The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1907-11-23
COMMERCIAL CONGRESS.
ireat Trans-Mississippi Convention
in Oklahoma.


David Fraac.s. former governor of Mis-
souri,, called the eighteenth annual
meeting of the Trans. Mississippi Com
mercial Congress to order In a few
homa into the Union ANA declared the
meeting formally opened. Maty Tiger,
one of the chiefs of the five civilized
tribes, delivered an address of srcet-
in his native tongue. He said in pa.t:
All citizens of this government have
been and are encouraged to buy ard
hold lands, and we are told that the
best citizenship is made up of the lGo-
acre home-owners. In the light of this
teaching and truth, why should my
people be encouraged to sell their
lands
with Indian blood in his veins who ad-
vocates the removal of restrictions
from the lands of my ignrrant people,
apart from governmental regulations,
is only reaching for gold to ease MS
itching palms. and our poSterlty VIII
remember him only for his avarice and
his treachery.
L. together with many full-blood In
dians, am capable of caring for and
prote citing my property rights. out
decided majority of my people are
merely crawling children in the waite
mans business world.
The matter of the Indians landed
rights in this new state is based upon
I agreements and treaties Solemnly
! made between the government and the
! Indians. and any abridgement or alter
/ alton of these treaties should in all
justice be left to the government and
the Indians without any outside inter
/ ference or influence
/ President II. ID. I.oveland then de-
! livered his annual aIdrt IS, dwelinG at
I some length upon federal Improvement
/ of waterways In part. he said:
Consent of the governed does not
mean the idealist's dream of unani-
nous consent but rat her that cOnsen-
sus of opinion which is the rip"nrd
fruit of the tree Of knowledge brought
to its best development in the soil Of
thoughtful consideration and i'll he
sunlight of public discussion.
at is in this spirit that | feel W"
have assembled for the eighteenth an
nual session of the Trans SiisstsstDnl
/ Commercial Congress, to represent
22.0UO.oOo of the best people Of our
land, and with the authority which
they have given us to take heed lf
the present and plan for the future II
the end that we and those who come
after us may realize ard enjoy to the
fullest the surprising greatness Of thiS
-,
which we are proud to call our home.
/ We are here to make history.
I'VE have much to be prou' of in
the past The influence of the Trans
Mississippi Commercial Congress in
the great work of irrigation and the
reclamation of our arid lands. from
the inception of that work, is freely
and thankfully acknowledged. Deep
waterway for Galveston harbor. thc
impr1vement of the harhor at San
Pedro, California, the Department of
Commerce and Labo", the preservation
of our forests. the proper safe@uard-
ing the sale of public lands. the i'm
provement of the Columbia and other
rivers. agitation looking to the es-
tablishment of a Department of Mines
and Mining. comforting upon territories
the rights of statehood, the improve
ment of public highways. the proper
/ regulation of interstate railroad rates.
the development and fostering of for
eign commerce by promoting friendly
! relations with other countries USpe-
ciallv Canada and our sister American
republics. all of these anG other i'm
Dortant matters have received the
thoughtful and helpful consideration of
this congress, yet our work is just be
a ,f 70
tinually broadening.
THAT a portion of that great work
is beyond the Mississippi in no way
diminshes its Importance to use of
the Trans Mississippi country. Broad
and comprehensive loyalty to and
united support of such meritorious
and necessary internal Improvement
must be the shibboleth which will in
sure us of success.
Think what the construction of the
great waterway from the Lakes TO the
Gulf will mean to the people of the
Mississippi valley; think what the
opening of the Missouri and the i'm
provement of the Arkansas from the
Muskogee to its confluence with the
Mississippi will mean to the agricul-
+ tural. the manufacturing, the mining
and the commercial interests of the
/ Trans Mississippi region.
at requires no gift of prophecy to
foretell the benefits which must flow
from the completion of these great
Improvements, and we of the Pacific
Coast will rejoice with you of the Mid
die West and South when you shall
! have come into this noble heritage.
Tho improvement of our rivels and
harbors will do more toward rcglllat.
ing rates for freight and pass snger
traffic than many interstate commerce
commissions can ever hope to do, al
though the work of that commission
commands our respect and iniors9'
/ ment Let us support those great
projects and with their consummation
hn, n