The San Francisco call., 1908-10-11
Trans Mississippi Commercial
Congress Disapproves Post
master Generals Plan
Fisk Advocates Measure, but
Denies He Acts Under
Orders From Meyer
Mrs. ScjpiO Craig Secures In
dorsements of Demand for
Equal Suffrage
yrxse
Waterway improvements, More
FOrtificatiOns and Navy Yard
Work Are Urged

Endorsement Of Post
master General Meyers rec
concentrations for a parcels
post was refused by the
Trans Mississippi CONNER
mercial congress yesterday
by a vote of 40 to so. The
fight on the proposition ex-
hausted all the powers of debate
within the congress and called
out the most skilled application of
parliamentary rules. The greater
parts of the morning and after
noon sessions were devoted to the
question, which had been defeated
in the subcommittee ON transport
tation and postal laws and before
the larger committee on resolu-
tions. An interesting feature of the
bitter contest was that the fight for
the measure was made on the floor OF
the congress by the chairman of the
committee on resolutions. Senator Ed
F. harris OF Galveston. Tex. which
committee reported unfavorably. Ed
ward Berwick of Pacific Grove intro
duced the resolution.
After, the congress relaxed from the
tension caused by the parcels post
discussion it unanimously indorsed
woman's suffrage. passing a resolution
introduced by Mrs. Scipio Craig of the
California club. San Francisco, the only
woman delegate at the convention.
APOSTLE AIDS WOMEN
The raciest feature of the entire con-
gress broke during the debate on the
suffrage question. John Henry smith
of Utah. an apostle of the Mormon
church and a descendant of Joseph
Smith, the prophet, large man with
a. patriarchal beard. took the floor to
support the motion. He made an in
teresting Introduction to his remarks
and then astonished the delegation by
declaring: II favor woman's suffrage
In honor of the mother who bore me
and OF the women who have called me
husband am Of that kind"
While the audience was gasping at
the rarest equal rights speech ever
made in California the patriarchai Nor
mon continued. his fine white beard
undulating beneath the fervor of his
argument.
In the face OF such testimonial
the congress could not do otherwise
than vote for the Craig resolution.
Then the body adjourned to meet again
In Denver.
That was but an Incident OF the most
lively day Of the congress. a day de- !.
void OF set speeches and hlled with
the fire Of extemporaneous debate.
VOTER Is CHALLENGED
The most sensational feature Of the
parcels post controversy came with the
voting, when Harris of Texas said. Il
want to know II a member of the
Travellers protective association or the
united commercial travellers can vote
with his body and then with the state
OF California delegation
Some delegate from California said
that such a delegate could vote with
both bodies If he were accredited to
each.
II that can be done will vote first
as democrat, then as a Texan. next
as an EpIscopanan and last as a mar
ried man. Harris declared
Colonel H. D. LoveIand stated from
the platform that the delegates cred
tied to two organizations had decided
to vote only once
Il am the one referred to-" cried Or
rim s. Henderson OF the commercial
travellers congress and the Stockton
board Of trade. Il am the one referred
TO. and I hereby withdraw my vote"
Harris smiled.
FISK SUPPORTS MEYER
Postmaster Arthur G. Fisk gamely
supported his chief. Postmaster General
Meyer, making q strong speech at the
morning session in favor of the par
se1s post. which is being fought by
F'isks political Affiliations, the Harrf-
nan interests But the untrammeied
fisk could not let his stand go with
1ut comment. In the afternoon he
ook the floor on question of personal
privilege and asked that he be per
nitted to correct the statements which
In all the newspapers and
n the Associated Press reports that
risk had stated that he was to repre-
ent Meyer in the fight on the parcels
'ost. acting under instructions from
deyer- He said yesterday that he had
10 instructions from Meyer on that
'articular point
Fred Moore, reporter on a morning
'aper, asked for the privilege OF the
loor on behalf of the newspapermen.
te stated that Fisk had been asked ff
le was to fight for the parcels post,
nd the postmaster had said that hA