The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-09
Dave Tells of Interview With President. SHAKING A VITAL,
 PERSONAL INTEREST IN IT He Sent For General Luke
 Wright. No Turmoil of Politics Noticeable at the White House--President Laughed at sNicIzs" Quoted . Dynasty ana Denied Its
 Accuracy. si.;::,

Upon his return from Washington. Secretary c. Grosvenor Dave, or the Montgomery Chamber Of Commerce, had the following to say in reference to his trip. which was taken In the interests of the Southern Commercial conrress. which will be held in the auditorium of the New Willard Hotel December and 8 in Washington.
 Interest Is spreading rapidly in the work done in perfecting the plans of the Southern Commercial Congress and I speak with pleasure of the work do.s by the committee in Washington. But before go into th6 :uteresting and unusual details of trip that ac- complished so much, ask ths bvsi- ness men of Montgomery, of Alabama, and of the whole South to consider the meaning of the, treatment extend ed to the committee in Washington.
 Roosevelt's Two Interviews.
 sWhy should President Roosevelt give two interviews to the commit tee, the second by his own direct re- quest? Why should Oscar S. Straus, Secretary of Commerce and Labor. meet our committee, without any ap- pointment, and yet give us time, ad- vice and commendation? Why should Gustav Sch hwab, president of the Ma tional Council of Commerce, not only give us an unexpected interview in New York, but also promise to lay our whole project before the National Advisory Board and later before every constituent body. The answer Is sim pie. It was not the men of the com mittee, but it was the idea that those men went to explain.
 ''The three men mentioned stand supreme in the United States for an unselhsh planning for grsAter develop ment. These three, without for a mo- ment looking for a subtle political scheme or opportunity, in the project of the Southern Commercial Congress. at once grasped the idea that the Congress, successfully carried out, meant the sure foundation for enor- cous organized progress In the South, based upon the united efforts for the first time, of all the commercial bodies of the South. These men each great in his place, saw the meaning of the congress and hence, willingly gave up time to the furtherance of an idea startling and almost immeasurable in its potentiality.
 Almost the last word from Presi. dent Roosevelt in the second inter view was a. promise that every De- partInent Of the government that could ai1 the congress- in the gathering of. material or that would benefit by forces released through the congress. should give every aid required. He said: My suggestion is this; Write me a letter for each Department af- fected, and all the Bureaus in each Department and you shall have what you want"
 A Challenge to the South.
 T mention these things es a chal-. lenge to the men of the South, If. these men ct e distance neaaxp what the congress must mean to both North and South. VIC who have a direct rer- sonai interest in the greater prosper- tty and development surely headed southward. must not be found lacking tn appreciation of an opportunity So Tar unparalleled In the history of the South.
 There will be massed together at Washington for our inspiration. inc greatest complete demonstration of the South's industrial possibilities, Each thinking man who misses the inspiration of this occasion will loaa greatly and will be in a measure -ont of touch with the further great moves possible as soon as the first Congress has come to a successful end.
 "Au the power of the Associated Press has been promised in bringing to the notice of millions the authori- tatvs utterances that will character tze the whole Congress. These lfffar. ances taken all together will place under our feet a sane and abiding ground for faith and confidence fin a future development of the South, be- side which the changes of the last ten years will seem like a tiny rill Some of us in the South already declare fnese great days as reasonable and possible, but it is only here and there That man can be found who under stands all that is involved in our re- sources. Subsequent to the Southern Commercial Congress there will never again be room for doubt, for hesitancy, for disturbance over petty set-backs: for We shall know the great basic facts of the great South.
 While we were in Washington. we arranged for the New Willard Audi torium which will comfortably seat 2,000 people. In addition we arranged for the small ball room and the foyer outside the Auditorium. In these great rooms will be displayed charts, covering every phase of Southern growth and possibility and in them will also be arranged the exhibits of fine towns whose commercial bodies make