The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-01
CALL MASS MEETING
Council viii Pass Resolutions
Inviting Mckinley.
TO PAY WICHITA A VISIT
Citizens Asked to be at City
Hall on February 3.

AT the session of the city council last
evening, toward the close of the business
Councilman ]. Giles Smith arose and
asked permission of the body to listen TO
some remarks and a petition from ]. H.
Mcknight relative to matters of import
ance pertaining to the Transmississippi
Congress to be held in this city next
fall.
Mr. Mcknight prefaced his submitted
petition by saying that Mr.. James Alli-
son had recently returned from Washing
ton, and while there had personally en-
5oyed an audience with the president,
and during that interview he had strongly
urged upon the president the great i'm
portance and desirability Of his being
present at the commercial congress. He
called his attention to the very cogent
fact that this was not a one city, one
state or even one district affair, but one
more or less directly involving the entire
country, and especially Of vast and far
reaching effect on the whole section ex-
tending over half of the continent from
the Mississippi to the Pacific coast. He
impressed upon him the benefcent effect
his presence would have as a stimulus to
a great commercial and industrial pro-
gress. All these weighty suggestions Pres
ident Mckinley carefully considered, and
at the close cordially assured Mr.. ALI
son of his warm sympathy in this vast
undertaking. and of his realizing sense
of his influence on its success. However,
he was equally firm in his belief and so
informed Mr.. Allison, that should he in
his official capacity make a necessarily
confined and limited tour of the land,
those sections which he visited
would be the object of jealousy
and commercial spite from those he was
obliged to miss. This alone is now the
only cause of Mr.. McKinley's hesitancy
in promptly accepting the appreciated in
vitation. He has sensitive fears THAI sec
tional jealousy would follow, and in his
inherent candor, he a all times strives to
avoid these unfortunate results.
This being the situation, Mr. Allison
declares that all the powerful influence
available, and the utmost honorable press
ure must be brought to bear on the pres
ident to induce him either to suppress the
pangs of conscience in the matter, or else
show him that he has overestimated the
seriousness of the case. With this in
view, Mr.. Mcknight stated that no one or
more organizations. as such, could have
such benign effect as the public at large,
and therefore he wished the council to
officially call a mass meeting of citizens
for next Thursday evening, February 8.
The petition as read and submitted to
the council is as follows:
ITO Mayor Ross and the honorable men,
bers of the City Council:
You are hereby respectfully requested
to call a mass meeting of the citizens Of
Wichita TO meet in the city council cham
bers on February 3. to pass a resolution
urging President Mckinley to accept the
invitation of the Transmississppi Com
mercial Congress 10 attend their tenth
session, to be held in the city of Wichita
next fall, and to also pass a resolution re-
guessing Senators Baker and Harris, Con-
gresham Simpson and the other Kansas
congressman 10 act as a special commit
tee to present the same to the president,
and to have all the senators and congress-
men of the Transmississippi states and
territories unite with them and call on
President Mckinley in a body February
%, and urge him in the name of their
respective states and the south and west
to accept the invitation TO the Transmits
sissippi Commercial Congress, and meet
with them next fall during their tenth
session in the city of wichita
After the clerk had read the petition
and Mr.. Meningitis remarks listened to,
J. Giles Smith moved that the petition he
. he c;1
embodying all that the petition asked for.
DR.. Minick promptly seconded the motion
and the following resolution was unani-
mously passed:
1T is herein resolved. that the tenth ses-
sion of the Transmississppi Commercial
Congress is a meeting Of great CONNER
cial Importance to the south and west.
and that the attendance will be composed
of the leading public men of the United
States. and that in all probability Pres
ident Mckinley will attend if the proper
influence is brought TO bear. Therefore.
We call a mass meeting of the citizens to
: assemble in the council chambers Thurs
day night. February s. to pass resolutions
urging President Mckinley TO accept the
invitation of the congress-
Mr.. Mcknight also informed the coun-
Gil that the Wichita Commercial club
would pass similar resolutions 10 he for
warded to the Kansas representatives in
congress. and the various boards of
trade, commercial associations and mu-
nicipal governments all over the entire
south and west would do the same. In
fact. nothing would be left undone to
accomplish this very important and great
iy desired end. and by so doing. make Of
this tenth session Of the congress not
only the very best. so far as real achieve
ment was concerned. but by its means
10 enhance the wealth and growth OF the
yet but partially developed west and
south.
MUSIC AND DRAMA