the other hand
dends.
1t is undeniably by accident of economic
conditions railroad does sometime business
such concentration such port is necessarily favored
Again it be assumed that railroads show to
such port what might be called "favorsm If rail-
read should show favoritism Immediately engenders
the opposition Of other ports reached by the railroad
Analysing this showing "favoritism is not primarily the
fault Of the railroad due the apathy of the people
of in collectively securing their rights for the
railroad through the agencies established for that pur
pose.
It is also fact that railroads evidence favorit
ism such concentration ports in the mater of port de-
velopment, this is often the
evident that unwise procedure fer any
develop port against another which it
contrariwlse it wise procedure for
the people of port to institute aggressive port de-
velopment program.
For the purpose Of example would be unwise for
any port entire waterfront wholly to the
control of the railroads for the would be-
come almost hopeless insofar port development was
concerned bound down by the arbitrary rules sur
rounding activities the railroads would not dare TO
develop port and the municipality could not do So
There is apparently only logical, economic policy
to pursue the ports themselves to develop
and to operate facilities for the business
offered the port. .
The of operation of such facilities or whether
they could operated chcaply by the railroads or
private interests minor matter The real issue al
stake is efficient, uninterrupted public service
Economy of management, even loss In operation IS
not the paramount question The paramount interest hes
in the fact ports facilities to heightened degree
should be in keeping of the people OF the port ana
that the dominant motive should be to establish the gh-
est efficiency of ports facilities by the municipality so
as to command greatest amount of business predlcat
ed upon the ports advantages and desraoly OF
location. , .. -
In other words Pensacola with it's natural port au
vantages and the excellence of its location, must de-
velop its facilities 1t is undenlably true It
despite these advantages and location Pensacola rails "
behind the natural of business which she is en-
titled to. ., &c.,,
1t a question then, whether the railroads nave
interested themselves Development OF Pensacoas
mort It is not a question of whether the railroads en-
tarinr Pensacola would develop our port Ihe
outstanding question that citizens must develop
our own port facilities hope to attract the snip
ming of all nations make Pensacola what she right
fully is-a dominant export and import terminal.