Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-06-08
WICHITA'S MEETING.
Ex-Gov. Francis Speaks on the
Louisiana Purchase Fair.
PAPERS READ and ADDRESSES MADE
Hot Fight Certain Over Ex.Gov. Murphys
Resolutions on the Csssloa Of Arid
Lands to Promote lrri-
gatl0n.

Wichita, Kan, June 9.-Yesterday'l
session Of the transmississippi congress
opened at $50 o'clock. Ex-Gov. Prince
Of New Mexico, introduced a resolution
declaring that the Carey act should b,
30 amended as to be equal in its opera
ton over territories and states. Thu
act relates to the cession Of public
lands for irrigation purposes. W. P
Ross, Of New Orleans, presented q
paper on the necessity Of keeping the
mouth Of the Mississippi river open.
He said the Mississippi would be great
harbor as far as st. Louis and even to
Kansas City If the mouth were kept
open. Md. Saunders, Of New Orleans,
followed on the same subject.
Mr.. A. R. Smith, commerce commits
sioner Of New York, in the course OF
the discussion which followed the pa
pers Of Messrs. Ross and Saunders,
made the admission that the commerce
of New York city had decreased since
the opening Of gulf outlets to western
products and predicted that the loss
would become still greater, but rejoiced,
on the broad grounds of patriotism, in
the opening of all new ports, since the
effect was lower rates and lower rates
meant not only more business but new
business, cheaper wares and the bring
ing nearer together of producer and
consumer.
Mr.. j. R. &. Pitkin, of New Orleans,
opened the afternoon session with a
paper on Foreign Commerce and How
to Promote It." He advocated the
subsidizing of American steamer lines
to ply to South American ports. Mr..
Pitkin gave shipping and trade statis-
tics to the point, collected during serv-
ice in diplomatic capacity at a South
American capital.
Ex-Gov. Fishbeck, of Arkansas, de-
livered an address entitled Equitable
Rates to the Gulf" He claimed that
the states west of the Mississippi river
and east of the Rocky mountains did
not have equitable rates to tide water
but paid unjust tribute to eastern rail-
roads.
Ex-Gov. David R. Francis, of Mis-
souri,, presented the Louisiana pur.
chase fair at the afternoon session.
st. Louis, he said, being the most i'm
portant commercial city and the me.
tropolis of this great tract, had under
taken to give the country such an
exposition as it had never known be-
fore. He said the country needed more
of these expositions; that they were
abettors to civilization and lifted the
people to higher plane of living. He
believed that the country should have
one mammoth exposition similar to the
worlds fair at least every ten years.
There is no telling what science will
bring forth within the next ten years,
or even between now and the time of
the Louisiana purchase exposition, as
all of the great sciences of art and
power are being developed so rapidly.
He said that st. Louis was pre-
pairing to give to the country one
of the grandest expositions the world
had ever seen. Already the work is
well under way. He said the city pro-
posed to raise SIS, 900, 900 for the fair.
Five millions will be raised by popular
subscription by the citizens of st.
Louis, S5,oOOOOO by bonds to be issued
by the city and S5,OOO,OOO will be bor-
rowed from the government through
an act of congress. 1t was the latter
proposition which Mr.. Francis wanted
to impress upon the minds of the dele
gates to the transmississippi congress,
in order to get the influence and CO.
operation of the delegates from the
various states and further that there
may be united sentiment created in
favor of this loan. He said this cele-
bration would be worth $1,000, 900 in
direct financial benefits.
AT the close of the afternoon session
the delegates were taken in carriages
by the Wichita Commercial club and
driven about the city and last night
We're given reception by the CONNER
cial club. The lady delegates and Wis
itors were also given reception by the
city federation of woman's clubs
G. j. Gavin, of the New Mexico dele
cation, bears a special commission to
present to the congress, the rough
riders reunion to be held at Las Vegas,
N. NJ, June 1926. He will appear be-
fore the convention probably to-day.
Mr. Gavin announces that Chauncey
NJ. Depew and probably Helen Gould
will be present at the reunion.
The subcommittee of the resolutions
committee last night agreed to report
to-day the resolutions presented by
Gov. Murphy, Of Arizona, asking con-
gress to cede to the states and terri
tories arid lands within their respective
borders for the promotion Of irrigation
systems, A hot fight on the floor Of
the convention is certain when the res.
olutions come up between the advo-
Gates of direct and indirect government
aid.