The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-28
WHAT is WRONG? !?
Kansas Takes Little Interest in
Commercial Congress.
C. A. Fellows, Former Mayor,
Talks of Neglect.
BUT ONE REAL MEMBER
The State Is Entitled to
Thirty.
Might Help Out the Proposed
SemicentenniaI.
UT ONE REAL MEMBER

In view of the fact that the state OF
Kansas is in a way one of the parents
OF the Transmississippi Commercial
congress. the annual and fruitful de-
hberations of which have just been con-
cluded at Kansas City, it seems to me
to be something of a shame that this
state is not better represented in the
permanancy Of this organization, which
is without doubt one of the most in
huenciaI and beneficial commercial
bodies of its character in this country"
Charles A. Fellows. a former mayor
Of Topeka and one of the original MEM
bers of the congress voiced this senti-
ment during a talk about the recent
meeting of this congress. Mr.. Fellows
is engaged now in the railroad con-
tracing business and one of the big
jobs he has on hand is the erection OF
terminal buildings for the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fe railway company at
China basin, San Francisco. Mr.. Fell
lows has been on the coast for some
months looking after this work which
Is about half way completed, and al
though hard pressed for time he made
the journey back here to attend thc
congress, as one of the representatives
from Kansas. Mr. Fellows business
keeps him out of the state a good deal
of the time but it is his proud boast
that he is a resident of Kansas and Of
Topeka as well.
Kansas has always been well repre-
sented at the meetings of the Trans
mississippi congress, but this represen-
tation has been through delegates sent
from the various municipalities and
commercial bodies of the state. and
they have played an important part in
its deliberations, especially at the re
cent one when they were instrumental
in having Muskogee decided on as the
next meeting place for the convention
but these representations of Kansas
at the various congresses. while having
their weight, are of sort of a tenn
porary character" said Mr. Fellows
What Kansas needs is permanent
membership of some proportions in this
congress.
N eEIach state making UP the body poll
tic of the congress is entitled to 30
permanent members. Many OF the states
and some Of them our particular nelgn-
bors have their full quota, and would
you believe it Kansas has but one per-
manent member. This one is DR.. T. c.
Frazier, of Coffeyville.
IAN organizations effectiveness is
maintained by the permanent character
of its mem bership. Delegates to the an
nual congresses pay nothing towards
the support of this organization which
is working so hard for the prosperity OF
the states west of the Mississippi river
Its revenue for its maintenance during
the times between congresses comes
from permanent members and Kansas
has only one. A permanent membership
in the organization is secured by the
payrnent Of IS by any man in any com
rnunity of a state that is entitled to a
place on the organizations roll
1T seems to me that the men of kan
sas should do their share towards the
support Of this organization, which was
fostered by this state. and there is but
one way for them to do it and that is
nv taking out permanent membership in
it permanent membership entities
the holder to the privileges of all the
commercial clubs west Of the Mississip
nj and also to an individual vote at the
annual congresses
my suggestions would be that an ag-
itation of some sort should be started to
have the various commercial bodies
throughout the state designate man
to be a permanent member of the con-
gress for the ensuing year, or at least
the commercial bodies of. say, 80 Of the
prominent counties of the state. Such
action would place Kansas where 1t be-
longs not only as a supporter of a
valuable commercial body which 1t
helped to create, but also as per-
manent voice in it's deliberations. I
sI1ppose it would be easy enough for
anyone to go round among the business
men of Topeka and find 30 men, who
flege of becoming permanent members
of the congress. But that is just what
we do not want to do We want to
have the permanent members repre-
sentative of the state, and not OF one
locality for the state will have some
favors to ask of future congresses, par
ticularly in regards to the Endorsement
next year of the Semicentennial expo
sition-''