The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-07-13
I he


Southern Commercial Secretaries As
soclation furnished opportunity for
conference among Secretary Hender-
son of Apalachicola, Treasurer Wa
terman OF this city, Secretary Rich
ardSon of the Jacksonville Board OF
Trade, in whose city the annual con-
VentiOn will be held next November,
and G. GrOvenOr Dave, managing d1-
rector Of the Southern Commercial
Congress and a member Of the execu-
tive committee of the Mississippi to
Atlantic Inland Waterway Associa-
ton. Mr.. WATERWAYS discussion or
this matter, prepared at the request
of The Journal, constitutes the second
of his series of articles on the At
lanta convention.)
Mr.. Henderson, with the splendid
spirit that has been the chief inter-
nal factor in our inland waterway
movement met a committee of the
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and
won their support, because of their
relation to Columbus, and hence to
the ChattahoOchee-Apa sec
tiOn of the waterway project.
With this to report to US, he called
a conference for the afternoon fol-
lowing the adjournment of the sec
retaTies convention, to discuss gen
eral matters, and especially the ad-
vance work for the annual convention
at Jacksonville next November.
Rapid Results.
The history of the organization was
incidentally reviewed at our confer
ence. Organized in May of last year
at a gathering Tn Mobile created prin+'
cipally by Henderson with the active
assistance Of the Pensacola Chamber
of Commerce, the association had
raised but S1O53.00 when our conven-
ton assembled last November at Co
lumbus. The expenses over and
above the collections-some $500
had been either borne or guaranteed
by Henderson himself. who has not
only worked hard without compensa-
ton, but gone as far as he could into
his own pocket when necessary. To-
day the survey by federal engineers
is well under way.
But a preliminary survey is not an
inland waterway, by many acts Of
congress and by many hundreds of
dollars that must be spent to so
proposed route as to create persist
ent demand that will make congress-
men work and congress act.
Our immediate duty is get a big
convention at Jacksonville. To do so
is absolutely necessary, If the con-
ventiOn is properly to do it's work of
creating genuine, widespread demand
for improvements to natural waters
and for connecting canals between the
improved natural waters. To get the
crowd requires the use of money for
age stamps, etc.
Next Convention.
Henderson, Dave and myself were
insiStent that funds be used to get
the convention, rather than to enter
tain it. We don't care whether we
have a pleasant time or not, so that
we get good results. Richardson,
naturally, wants for the credit of
Jacksonville to give us a good time
auto rides to see Jacksonville, etc.
But the other three at the conference
urged him to hold the entertainment
features down as much as possible,
so that committeeman can do COM
mittee work without missing the con-
ventiOn addresses, and so that Jack
SOnVille will get the credit for hold
ing a convention that met for work,
did work and got results. Such ad
vertising is better for any city than
the kind that many cities enormously
go after-giving the conventions good
times.
Results, Not Fun.
And so the three of US put it up to
Richardson, good and hard, to tell his
people that the money needed out of
Jacksonville is needed, not at the time
of the convention for giving delegates
a good time, but we'll ahead of the
convention in order to get it before
the public in manner that will make
the convention a big one, both numer-
ically and mentally; and a successful
one, not from the viewpoint Of enter
tainment, but of ideas and the en-
thusiasm that the delegates will take
home with them.
The same argument is the one that
Henderson must make at Apalachi-
cola, DTummond at ST. Andrews, Craft
at Mobile, ali OF US everywhere. 1t Is
the same argument ! want the people
Of Pensacola to take to heart Good
will and promises to pay the member
ship fees later on-S2 a year for in
dividuals and S. a year for firms or
corporations-will not furnish Hen
derson the means he must have, and