The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-16
NAMING THE MEN
Who are to Inaugurate West
ern Commercial Policies,
IN INTERSTATE DEBATE
At the Great TranSmissiSSippi
Congress in June.

From reports that are coming in the
Trans Mississippi congress promises 10 be
the biggest thing Wichita has ever had in
the way Of a convention. Governor Stan
ley viii be here and he will ISSUE personal
invitations to all the governors of the
Trans Mississippi states to attend and it
is reasonably assured now that Wichita
VIII have as guests on June l. the cover
nors of at least ten different states.
Delegates are being appointed and re-
ported in a way that is encourag-
ing to those vino have the matter in
charge. The Fort Worth Texas Telegram
gives the following delegation appointed
by the governor Of Texas:
w. D. Cleveland, Houston; Armory Starr,
MARSHALL B. F. Sheriff., Jefferson; George
T Jester, Corsicana; ". B. Morrison,
Waco; R. a. Greer, Beaumont; r. B.
Wheeler, Aransas Pass; a. 6. Boyce,
Cranning; s B. Burnet, Fort Worth;
Worries z. Brown, San Antonio.
A league of half the states in the nation
for commercial advantage, forms an inter
esting item in the history of the country.
The idea had its conception in the Kan
sas legislature in 1891, where d resolution
providing for the convocation of Trans
Mississippi Commercial Congress was
passed. Provision was made for the Sc
lection, by appointment of delegates from
each Of the western states. The congress
met at Kansas City, and there had its be-
ginning, with a resulting mutual interest
among the leading men Of the great sec
tion to the west of the mighty river, and
closer acquaintance and sympathy. The
New Mexican found that the remediable
evils in his sheep industry were not the
only complaints in the west; the man from
Colorado found neighboring industries with
requirements he had not dreamed of: the
Kansas, and all the others present dis
covered sectional variations. which were
surprising, but which did not blind the
promoters Of the idea to the fact that the
whole west had a common cause, a COM
mon destiny and a reciprocal interest in
commercti development which could be
best served by closer organization and
more thorough knowledge Of the needs of
the whole section.
Since the first congress the idea has
grown until it is becoming one of the
great things of the country, an annual
convention Of half the nation, largely at
tended, lively in debate and forceful in con-
certed action, accomplishing great mat
tiers through elaboration and DISCUSSION,
and with the idea Of the commercial ad-
vancement OF the west always in view,
having grown from the first small but
fruitful seed of nine years ago,
In this connection it is interesting and
noteworthy that at the last meeting in
congress, which convened at Salt Lake
City, the question of Hawaii and its an
nexatioa was brought forward and ably
handled and no doubt had much to do
with the contamination by which this ma
ton acquires that, and the surrounding
islands. Also the plan of the Nicaragua
canal, and its Importance to the CONNER
citl west was in this congress first ex-
plotted
How important such an organization is
TO the nation is best shown b va display
OF the fact that the region represented by
the congress contains 75.5 per cent of the
total area of the United States; that it
yielded 90 per cent of the gold of the coun-
try, 500 per cent Of the silver 81 per cent
of the lead. 81 per cent Of the copper, 145
per cent OF the coal, bT.S per cent IN the
quantity Of wheat. 55LS 3per cent in the
quantity Of corn, 40 per cent of the cot
ton, ga per cent of the wool and 50 per
cent Of the farm animals.
The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con-
gress has been a success, and ha become
permanent 1t has been the cutom to dis
tribute its favor to different western
cities, year by year, and this eyar it will
convene at Wichita, May 81