Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-20
PLANNING FOR BIG MEETING
Christian Church Convention Committee
Applies for Reduced Rates.
FAvoRABLY RECEIVED BY RAILROAD MEN
work OF Raising Funds for Advertis-
ting and other Expenses I'm
omaha Will NOW He Prose-
cuted with vIgOr.

The Christian church committee returned
from Chicago yesterday morning. Tuesday
in that city Il placed before the executive
committee Of the Western Passenger asso-
citation an application for reduced rates on
all roads running into Omaha for delegates
to the general convention of the church in
October.
The committee received no reply to its re-
quest, but the railroad people said that
they had been fayorably impressed with the
argument OF the committee, and that the
association would announce its decision as
soon as possible. Yesterday morning c. S.
Paine, a member Of the committee which
visited Chicago and chairman Of the gen.
eral church committee. said:
ITO show the effect OF a rate of one fare
for the round trip to this convention, as
compared with a different rate, it is only
necessary to recall the experience Of Kan
sas City and Minneapolis with former con-
ventions. In 1900 at Kansas City we had
a rate of one aud one-third fare for the
round trip. From Omaha thirty-hve per-
sons were present at the general conven-
ton, although the fare was less than $40
for the round trip. Minneapolis last year
had a rate OF one fare. and from the state
of Nebraska about 800 persons attended.
although the fare was s11.
VIII Now Hustle for Money.
Nov that we have done all we can with
the Western Passenger association st this
time, we will begin to work at home
again. On Friday we Will appear before
the meeting of the Commercial club and
ind out exactly what the club will do for
US in the way OF raising funds. We expect
It to render all assistance possible, as l
have talked with many Of the members of
the executive committee and find them to a
man in favor of holding the convention and
entertaining the people in a way to make
Omaha proud.
las to the exact am@Ant Of money which
will be required to care for the conven-
tion l annot say until l can get the
figures of a contractor as TO the cost OF the
necessary alterations in the Coliseum
building. / believe that the cost will not
exceed $500. but l do not know.
1.-The other expense will be advertising
and that need be limited only by the
amount received, for the attendance de-
ponds entirely upon successful advertising.
It is said that Cincinnati expended about
$40 o for the convention, exclusive of the
rent of halls, and there were 20 1000 people
present; Kansas City expended practically
nothing and had about 5000 present.; Min
neapolis expended about $4,000 for dis
tinctly advertising purposes. 1 should
think hat $4,000 would not be far from
the amount absolutely required, while II
we had half the amount expended by Gin
cinnati I would think that we had ample
funds for all purposes.
Representatives Mt District Meeting.
zone Of the features Of the expense will
be In having representatives at the state
and district conventions of the church all
over the west, from Ohio to California.
The representative at the latter state, I
believe, is provided for at small cost to the
committee. but the others must be cared
for. Every member OF the committee and
the officers are donating their services free,
and the only person on q salary is the
stenographer, who is absolutely necessary
20 the success of the undertaking.
"As TO providing places Of entertainment
for the people attending the convention, It
can be arranged in Omaha as well as In any
other city. No city where the convention
has been held in recent years was able to
accommodate the visitors at the hotels.
Private houses were called into requisl-
tion and 1t would have TO be done in
Omaha. There is one misunderstanding in
regard to this matter. and that is thai
some have understood that the board Of the
persons attending the convention would
have to be provided by the citizens OF the
city where the convention is held. This is
absolutely a mistake. Many years ago the
convention adopted a resolution to the et-
feet that entertainment OF this character
would not be accepted, and since that time
visitors to the convention paid their ex-
penses, whether at hotel or private house