The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-18
PLANS OF PARKER
ITS PRESIDENT TELLS OF CONNER
 CIAL CONGRESS-.
Already sao0y0OO Has Been Raiseds May Ask state Legislatures
 To Help En The MOve-


 New Orleans. Dec. 1.-The New Or leans Progressive Union. the largest commercial body in the South and which, under the administration of President Werlich. has broadened to national importance the scope of It's labors in behalf of the general public, has unqualIfiedly endorsed the plans of the Southern Commercial Congress and pledged its support to the move ment to erect building at Washing ton and maintain therein q permanent exhibition of Southern products and Southern resources.
 President John M. Parker. of the con- gress, who is one of the most active members of the Progressive Union, ad. dressed the annual meeting of the Iat- ter body Tuesday night last. and made 1t clear that the plans of the Con. gress. while affecting directly the af- fairs of the Southern States, are, in the last analysis in the interest of the country as 8 whole in that their ob- ject Is to expedite the development Of huge resources and thereby enlarge the balance Of trade enjoyed by, the nation, while at the same time greatly auEmenting the prosperity and welfare of millions of people.
 Mir. Parker is 6 wealthy cotton plant CT. merchant and banker, and has long been pioneer in the movement for inc land waterway improvement. the up- building of better trade conditions, the uplifting of the cotton market, and the enactment and enforcement of economic trade laws, and yet in the face of his multitudinous labors Is yacht owner. an ardent hunter and fisherman. and has on two occasions entertained PresE- dent Roosevelt on bear hunts. He has never held public office, but as Presl- dent of the New Orleans Cotton Ex- change and in other capacities has evil dencd rare executive ability.
 We have already secured some s300,000 toward the carrying out of our plans" said Mir. Parker, and feel confident that the remaining S7oO.00O will be forthcoming in due time. This money is to be raised from life memberships in the association at &1,000 each, from membership dues, and from donations from rich men in all parts of the country. The business of the nation and the general welfare of the people at large arc now so closely linked that all are adversely affected by the dormant condition of many of the undeveloped resources of the Southern States. We propose to concentrate our energies and provide an effective way at the Nationals Capi- tai City for the exploitation of South ern resources and investment oppor- tunities. and to place the project on a self-sustaining and -perpetuatifg basis. The building We will erect will not only fill the requirements of the Congress, but will also produce a revenue from rentals.
 The scope of the organization is broad. Its work will be along mod ern educational lines The world knows the South Is rich in undevel- oped resources. but does not know just what the conditions in the South are, and does not understand the character of the opportunities for profitable tn- vestment For instance, Louisiana re- gently repealed all tax laws affecting investment capital as such, and foreign money may now be brought Into this State without being handicapped as has been the case in the past. am told the states of Kentucky. Mississippi and Texas are contemplating similar re- forms.
 Tn every State in the South there are splendid opportunities awaiting the capitalist and the settler. and we propose to make these opportunities so apparent that the world will no longer entertain any doubt on that score.
 50 vitally interested in the success of tn ese plans are the people or each and every Southern State. that I con- hdently expect the several Legislatures to cooperate with us by appropriattng a portion of the $To0.0O0 remaining to he raised. The exhibition will be per- manentIy effective in attracting fa- vorabIe attention to the South, yet will cost only a part of the amount necessary to hold a small exposition during a few months time."