The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-01
BY Secretary CuImer, of the
Trans-Mississippi Congress.
OUTLINES THE WORK THAT HAS
BEEN DONE.
The Honor of the City at Stake
Suggestion That the Amount Re
quired Be Appropriated From the
City Treasury.

Eighteen months ago, when the last
session of the Transmississippi Com
merciai congress was held at Omaha,
the delegates from Utah considered the
ACCESSIBILITY of bidding for the next
place of meeting to be held in this
city, and decided upon doing so only
after kilograms had passed between
President Cannon of the Utah delega-
ton and Mayor-elect Glendinning of
Salt Lake; and it was only after re-
ceiving a message from the mayor, ad-
vising us by all means TO secure the
congress for Utah, and that there
would be no difficulty in raising the
81 600 necessary to the entertainment of
the congress, that the Did was made
The congress was invited to this city
in competition with the invitation or
many other states, and the invitation
was accepted. The last state leglSia-
ture, realizing the Importance of the
congress and the advantages that
would accrue to the state if its sessions
were held here, appropriated S2,OOO
towards the defraying of the expenses
of converting it, the sum to be ex-
pended under the direction OF Utan 5
executive committee and myself as
secretary of the congress. Since early
in February | have been industriously
prosecuting the work, and with the
assistance of Chairman Fl. r. Whit
more of st. Louis I have succeeded in
obtaining the appointment of over 500
delegates, most of whom, with their
ladies, will be in attendance. This has
necessitated the writing and sending
of over 5000 letters and circulars,
and has been very laborious
task. 1t has been accomplished
without the assistance of any other
oil n
| have solicited help, | have received
not particle. The pledge made to the
legislature, that If this money were
appropriated the congress would
bring into the city at least a thou
sand distinguished people, was brave
pledge TO make, but l am pleased 20
announce that the goods will be deliv-
cred safely on the 18th of next month.
Several hundreds of delegates who
will attend are men of national or state
reputation, and are prominent men in
their several communities. They come
here imbued with the idea that the
Trans Mississippi congress is a power
full organization for good, and that ii
is devoted to the interests of the
Trans Mississippi territory. and is
entirely devoid Of partisan influences;
that it is non-sectaria, non-political.
ncn-sectional in its character. They
come knowing the fact that res0lu-
tons that will pass the congress viii
20 forth to the world as the sentiments
expressed by 24,00O.000 CT people
living west of the Mississippi, and
expressed through their represent
ative delegates. The subjects that
viii be presented will materially affect
the interests of the mining, agricul-
tural, and transportation industries of
the western country, and gives the one
opportunity outside of the representa-
ton the west has in the national
congress of expressing the needs and
the opinions of the people OF the west.
The good 10 be derived from the ses-
sion is very great and of much impor-
lance to this young state, whether or
not the delegates from this community
choose to present local questions for
consideration.
Realizing the Importance of the
congress and the honor this city has
and remembering the pledge he made
in directing the efforts to bring it here,
and the implied promise that the
members would be suitably enter
tanned, the mayor has appointed, by
proclamation, large number of pro n
inent citizens as committees for enter
tainment, reception, finance and
decoration. About one-half of the
members designated on the committee
or finance have declined to serve, ard
the remainder have done nothing. nor
have they yet been called together by
their chairman, Mr.. John Beck. The
other committees, realizing that they
can do nothing without money, have
postponed their plans. Members of
pressed their dislike to solicit subscrip-
lions from the commercial people
about town, on the plea that they have
already been assessed probably as
much as they can afford in
the interests of the Jubilee, and
Christian Endeavor. The Jubilee
collectors, however, have stated that
mining fraternity for subscriptions,
they have been answered with the
statement that the mining men in
tended to reserve their assistance for
the Trans-Mississippi congress. 1t is
10 this portion or Inc community that
Mr.. Beck's committee should address
themselves if they expect to get much.
The mining men have subscribed very
little toward the Jubilee, or any other
like fund, and if they are interested in
the proceedings of the congress, they
should, without hesitation subscribe
the amount needed for the printing of
the proceedings and for the entertain
ment of the distinguished people who
are coming here largely in their in
mining men in this city, any one of
whom could easily subscribe the entire
amount asked for; who could afford to
DO il, and who should consider it
privilege. Many of the states are
sending representatives here for the
express purpose of presenting resolu-
tons favoring the mining industry.
The California Miners associa ton
is sending six of the most promi-
nent men of that state for this
purpose. They were appointed months
ago, and have long been planning
the manner in which they propose to
use the influence of the congress. So
far as | can learn, no mining man of
Utah has been appointed to represent
the privilege he has of designating
speakers 10 present Utah subjects. In
any other city of the size of Salt Lake
in any one of the Trans MisSissippi
states, the chamber of commerce or the
board of trade of the city would have
taken this matter in hand and con-
Quoted the congress under its auspices;
but l am sorry to say that Salt Lakes
chamber OF commerce has not vet
deemed it advisable to think about it,
and has in no way offered suggestions
or aid in behalf of the congress. In
the writer's opinion it is not right that
the few commercial men around town, /
paying heavy rents and other expenses |
should be continuously required to sub
scribe the cost for such purposes. The |
good to be derived from the holding of
this congress is general in character, |
the entire community is to be bene-
flied thereby, and the expenses should |
be borne in proper proportion by all !
the people.
This suggests that a plan should be |
found for appropriating the cost from /
the public treasury. if it could be done. |