Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-10-06
COMMERCIAL con-
GRESS IN SESSION
Addresses Of Welcome and Re-
sponses Features OF Open
Ing Session.


SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. with
the subject Of larger navy in the
Pacific ocean and increased fortif-
cations on the Pacific coast and In
Hawaii and the Philippines uppermost
In the minds Of every delegate the
18th annual session OF the Trans
Mississippi Commercial congress was
called to order in the Dreamland pa
vilion at 10 o'clock here today.
Over 1900 delegates. the largest
portion OF whom came from the Pa
cific coast states and across the
ocean. thronged the big auditorium
when Arthur r. Briggs. vice presI-
dent, of California. raped for order.
The delegates were seated under
state banners and the hall was
deliberately decorated with the stars
and stripes an dthe California bear
dag, with flowers strewn In profuaion
about the rostrum and the gallery.
Governor James N. Gillett OF Cali
fornia welcomed the delegates 10
The Golden state" in n short adj
dress. He was followed by Mayor
Edward r. Taylor OF San Francisco.
United States Senator George G, Per-
kins OF California. Congressman
Julius Kahn OF the Fourth congress
sional district Of California. in which
San Francisco Is situated and G. G.
Moore, president of the San Francisco
Chamber OF Commerce.
After the congress had effected
organization the delegates adjourned
until tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock.
Although there are not 30 many
western governors present as was
expected. the convention bids fair
to be one of the most important
gatherings of the kind ever held.
The fact that this Is the year OF =
presidential campaign has prevented
many politicians and public oficials
from attending the convention. but
the visit OF the Atlantic fleet 10 the
far east and the international prob
lens that have arisen on the Pacific
ocean make the convention memoir
J able.
! Among the subjects in the ofHiclal
; call for the convention are Trans
: Pacific trade" Hawaii and the Phiii-
pines" Immigration, and THE
! Consular Service In the Far East.
! Under all these headings the all-pre-
! vading question What About Japan
p Will come up.
4 Hawaii and the PHILIPPINES are rep
I resented here with strong delegations
r that will try to force the question
n OF our relations with the NIpponeae
r Empire.
y Hartman Is to speak on Trans
g portaiion In the Trans-Paci1c coun'
try" and Barrett is to speak OF
q THE Extension OF Our Paclns
n Trade" Barrett will conhne his re
= marks principally to the South Am
= erican trade on the Pacific side Of
the continent.
n The other great subject that IL Il
n come up for discussion at the conven
= tion Is Conservation Of Natural Re
? sources - Many speakers ar
scheduled to talk on various phase
IS Of this subject from the standpoint
= OF preserving the forests. storing wa
e ter for irrigation and improving in
d land waterways.
The convention IL TO adjourn Sat
Il urday night. During the entire sea
Is sion. a local committee viii enter
Il tain the delegates with trips TO point
e Of interest.
II This Is the first great convention
Ie that San Francisco has entertaine'
n since the FIRE of 1905 and the dele
d gates are all wondering that sucl
'e marvellous progress toward the re
building of the city could have beel
a made in such a short time.
n Go out there and tell the Trans