The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-04-18
SOUTHERN GOVERNORS.
THEY BEGAN THEIR CONVENTION 1T
RICHMOND WEDNESDAY,.
1t Is a Distinguished Gathering, and ihef
L Getting Together May Mean Much Tor
the South-The General Proceedings

Richmond, Va. April 12.-(Special) y
Whatever may be the ultimate result OF
the influence set in motion by the conyen-
ton OF southern governors, which met i'll
the senate chamber of the capitol of Rich
mond today, the picture will go down to
postcrlty as group of earnest patriotic men
who were seeking the best interests Of
their states and sections. They came here
for consultation to the best means Of
exploiting to the world the advantages held
out as home by this fair land and with
the lofty purpose of setting the seal of con-
demnatlon upon and refuting the SANDERS
that have so long been Systematically
propagated by the enemies of the south.
The gathering of the convention drew
large crowd OF spectators, who filled the
senate gallery and the space in the cham
Der outside of the railing. Besides Gov
erhor MCKINNEY there were present Gov
ernor fIshback. of Arkansas, who originate
eu the convention movement: Governor
roster, OF Louisiana; Governor Brown, of
MMaryland; Governor Jones, of Alabama;
Goyernor Stone, of Missouri. Governor
lllimall arrived later in the day The
other states represented by delegates were
South Carolina. Georgia, Mississippi, Ten
nessee and West Virginia. Kentucky,
Texas and Florida were not represented.
The youthfulness of most of the governors
Is striking feature of the assemblage,
when probably numbers thirty-fiv incud-
ing immigration and agricultural represent
atlyes.
Today's session, which began about noon,
was brief ans the Proceedings informal and
or routine nature. Governor McKnney's
address OF welcome was most cordial
Virginia was glad, he said, to welcome her
guests and ne felt that every man who
was present had come to his former home
Ia, IL.
uon was held to devise better plans for
building up the worst places of the south
and added:
1T is an important meeting We cannot
| 90 away and leave the public in the condi-
| non 1T was before we came here Some
| thing Is expected something is going to
result from the meeting, either for good
| Or evil, and it is for us to determine in
| our wisdom and conservative spirit whether
| 1t is to rebound to good for the whole
| south or whether it is to be effective of
| evil. trust it will be the former. There
| is nothing disloyal here; there is no man
| that is not as true and as loyal to the old
Tag as the president of the United States
and the members of his cabinet. We have
| designated the southern states to compose
| this gathering because our position is a
peculiar one While we suffered and
while we died, the north was growing rich
! or ana 1atter every moment. 1t tells now
| more than before the war. There was
| ever as much financial prosperity in the
! whole history of the states as during the
| foureyeavs of the war"
Governor Fishback was elected president
| pro TEN. and Colonel John Bell Bigger
| secretary of the body. The former, in his
| very nice response to Virsinia's welcome,
| said
ut must be apparent to every man in
| the world that we must have in the south
| either the most wonderful people of the
ha
| what we have Gone in the last twenty-five
| years. Dismaycd and deSolated by the civil
war, ravaged by reconstruction, our whole
system of labor swept away. our entire
social fabric turned tOpsy turvy, confronted
by a race problem which might excite the
awe OF most conSummate StatesmanShp
see what we have done. What a country
We must have, what 4 people, What might
we not have accomplished if we had only
been free from this handicap? We have
assembled !i 10 remove these obstacles in
order that we may progress as our oppor-
tunlties may suggest. Now. gentlemen. |
viii not say more except to thank nv friend
for hs cordial greeting
Letters We're read from Governors Stone,
Of Mississippi, anw MacCorkIe of West
Virginia, the latter of whom was detained
by his wifes illness. expressing interest in
the important work of the convention.
After appointing committee, the body adj
journed and the members We're rendered an
elegant lunch by the ladies of the Memorial
Bazaar. This was followd by Il three
hours drive. The visiting executives and
Professor Holmes, of North Carolina, dined
with Governor Mckinney tonight at 9
o'clock and spent the remainder of the
evening at the executive mansion. Lieu
tenant Governor Tyler was also present The
work of the convention was talked over in
formally and some ideas advanced that will
probably he put into shape tomorrow.
The concensus of opinion is that each
state will be allowed one vote in the body
The Westmoreland Club reception tomor-
row night will be the social affair of the
meeting.