The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-08-01
WILLIAMS TO OPPOSE
GOVERNORS SHIP BILL
Elizabeth City Senator Doesn't Believe Ex-
penditures of Millions Will Be Profitable
Venture for State

HAVING NOhNhiSNu hih''S''
that the state has no business
to embark on a visionary ship
and water transportation ven
ture involving an expenditure
OF eight or ten million dollars
of the peoples none, Senator
p. Fl. Williams of Elizabeth
City is preparing to oppose
Governor Morrison's Ship ani
Water Transportation bill.
which is to be considered a;
the special session Of the Cen
eral Assembly which convenes
on August 8.
Senator williams plans. to launch
his br0adsides not only against any
proposal to buy and operate YES
sells. but Is fatty opposed to the
development OF ports with state
money. "The development Of ports
can only he OF benefit to their i'm.
mediate territory" he says. "and
therefore should not be built by
state funds, any more than the
state should build u road thru Pas.
qiotunk County at the request Of Its
Representative"
Senator Williams has been col.
lecting tremendous amount OF data
from Government statistics and
from transportation men we'll &C.
quninted with the shipping business.
lie has found that Government ven.
lures Of this kind have resulted In
great losses of public money because
Of n lack Of cargoes, even In the
more populous sections. lie cites
experiments on the Mississippi and
Warriors Rivers ms examples.
Facts Not Sufficient.
81 have not gone into this subject
W ! h out taking considerable
thought" says Senator Williams.
When the hill was introduced In
the legislature at the last session,
We had no way of determining the
facts. and we asked for Commits
sion to find the facts on which to
base our judgment. Az far as can
see. by the report Of the commits.
sion. the fncts have not been found"
1T IN true the Commission. after
u ypnr's work has made lengthy
report to the Governor: hut n.
where In this report Is authority II
on for statements made. The com.
mission has failed TO show the n,.
thOrity for It's information. but quo
cs only what The Commission fe
lirvcs.' Why didn't the Comm
sion 20 to known authorities, na,
their opinion. and give all t..
facts" he asks.
Senator Williams believes thai
It will not bc profitable to spend
the States money for the develop.
ment OF the port Of Wilmington.
He supports his belief with an out.
line Of what makes great port,
There are only three ports OF IN,
first magnitude In the east" hc
says. Namely. Boston, New Yor'
and Norfolk. These are great pori
because Of their natural advantage
and because n multitude Of trun'
lines from nll over the country. C
verge in them. Manufacture
thruout the country will send shl'
ment there direct by rail becar,
they will reach ports Of dcstinat'
quicker and cheaper. Ships fro
foreign countries will touch at thes,
ports. because the cargocs may h
loaded on any one of many great
railroad lines diverging all over the
country"
Referring to the supply Of shirs
Mr.. Williams CLEANS from goverI
ment statistics that In 1914. exclu.
sive Of Germany's shipping, the
world tonnage was 4S.O0O,O0. War.
time needs increased the tonnage.
and left us with G2,0O0,OO0 tons
with G.O00.000 tons In the building
Government figures show that the
I. y. shipping Board IL operating
at an annual loss Of S25,OOO,OOO to
$40. .OOO.OOO, and Is now operating
only I25 ships, ns compared with
200 on the inactive list with moth.
Continued on Page Two)