The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-25
TrMnsmississippi Congress As
sembles in Congress Hall.
-%
On the Worlds Fair Grounds
at st. Louis.
ATTENDANCE OF 500
Tom Richardson Introduces
~ President X. C. Kerens.
Irrigation and Good Roads Snb-
iects of discussion.

st. Louis, Oct 25.-Eight hundred
delegates to the Transmississippi Com
nnercial congress assembled today II
congress hall on the Worlds tal
GROUNDS. During the sessions which
VII continue Saturday, matters OF i'm
portance to residents of the transmits
stssippi region will be discussed such a:
safrrigation," good roads, river navl
cation" and Interstate commerc'
laws" Previous to the opening OF tht
session meeting of the executive
committee was held at which IL Nas
decided to limit the report or the CON-
rraiftee on resolutions to 500 words
was also decided to hold only one ses'
sion daily.
The meeting was called to order by
the chairman of the executive commit
tee, Tom Richardson, of Portland, ore.
who introduced r. c. kerens, OF y
Louis. President Kerens spoke IN par
as follows:
q In declaring the fifteenth annual ses,
sion of the Transmississippi Commercial
Congress open for this season, 1t shouto
be stated that this organization was
created in 1888, there being oeIndilu
upon the part of the states west OF the
Mississippi for a fair and equitable as
tfibution by the government for inter
nal, river and other improvements
Prior to the organization OF TINS con-
gress, appropriations by the national
almost wholly upon rivers and harbors
fn states east of the Mississippi; through
the wide discussion by the TranSmlSSls-
sippi congress in all the years OF It's eX-
istence, there has been a perceptlole
change, and now states and territories
Of the west are receiving their full snare
Of national improvements
Year after year this congress is made
srp from the business masses, highly
representative in its character, whose
delegates are appointed by the COVER
ffors of states and territories, mayors Oh
cities, boards of trade, chambers OF COM
msrce and kindred associations. THESE
congresses represent the commercial
and public wants of the greater geo
graphical portion of the United states
This present congress represents up
wards of 80, 900. 900 people. The improve
rnents essential to the sections repre-
scented here are annually brought con-
spicuously forward by resolutions ana
Recommendations to the congress of the
United States; bills are formulated at
Washington and systematic work Is
done to the end that measures emanat-
ing from the TranSmiSSiSSippi CONNER
cIal congress receive proper and equlta-
BILE governmental support. Senators
and represen tiveS from the Trans
mississippi territory are frequently del
egates to the TranSmisSisSippf congress,
who also advocate the wants and pub
lie necessities of their respective con-
stituencies.
A brief enumeration OF the great re-
suits obtained is as follows: Deep wa
ter for Galveston harbOr: the deepening
OF Buffalo Bayou, affording gulf outlet
Tor that portion of the country tribu-
tary to Houston, Texas; deep water for
New Orleans and the Improvement or
the river; the restoration of the salmon
fisheries of the northwest and the es-
Enlistment of international fisheries; a
deep water harbor of refuge and harbor
Of commerce at San Pedro, California;
the inspiring advocacy of the Isthrnian
Nf he int n
commerce law, with amendments from
time to time, enlarging the powers OIL
the commission; reform in the consular
service; establishment of Yellowstone
Park, Pixies Peak and other national
reservations; the passage of the ma
ffohal banking law; the act of congress
creating department of commerce and
labor. persistently advocated by the
TransnississIppi congress until placed
upon the statutes; finally, the passage
of an act of congress for the reclama-
tion of the arid lands of the west
congratulate the officers and dele
gates from all the states and territories
which constitute the Transmississippi
Territory, and this is to a large extent
the territory of the Louisiana purchase;
therefore, we are gratif1ed, gentlemen,
that this meeting assemblies here in the
shadow of the greatest universal eXposi-
tfon that has ever been devised and
completed in The history of the world.
The lanente Mckinley said in his
last public utterances at Buffalo that
s'ExpositionS were the tinekeepers of
progress and civilization" What would
have been the admiration of our mar
Hyred president had he lived to see the
great palaces, displaying the arts and
sciences. that are here spread out in
the several square miles of beautiful
Buildings?
1t must be especially pleasing to the
delegates here assembled that this
Ereat educational exposition exempli-
ICES many improvements which the
TransmiSSiSSippi congress has inspired
and insisted upon. The scope of use
fulness of this congress is as broad as
the extent of the country from the
Mississippi valley to the Pacific ocean.
Il the II annual meetings of this or
Eanization, now passed into history, its
achievements are a part of the fame
OF our country and its accomplish
ments are gratifying. In discussion
and united action the best results are
obtained. In addition to having advo-
Gated and obtained the benefits enuul-
Grated this congress, to the largest ex-
tent possible, encouraged tn >uilding
of trans continental railway lines over
the plains, mountains and deserts of
the great west; also inspired the build
ing of branch transportation lines,
which enable the producers of the soil
port and on to Europe where our ce-
reals and food supplies are reaching
every port of the civilized world. With
out such transportation facilities,
fear my fellow delegates, that the
trade balance of the Ur~ted States in
the years that have passed since the
orEanization of this congress, would
not have run up into the thousands of
millions to our side of the balance
sheet.
= What is equally as important to ma
fional progress as transportation lines
are good roads, ever advocated by this
BODY as essential for the settlement of
me country, without which there would
be slow development indeed. This con-
wress has given helping hand to the
Carving out of the new states of our
Glorious Union and the building of
towns and cities, and in crossing this
western part of the continent. whore
heart does not swell with pride when
he of IA Ia