The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-16
HOW GAME WAS WON
II. p. A. CONVENTION BROKE PRE-
CEDENTS TO INDoRsE SAVANNAH.
R. M. HITCH HOME AGAIN.
WAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
REPRESENTATIVE.

Extended Invitation for 1908 Con-
ventiOn to Come to This City.
worked Up Sentiment i'm Favor of
1t with Printed Matter, and Lead
Georgia Delegates i'm Making
Most of Opportunities offered by
EIectiOns-GOv. Durbin and Semi
tor Beveridge Among Speakers at
Meetings.
Hon. Robert NJ. Hitch returned to
Savannah yesterday morning from In
dianapols, where he went as the rep
resentative of the Savannah Chamber
of Commerce, in attendance on the an
nual convention of the national organ
ization of Travellers Protective Asso-
citation. for the purpose of inviting
that body to hold it's convention of 1905
in Savannah.
In this he was most successful, as
has already been announced in the
Morning News. Savannah was unan-
imously Endorsed. even though in do
ing so the convention broke all estab-
lished presidents. This was the first
time in it's history that a convention
took action in regard to the place of
meeting two years off. After the ac-
ton had been taken this was explain
ed to Mr.. Hitch by a member of the
Executive Board, who said Savannah
was lucky, for such decision was I'M
precedented in the order.
Mr. Hitch was accompanied to In
dianapolis by Mr.. ]. S. Lovenstein of
Savannah, who was a delegate to the
convention. They began their work to
secure the convention for Savannah as
soon as they reached the convention
hall. The first day, said Mr.. Hitch,
the pamphlets containing the resolu-
tons passed by the various trade bodies
asking the convention to meet in Sa-
vannah were generally distributed in
the hall. They were widely read and
commented on.
The next day other printed matter,
chiefly the local guide, with maps of
the city and county, issued by the
Savannah Electric Company, We're dis
tributed. and still later a number of
copies of the illustrated edition of the
American Journal of Commerce. The
cordial invitation had created a favor
dDle IMPRESSION, ana the views showing
Savannah's beauties, and her possibili-
ties for entertaining guests, increased
this.
Fight for Convention.
The battle was not altogether won
vet however, but the Georgia dele
gates knew thing or two about poll
tics and under the direction of Mr..
Hitch, made the most of the wire pull
ing and jockeying for national officers;
that is they took advantage of the
situation as they found it, and without
sacrificing their personal views man
aged tR5ecure the Endorsement of Sa-
vannalT in the dickering that went on
just prior to the election of officers.
Just before the place for the conven-
ton of 1904 was to be selected Mr..
! Hitch asked for a few minutes in
which to address the members, and,
this being granted, extended the invi-
tation on behalf of Savannah. He
told the delegates the sort of enter
tainment that they might expect from
this city. Savannah has entertained
many distinguished men, he
told them, both as individuals
George Washington to Sherman and
his army, and if the T. P. AS will
come to Savannah she will give them
even warmer reception than she did
to their fathers who came with Sher-
man.
The talk caught the crowd and
| though one delegate rose to state that
any action on this matter was out of
order, cries came from all over the
hall for the vote and when this was
taken it was found that the invitation
had been unanimously accepted, even
the objector voting for the motion.
Prominent Men There.
The next convention of the organiza-
ton will be held in Springfield, Ill.
| that place being chosen so that the del
| egates who attend the convention may
be able to visit the st. Louis EXPOSE
| ton on the same trip. The Indian
| apols convention was notable, Mr..
| Hitch states, because of the prominent
persons who We're present, and who
| took part in the welcome to the guests.
Prominent among these, was Gov.
| w. S. Durbin, well known in Savan-
nah through his visit and stay in this
| city while captain of the One Hundred
and SiXty-first Indiana Regiment. He
| delivered an address of welcome as
old also Senator Beveridge. Senator
| Fairbanks was also present at the
| meeting, and on the programme for
| an address, but was called away be-
| fore his turn came.
The guests of the convention were
| taken on a trolley ride from Indianapo-
| lis to Muncie, a distance of fifty-seven
| miles. Mr. Hitch had good view of
| the country Its all right in its
way" he said, but the more 1 see of
| other states and parts of the country,
| the more l think of Georgia; haven't
seen anything yet to equal her"
| Mr.. Lovenstein did not return with
Mr.. Hitch, having gone on a visit to
! New York. He will be back, it is ex-
! pected, some time next week. Though
Savannah has been Endorsed for the
| convention it does not mean that no
| further effort to secure the convention
must be made; on the contrary, it Is
| probable that a representative of the
city will have to attend the convention
! at Springfield, next year, when the
final and actual decision relative to
d meeting place will be made.
! AHIINr cram nnEnArInn