The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-19
SMALL But W EIGHTY
Attendance at To-day's Sessions Of
Trans-Mississippi Congress.
THE WELCOME BY GOV. VAN SAINT
Some of the Prominent DeIeEates-
Leading Addresses for =.
RI Tomorrow.

Limited attendance and the fraternal
teeHng between Americans were note
worthy features this morning at the audi
tor1um, st. Paul, at the first session OF
the thirteenth annual meeting of the
Trans Mississippi Commercial congress.
The limited attendance was due partly to
delayed trains and partly to the absence
OF interest on the part of northwestern
ers, in subjects of special import to the
south and west The fraternal feeling
characterizing the speeches of welcome
reflected that uranimity that has made
the Trans Mississippi congress a benefi-
cent power at Washington. Less than $50
delegates had assembled The banners Of
South Dakota, Indian Territory, Oregon
and Kansas We're. deserted Utah only
was represented in part by women. But
the delegates, though few, We're persons
OF consequence. = :
Gov. Van SAINTS welcome.
Archbishop Ireland opened the congress
with prayer. Governor Van SAINT, pri-
vately heralded by one delegate to an
other as "the great anti-merger man,
said, In his welcoming address, that he
would boast of Minnesota if Texas was
not big enough to hold all the population
of the United: States. The congress, he
hoped, would continue to support the St
Louis fair, which would be a worthy trib-
ute to the genius of that great expansion
ist, Thomas Jefferson. If the recorded
desires of the congress were ever real
| ized,z the Mississippi deepened and the
| Isthmian canal constructed, the products
| Of the northwest would go south lnsteac
| of east.
| Attorney Daniel w. Lawler. Of st. Paul
rendered municipal welcome in the place
| of Mayor Smith. Attorney E. G: String
er proffered the hospitality of the com.
| mercial clubs. Rufus Hoyt, vice-presi-
dent of the congress, translated his
greeting into poetic oratory.
John Henry Smith, of Salt Lake City
president of the congress, one of the most
! prominent Mormons in the business world
expressed the thanks of the delegates.
/ E. R. Moses, of Great Bend, Kan, chair
| man of the executive committee, an
| nounced a steamboat ride for delegates
| this afternoon. He also read the rules
of the congress to obviate future misun
derstandings. He called attention to tho
effective work of the congress legisla
tive committee at, Washington, especial
Louis expositions.e ...
t. - a'.s* Leading delegates. :.
! Among the best-known men attending
| the congress are Former Congressman
Walter Gresham, of Galveston, Texas, ex
president Of the congress; Chairman E
R. Moses, one Of the leading business mel
in Kansas; Donald Fletcher, an infuen
tial lawyer Of Seattle; N. G. Larimore
the founder of Larifnore, NJ D.. TON
Richardson, manager of the New Orlean
Progressive Union said to be the larges
commercial association in the country.
Speakers before the: congress will in
4 clude James J. Hill. who is to talk to
! morrow afternoon unon "Our Trade wit
7 the: Orient; Ray Stone, chief Of tn
United States road department at Wash
ington; CongressmantsC Il Cannon, of Utah
!; +. B. Thurber eof New, Y York; Professor .
/ c.. Monahan, of the Wisconsin state uni
t yersity; WV. Rates. OF Denver, an ex
Lert on the question Of ship subsidies.
! "A delegation from, the : Minneapoli
Commercial. CLUB was in attendance thi
afternoon. =,