Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-15
Wt.K OF BIG CONVENTIONS
MANY NATIONAL GATHERINGS
HERE BEGINNING DEC. z.
Governors of States, Southern Con-
gress and Rivers and Harbors
Conventions Among Them.

Several important conventions are
scheduled to hold their sessions in this
city the week of December Z. AS a re-
suit it is expected that the national meet
ngs will bring together here many repre-
sent alive men and women of the United
States.
President Roosevelt's conservation COM
mission will meet with the governors of
the several states or their representatives
early in the week, which has been very
aptly called Conservation week. to be
followed by meeting of the country life
commission" now making a tour of the
western states for the purpose of inquiry
as to the general needs of the farmer and
the things which will bring about better
farm conditions.
Immediately after the meeting of these
two commissions, which were created by
President Roosevelt. to meet a demand
for a more comprehensive knowledge OF
the country'S natural resources and bet
terment of farm conditions, the southern
commercial congress will have a meeting
extending over two days of tine week, to
be merged into the biggest event of the
year. SO far as Washington is concerned,
the annual convention of the national
rivers and harbOrS congreSS-DeCembe
Oil.
G. Grovenor Dave of Montgomery,
Ala, chairman of the committee of ar
rangements for the southern commercial
congress, writing to President Roosevelt
OF the purposes for which the congress
was formed, said:
Underlying the material aspects of the
southern commercial congress there are
three very earnest and important pur-
poses: First, to bring to the south more
complete understanding of itself: second,
to bring to the rest OF the Union more
complete understanding of the south;
third, to bring to the business of both
sections. who will then be face to face. q
realization of a common ground of inter-
est and thus continue the obliteration of
sectional lines. Vastly important though
the topic of discussion will be, the most
important feature of the whole congress
lies in personal contact and fuller un-
derstanding of each other.
Mr.. Dave further stated that from a
thousand to fifteen hundred representa-
tive men of the south would attend the
meeting of the first annual convention of
the southern commercial congress, and
that Immediately upon its adjournment 1t
would be merged into the national rivers
and harbors congress.
The meeting of the national rivers and
harborS' congress will be it's fifth annual
convention, and from the appointment of
the delegates by governors of states, COM
mercial bodies and mayors of cities there
is every justification in predicting that
Washington will be called upon to enter
tain the largest crowd of representative
citizens in many years during the week
ending December II
The program of the national rivers and
harbors congress, while not complete by
any means, includes a reception rendered
to the delegates by President Roosevelt,
and he may possibly address the conven-
ton at one Of it's sessions: addresses by
Ambassador Bryce of Great Britain Min
lister WI of China, Ambassador Nabuco
of Brazil Andrew Carnegie. Edward H.
Hartman and other distinguished men,
with reference to the improvement of the
nations waterways. looking to definite
policy on the part of the government for
their permanent betterment