The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-23
BARTHOLDT SCORED
POINT FOR FAIR.
Secured Next Meeting of the In
terparliamentary Union for
st. Louis.
SLATED FOR COPENHAGEN.
Missouri Congressman Had No
Official Invitation to Offer, but
He Promised One-Arrived
Yesterday in New York.
REPrRLIc SPECrAh

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. Sept. 21--Through the efforts
OF Representative Richard Bartholdt of
Missouri the next convention OF the Inter
Parliamentary Union will be held in St
Louis during the early part Of September.
1904 when about 400 statesmen from all
quarters of the globe will meet in the
Worlds Fair city.
Congressman Bartholdt returned to-day
on the steamer Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse. On the same ship were Casper
Koehler and Mrs. Koehler. Henry Nico-
laus. his son and daughter: Miss Lambert
and August Busch. Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
Mesker. the latter a daughter of August
Gehner, who have been on a bridal trip
abroad. also were on the vessel.
Representative Bartholdt attended the
conference OF the Interparliamentary
Union, which was held in Vienna. and OF
which he is a member. This organization
consists of members OF Parliament or la=-
making bodies of all the Governments Of
the world, hence 1t may really be termed
q parliament Of parliaments. Its mem
bers are the men foremost in their re-
spective countries who seek to achieve the
possible and have no time for rainbow
chasing.
1t was this body that first suggested to
the Car of Russia the calling together Of
the Peace Conference, which resulted In
the establishment of The Hague Court
of Arbitration.
MR.. BARTHOLDT'S TASK.
This years conference was attended by
more than 600 leading lights OF law-mak-
ing bodies, principally from European
countries.
Being a member of the Executive Board
of the Interparliamentary Union." said
Mr.. Bartholdt to The Republic represent
ative. 'T was in the fortunate position OF
welding some influence with respect to the
selection Of the next place of meeting.
When I arrived at Vienna, I was con-
fronted by what seemed to be tacft
agreement among the leading members Of
the Executive Board to go to Copenhagen
next year.
1.-THE Danish delegation. backed by the
Swedish and Norwegian members and
many Germans and Austrians. advocated
that city. They showed a guarantee of
$1,000 crowns appropriated by the Govern
ment for the entertainment OF the dele
gates and also exhibited an official invi-
tation from their Parliament. 1 had
neither invitation nor guarantee.
MY point, however, which I impressed
upon the members Of the board. was that,
since It was the desire Of the conference
to meet on American soil at some time,
next year would be the most favorable
opportunity because of the Worlds Fair.
and, since that could not be postponed,
the next conference must either be held
in 1904 or the delegates would have to
forego the attractions and pleasures of
our great Universal Exposition.
'I might say, by way of explanation
here, that these conventions are not held
every year, but at the discretion Of the
Executive Board.
PROMISED OFFICIAL INVITATION.
'I was then asked whether it would be
possible to secure an official invitation
from the Congress of the United States to
have the next convention held In st.
Louis. 1 told my confreres that this was
merely a matter Of form. and that this
certainly would be forthcoming in due
time.
ct also assured them that reductions
certainly could be secured on the steam
ships as well as railroads. SO that a trip
to America would not be much more ex-
pensive than one to any of the great Eu-
ropean capitals, and, after an hours dis
cussion, the Executive Board decided
unanimously to come to st. Louis. provid-
ing Congress would extend the invitation
referred to.
when the matter came up for anal