The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-22
Denver, the Convention
City of the Future
by FRANK L. MAYES-

grass and any bright day crowds OF
children may be seen picnicking I'M
der the trees TOmping upon the
grounds, while tired employees from
the mills, the stores. the offices and
elsewhere, lounge about the grass aft
ter hours, reading newspapers and
otherwise enjoying life in contempla-
tlon OF the marvellous beauties of ma
ture which this marvellous place pre-
Sents- As an illustration of how this
park is run, l may mention the fact
that the City of Denver pays $50. 600
per annUm for music alone and that
music is absolutely free TO citizens
and visitors alike.
When I thought of all this. l won
dered how long it would be before
Pensacola would have at least a band
stand, where a hired band, paid by
popular subscription could OCCASION
ally discourse music on summers
night for the tired mothers and chill
dren who have not the time or the
money to seek other recreation across
the bay.
I spoke of the attractions in and
about Denver for the convention visit
or There are scores of places any
where from an hour to a days ride
from the city that rival in attractive
ness the most famous beauty-spOts of
the world. To the west the Rocky
Mountain range rises in scenic grand
eur, sometimes its snow-capped peaks
invisible among the clouds and at 9TH
er times its frozen heights rejecting
the sUnlight-radiance of perennial
snow \ huge barrier these 'fGOUn-
tains seemed 20 the white piOn-
" "a.
the Western plains. but man has aC-
COmplished much since that time and
now from the city of Denver. these
rocky heights may be aScended by
railroad, by beaten trail. or with the
aid of a guide by less familiar routes.
and the narrow canyons which divide
them may be followed to their heads
by any one whose physical strength
and endurance prompts him 10 the eff
fort. The streams of melted snow
which flow down these mountain can
yons are as cold as ice and clear as
crystal and the mountain trout fishing
which they afford is a sport that
kings might glory in 1t is free to
every sovereign of this American re-
public who can make the trip Then
there are the mines. the. stamp mills
the water fumes. the thousand and
one features connected WITH the great
mining industry from which Denver
has drawn her wealth and to which
she must attribute her present great
ness.
It is this setting, this environment.
that gives Denver the advantage over
any other convention city on the con-
tinCnt- New York cannot furnish any
thing to compare with it Neither
can Chicago. Cincinnati or ST. Louis.
Denver stands alone, without rival. in
this distinctive sphere. And more
than that, the trip which the man
from the East and the South must
make in getting to this young metTOp-
oils of the west is an educator in it.
self It helps him to appreciate what
Horace Greeley's star of empire really
meant 1t demonstrates that the East
is no longer to be The controlling fac
tor in either the business or the pOIi-
tics of this country. 1t develops the
fact that a mighty empire has grown
I'D between the Mississippi and the
peaks of the Rockies ana that here.
where but a few short years ago the
red man rOamed at will and the herds
Of the cattle man fed and fattened on
a vast expanse of unclaimed prairie
here, not the nation alone, but the
world, looks today Ger a large supply
Of the food necessities of life and this
great section is the controlling factor
in the wheat and corn and cattle mar.
kets of the world.
I can never speak of the West with
out enthusiasm and il breeds enthusi-I
asm. | believe. in every man who
travels 1t. For that reason ii was, in
my Judgment. good thing for Den
yer and for the whole country that a
great political party held liz COnven-
inn there this year II would be worth
much to everyone interested even il
it stopped with this one convention,
but il will not stop With tins one. and
for that reason the value Of this initial
step cannot he estimated. Denver has
established her claims as a conven-i
ton city and l mistake If she does
not hencefOTth outstrip all in her
drawing powers as a gathering place
for the @rcat conventions of the CONF
mOnwealth.
Hartford s y JuIV II 1903