The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-15
WRIGHT TO SPEAK
TO DISCUSS CANAL woRx BEFORE
 CONVENTION,
Selected by President Roosevelt To Aa- arens southern Commercial Con-
 Eress In Washington During
 -s A Deeember. . .,.5ss

I a
 Washington, Nov. 14- -tSpeciai. )--- President Roosevelt. when asked. by the Committee of Arrangements of the Southern Commercial Congress to name the best man to describe the expected influence of the Panama Canal on the Industrial Development of the Nation, selected General Luke E. Wright. Sec setary of War.
 Mir. Roosevelt made the suggestion in a characteristic way. by saying: "i have iti Just the man. He can make you a corking fine talk: Luke Wright. He's from Tennessee; he's just the man"
 General Wright will be the repre- sentative of the present administration in the Southern Commercial Congress. to. meet in Washington, December ! and 8. In dealing with his subject. but little attention will be given to the de- taIis of the Panama Canal itself. 1n- stead he will interpret the meaning of the Panama Canal to the Nation,
 General Wright Is one of the most widely known Southern men; for since 1900 he has been occupying positions of extreme prominence both at hone and abroad. In 1900 he became q mem her of the United States Philippine Commission and it's president in, 1903 |. In 19O4 he was made Civil Governor Of the Philippine Islands and later. in the same year was appointed Governor General Tn 1906 he became the Amer ican Ambassador to Japan. He was ap- pointed Secretry of War, July 1, of thls year. General Wright for many years was prominent in Tennessee and ac- quired a world-fame during the yell low fever scourge in Memphis In 1873.
 The week of December 7-1e will be without 8 parallel in the history of the United States. Never before will so much thought have been given In one week to the resources and commercial possibtlitIeg of the United States. nor more important bodies of men be gath cred together, The week will open with the Southern Commercial Con. gress, made up of every resident or each Southern State who wishes to De inspired by participating in great in- depreciation of Southern resources, On the sth, tTuesday1. the National Com servation Commission, made up of Gov srnors and their advisers from all the States of the Union, will meet to list the great gifts and resources of the United States, and to devise ways anu means whereby those resources can still be used without damaging the rights of posterity. The deliberations of this Commission will undoubtedly lay the foundation for a new body of law, deal ing with generations to come.
 On the 9th. 10th and t1th, the Ma tional Rivers and Harbors Congress will hold its fifth session. gathering in Washington prominent men from all parts of the United States to work for the establishment of a Federal policy that shall develop as rapidly as pos- sible the full usefulness of the lines of transportation laid down by Nature in navigating streams All tn attend ance upon the Southern Com mercial Congress will be regard ed by the National Rivers and liar bors Congress as duly appointed dele gates, thus opening the way for very heavy representation from Southern States.
 The National Council of Commerce which owes its existence to the sug- gestions made by Oscar s. Straus, Sec retary of the Department of Commerce and Labor will be in session during the same week and deal with import. ant questions affecting the commercial life of the Nation at home and abroad l: | The Congress of the United States will 1 also be in session.
 These conventions taken together, l will mark an. epoch In self under standing by the people of the United States. It. is understood that one Southern Governor is considering the I -.fe