The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-01

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. l.
Secretary Oscar S. Straus, of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor,
has announced that he will preside
over the first session of the South
ern Commercial Congress in the New
Willard Auditorium, in Washington,
Dee. z. There is peculiar fitness in
this announcement as Mr.. Straus is
Georgian by birth. He will be sup
ported on the platform by the sena-
tors of the Southern States and by
many. ambassadors and ministers.
The subjects to be treated in the first
session are Southern Health Condi-
tons" and the "Infuence of the Pan
anna Canal" The first of these two
subjects is international in impor-
tango because in foreign counties
there is much misrepresentation re-
garding the South as a safe place of
residence for foreign emigrants.
The presiding officers of other ses-
sions of the Southern Commercial
Congress will be the heads of the
leading commercial organizations in
New Orleans, ST. Louis, Richmond.
Atlanta and Jacksonville.
The program of the Southern Com
mercial Congress may be correctly
spoken of as unique. Every speech
deals. with some facts of the South's
possessions or possibilities and the
invitation TO speak has been sent only
to the man whose word on the subject
assigned to him would carry unoues-
tionable weight. Not single speak
er appears on the program selected
for policv's sake.
Southern health conditions, climate
and temperature will be treated by
Surgeon General Walter Wvman of
the United States Marine Hospital
Service, as his utterances will be
above all suspicion of special plead
ING and beyond all successful con-
troversion.
The great subject of the Panama
Canal and its influence on the com
mercial development of the nation
wills be spoken on by Hon. Luke E.
Wright, Secretary Of War. Secretary
Wright has taken this subject at the
direct request of President Roosevelt
and will represent the Administration
In the great program. Secretary
Wright is of Memphis and has for
nine years been a national figure and
in complete touch with the great pur-
poses underlying the completion of
the Panama Canal.
Ports of the South and Foreign
Trade has been accepted as the topic
of his speech by the Hon. M. j.
Sanders of New Orleans, formerly
President of the Progressive Union of
that city and familiar with port nos
sibilities from Norfolk, Va, to Gal
weston, Texas.
Water ways of the South will be
described and interpreted by the
Hon. John A. Fox, of Arkansas. Field
Secretary of the National Rivers and
Harbors Congress and constant
traveller over the Southern States
connected with the organization work
of this Congress.
The moot question of southern
railroads and their needs instead of
being assigned to any man direct
ly cona-cted with a snLtheln rail
road has been given as the subject
of his speech to John F. Wallace, of
New York, formerly general manager
of the Illinois Central Railroad and
subsequently Chief Engineer Of the
Isthmian Canal Commission. Posi-
bly, no other man in the United
States can speak with greater au-
thority on railroad questions. Mr..
Wallace is Past President of the
American Railway Engineering and
Maintenance of Way Association
and Past President of the Western
Society Of Civil Engineers.
The immense subject of Water