The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-07-28
River Improvement.

81. Louis, July 1.-THE confer.
enee called together through the
efforts Ofthe Merchants Exchange
OF 81. Louis, to consider the most
practical course to pursue in ad.
voeatIng the Improvement of the
Mississippi river, met this morn.
ing at the Southern Hotel. The
conference is composed of one
delegate appointed by representa-
tive commercial leaders in every
important city in the Valley States.
Twenty cities are represented.
The conference was called to
order by ]. c. Ewald, president'of
the Merchants Exchange of st.
Louis, who in a brief address of
welcome, said: "The time has
come for action in the campaign
for the Improvement of the Mis-
sissippi river, because it is not a
local one but national, and needs
only to be set properly before the
people of the country to gain
their appreciation, and through
them to force that recognition by
national legislation due it, and SO
long denied It,"
The convention then effected
permanent organization by elect
ing ID. b. Wood, of New Orleans
Cotton Exchange, as permanent
chairman; George l.. Wright per.
manent Secretary, and one vice
president from each Valley State.
RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved, That it is the sense
of this meeting that river con.
vention be held in the Mississippi
Valley, the place to be hereafter
designated, not later than the Goth
of November, 1883.
Resolved, That it is the duty of
the coumercial bodies of cities
and towns, and of the farmers and
laborers in each congressional
district in the Mississippi Valley,
to petition their respective repre-
sentatives in Congress to uphold
and vote for adequate appropria-
tlons for the Improvement of the
Western waterways.
Resolved, That in the selection
hereafter of members of Congress
from the Mississippi Valley, ii
should be the especial care of all
people interested that no candi.
date be selected except those pro
nouncedly in favor of river i'm.
provement.
Resolved, That a subcommittee
be chosen by this meeting to fix a
time and place for calling the River
Convention, and that this commit
tee prepare in due form the cal
for said convention.
Resolved, That the seasoning o1
time has but rendered more valu
able and necessary to the public
veal the proceedings of tho Mis-
sissippi River Improvement Con
vcntion held in st. Louis October
20, q and %, 1881, and we com
mend its action to the public mind
A long discussion then tool
place as to where the next Rivel
Convention should be held, whicl
developed the fact that a large
majority of the committee favored
Washington in preference to st
Louis or any other place in thu
Mississippi Valley. The genera
opinion was that ears of Congress
men could better be reached il
Washington than anywhere else
and that a far greater influence
could be exerted there, both II
a specific and general way than a
any other point.
1t was finally decided that th'
next convention shall be held a
Washington on the second Thurs
day in February, 1884.
1t was then agreed that the OK
ecutive committee should b'
changed into and known as th'
permanent committee, of which u
d. Wood, of New Orleans, wa
elected chairman Geo. L. Wright
of st. Louis, secretary; and Micha
ell McEnnis, of st. Louis, treasurer
All the actions of the executiy
committee were adopted by tn
central committee. Secretary G
L. Wright was authorized to franz
a call for a convention and appen'
thereto the names of the centra
committee.
The conference then adjourned