The state herald., 1891-10-30
rsANs.M,ss,ss'pp, CONGRESS.
Meets In Omaha to Discuss the In.
tsrssts Of the West


tsrssts Of the West
The Trans-M Mississippi Congress met
In Omaha on the 10th, with about 100 dele.
gatss In attensnce. The first day was o.
cupied With preliminaries. On the second
day the of1cers were elected. Charles s
Thomas Of Denver was chosen president;
q. A. Atkinson Of Lincoln, permanent Sec
rotary, with H. H. Smith Of Now Orleans.
and o. w. Crawford Of velasco, Texas,
asslstants.
Mr.. Thomas addressed the congress and
after thanking tho convention fot the
honor, said:
To-day, including Texas and the Dako-
tas, there are twelve states and two terri-
tories with population Of 1000, 900 81
people, and 90, 900 miles OF railroad In this
trans Mississippi domain; II 10 the seat Of
Drawn and brain, Of the sturdy resolution
aud undismayed ambition. Of an enllght
ened and glorious country, whose indomi.
table citizenshlp have developed its won
derful resources until they exceed the
credullty Of ordinary man, and give US an
tory Of the world.''
large number Of resolutions were In
troduced and o few gentlemen spoke con.
cerning the general interests Of the West
Wednesday morning Ex-Governor Hub
bard Of Texas addressed the delegates on
deep water harbor on the Gulf.
Mr. Fishback Of Arkansas, chairman Of
the committee on resolutions, stated that
after working until midnight his commit.
tee had completed Its labors and was ready
to report. 1t was decided to read them ut
length, and then adopt them section by sec
tion.
The frat resolution adopted was one
asking Congress 10 allow no railroad
grants " include mineral lands. More
stringent naturalization laws were de.
mauded The early completion Of the
deep water harbor at Galveston was urged.
s. A. Thompson Of Minnesota made ar
address on the Importance Of waterways
in general and the beauties OF Duluth as q
great shipping point In particular. He
held that lake transportation cost only ono
twcnty.sixth part as much Us rail freight,
and steamers made a. fast time between
Duluth and Buffalo - did freight trains.
At Thursday mornings session of the
TransmississiDpi congress, w. NJ. Fish.
back Of Arknnsas, A. j. Vallandinham oil
Missouri, Walter Gresham Of Texas, w.
N. Mason Of Nebraska, Alva Adams Of
Colorado, ]. G. Lowe OF Kansas, and W.
NJ. Mills Of New Mexico, were appointed q
committee, with tho Western States Com.
mercial Congress, on the proposed consol.
idation OF the two bodies.
Raanluttous ,.,ora .In~sa.l n.trtu,. xrarr
stringent naturalization laws, and that
only such persons us are fit for and de-
sire American citizenship shoald be al
lowed to land on these shores.l:
A lengthy discussion on the subject oi
free coinage was precipitated by Buchanan
Of Colorado, Senator Warren, S. A. Thomp
son Of Duluth, A p. Hopkins and Presi
dent Thomas Of Denver.
At the opening OF the afternoon session
1t was announced that tho next meeting OF
the congress would be held at New Or.
leans February 23 TO 20, 1902.
The discussion Of silver coinage was
then taken up aud continued until
o'clock. Tho vote upon the frat minority
report, which favored free and unlimited
coinage Of all silver offered the United
States mints, was then taken. It stood 81
for and % against This left tho majority
report Just ms it had been presented. The
vote then occurred upon the majority re
port, favoring free silver coinage for the
American product only. The vote stood
lu2 for and Il against.
The states voting yea upon the majority
report were; Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Mis-
souri,. Nebraska thfteeu votes), New Mexi.
co, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas (teu
votosl, Utah.
The states voting against were: Arkan
sss, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Min.
nesota, Montana, Nebraska lsIx votcs),
Texas lone vote).
The report OF tho committee, urging
upon Congress tho practicability and nee
essity Of encouraging the reclaiming OF
the arid lands by means OF irrigation wus
adopted. A resolution calling upon Con
grcss tc protect owners Of mineral lands in
the states Of Arizona, Utah. Now Mexico,
California, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming,
Oregon, Idaho, Montana and South Dako
Ia against possible loss:from the cncroach-
ments Of railroad grants was then dis.
cussed. The resolution was adopted.
An interesting debate arose over the
resolution offered BY DR.. Miller Of Nebrss.
ka. declaring that the interstate commerce
law was hindrance 10 interstate com
mcrcc, and should be repealed.
Colonel Gage OF California said that the
interstate commerce law had benefited
some Of the eastern commercial centera,
but It had been . curse TO tho Trans. Miss
issippi states-
The resolution was then laid over until
the next meeting Of the congress. A rcso
luton was then adopted recommending
that Omaha be selected by tho national
central committees Of the Democratic and
Republican parties as the place for holding
the national conventions Of the two par
tics In lsg2. Adjourned sine die
Decrease Of the Natural Gas Supply
There IL considerable trouble Ia