| From the Savannah Republican |
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| March 25, 1863 |
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| How Shall We Feed Our People |
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| Mr. Editor, |
| The
subject of provisions for our city is becoming more and more
important. Our city
authorities, in looking at it, thought best to request the railroads
to refuse to carry any out. This,
so far as rice is concerned, may do good; but it is questionable
whether we have anything else. For
the past few days it has been difficult to buy bacon to supply
families in this city, and many persons could not find corn meal, even
in small quantities; so the shipment of these articles need not be
prohibited. |
| But
this is not the difficulty, the evil is this:
The retailers of provisions have been forced to go or send to
the country for supplies — they have tried to obtain them — have
bought some small quantities, brought them to the depots of the Gulf
Road {Savannah, Albany & Gulf RR}, there to be stopped by government agents, even small packages
and parcels, and there remain, while soldiers' families and others of
the city require them. |
| It
is well for those agents to be diligent in obtaining food for the
army, but surely there is no necessity for stopping food from coming
to this city to feed fifteen thousand inhabitants.
Nor is this intended, but the present practice of railroad
agents, and others, has brought this state of things upon us.
Parties, for the past few days, have sent to points on the Gulf
Railroad for meal to be forwarded by Express to this city, thus
trying to supply immediate necessity.
Now is it not the true and best policy to let some bacon, meal
and corn come to
Savannah
to supply its inhabitants? The
charge of speculation and extortion, so far as these articles are
concerned, has no application whatever, for there are more of them in
the city. |
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