The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

Honld Enust AOunE Men.
John N. Parker. Of New Orleans. guest
OF the evening. and president Of the
Southern Commercial Congress, said:
L deeply appreciate the compliment
fextended here tonight. not to me. but to
the organization that has honored me as
dts president-not to me. because no cause
on earth that has been dominated by any
one man is worth following. but when
We consider that this is a great big
national cause that viii strongly appeal
to the man on the Pacific the man or the
Atlantic, the man on the Great Lakes,
and the man on the Gulf Of Mexico. then
We have a cause on which we can all
unite. and by united, concentrated effort
carry it through to a successful consum-
nation productive Of wonderful good 10
the entire country
Concentration OF her energies. inteHi-
gent development, and wise conservation
OF her undeveloped resources viii trans
form the South into the richest section
OF the world
Scattered Effort Fails.
Bitter experience or previous organl-
cations has shown these results cannot
BE- secured by scattered and spasmodic
efforts Of individuals. corporations, or
local commercial organizations
In order TO do effective work. a pow
erful concentration Of effort on the part
OF all Southern commercial organizations
IS necessary. To guarantee /permanency.
& large endowment fund from which 10
derive the needed revenues for operation
must be raised.
To safely invest that fund where il
not only secures the maximum revenue.
the greatest safety and the certainty Of a
material advance. with the assured en-
hancement OF desirably situated property.
one Of the choicest locations in the city
OF Washington has been purchased.
1T Is a significant coincidence that
that plot Of ground. located one square
from the United States Treasury. for
over fifty years occupied by the St
Matthews Church should have been the
spot selected by Charles Broadway Rouss
on which 20 erect the Confederate Men,
orial Abbey. 70 which fund for that pur-
pose he offered 70 subscribe s50o,O0o
site ON HaIIOwed Ground.
1T is eminently fitting now to erect on
that hallowed ground the Southern Com
mercial Congress Hall, whose revenues
viii enable US 10 aequaint the people Of
other sections OF the United States and
OF Europe with the commercial. agricul-
1ural. mining. and manufacturing possibil-
flies Of the South, and with their devel-
oSment to cement closer the business and
friendship of all sections, while greatly
adding to the prosperity Of the entire
nation.
The city of Washington is pre-emi-
nentiT the place where we should have
Headquarters from which we can distrib-
ute authentic information as to our
resources, our health, and our possIbili-
ties
In that city We have our President
our Senator's, our Representatives, and
likewise. in common with the rest OF the
nation. our great public buildings filled
with valuable compiled information which
the united people Of the United States
will gladly help US help use for our
mutual advantage.
South Not Understood
due TO lack Of intelligent exploitation.
the South Is less understood and more
misunderstood than any other region OF
or country.
we have more abundant resources. a
greater need for their development. and
fewer investing capitalists reliably in
formed as to their opportunities than is
the case in any other section Of our
country
Many earnest thinkers had these facts
deeply impressed on them while listening
20 able speeches at the meeting OF the
tel
Der last, and have worked heart and
soul TO bring to life that knowledge which
viii prove so beneficial 20 the South and
10 the nation.
THE Southern Commercial Congress
has high ideals and ambitions.
I'VE hope soon to have the resources
OF the South compiled, State by State
and every county In every State These
resources Will be compiled from the Geo
logical Survey. showing what is under
the ground and the general topography:
from the Agricultural Department, show
ing what is now being raised and what
can be produced. from the health de-
partment, showing our low mortality:
from the Weather bureau. showing our
balnly climate; from the Census Depart
ment showing our sparsely settled coun-
try; from the United States Surveys.
showing the vastness Of our unpopulated
area. and from maps. showing location
and transportation facilities by rail and
water.
The facts could all be duly attested by
the proper official. and would doubtless
be certified by the friendly ambassadors
OF those great European nations whose
sturdy pioneers founded our country
Facts viii BE Invaluable.
This condensed information would be
Invaluable to our people, and. in addition
10 relieving the congestion OF immigra-
ton at the North Atlantic ports. would
divert to our section that desirable class
or immigrants. who. in enrichsng them
selves. would bring to US a class Of
thrifty, energetic, ad economical people,
who would add TO the national prosperity.
we will have IN our new building the
Southern Cl1b, which we trust will not
only be Joined by Senators and Represen-
tatives. but by distinguished Southerners
who live here, and that Il VIII at all
times prove a welcome meeting-place for
our people.
Fully appreclatig the power OF the
press, we would welcome the National
Press Club as one Of our tenants. and
shall spare 10 effort. by providing for
their comfort and convenience, to draw
es many correspondents as possible 10
our building. No set OF men exert more
influence in molding public opinion. and
we believe when they know this is no
attempt 70 exploit any individual, but is
G great concentrated movement to bring
tbs whole country into closer business
and friendly relations, that space IN even
our greatest papers VIII be gladly given
20 help us help We can soon furnish