The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-17
TIM FOR SOUTH
TO TAKE: {. ITS PART.
Roosevelt Declares Sec
ton Must Participate
in National Affairs.
HE PRAISES ITS
GREAT T PROGRESS

Endorses Work Of Southern COM
mercial Congress and Promises
to Attend It's Meeting Next
Spring if Possible-West
Will Be Rivaled in
Rapidity Of Growth.
New York, August 16.-In response
to an invitation to address the South
,ern Commercial Congress at Atlanta
In the spring of 1911. Theodore Roose-s
welt has just sent q letter to Charles
Hall Davis. chairman OF the congress-.
at Petersburg, Va, in part as follows:
August 16. 1910.
"My Dear Sir,-It is not possible as
yet for me to answer definitely. but y
believe that on my trip to California
next March shall pass through the
Southern States. and / hope that 1t
can be arranged that the Southern
Commercial Congress then hold its
meeting in one of the cities through
which i am able to pass II so. 1t Will
be very real pleasure to me to be
present and to say all that can In be-
half OF this admirable movement.
More and more, the former misun-.
derstanding about the South Is tend
Ing to disappear, and you and your
association have set in motion a force
that will have much to do with the
complete dissipation OF this misun-
lderstanding. You are working for
stronger South. and you show your
wisdom and foresightedness in the
way you realize that this movement
for stronger South. to be effective.
must really mean a stronger national
cohesion. for the old South of yester-
day is being changed into the young
America of to-day. Every good Amer
lean must hope TO see real solid
South, In the sense Of solid business
prosperity in the South. for all good
Americans now realize. that the pros
perity of any part OF the country helps
the prosperity Of the whole, and the
prosperity OF the whole will grow
faster and stand on the most durable
foundations only when we effectively
realize that the words South. North
East and West have only a geo.
graphical significance. 1 earnestly
fhopes that the young men Of the South
will never forget the past glories of
the South. because I earnestly hope
that the young men all over America
to-day will keep ever in mind these
S1oAlOuS IucIuOIlcSyOlE SNeIy3 SECTION OF
our common country. and that the men
OF the North and oftthe West will re-
member the south's past with the same
pride that the South itself does, for
the undying glory won by the men
who so valiantly and with such sin
cerity fought for their convictions,
whether they wore the blue or the
gray. Is now common heritage of
all of us, wherever we dwell.
South Must Do It's Share.
This nation is thrilling with ideals
at this very moment. and these ideals
relate to constructive work in the
future. The South must do its full
share in realizing 1t, and from now
on 1t must participate in full in the
solution OF all the national problems
All of us alike must turn to the spe-
cial problems OF this age with %thei
courage that our fathers showed in
those heroic days to which we look
back with mournful pride.
"The statue Of General Lee, in Con-
federate uniform. stands in the halls
of Congress to-day. and his memory is
honored no more by the South than
1T Is by the North, and in the North
and In the South alike think we are
now learning to apply absolutely in
good faith the great words OF Grant:
'LetEu have peace
THE part played by the South in
the constructive craftsmanship Of our
nation during all our earlier years
! firmly believe that the time has now
come when the South's influence will
again be felt, not only in construc-
tive craftsmanship, but in the enor-
nous field of.constructive business en-
deaYor.e No part Of our country has
seen such progress as the South has
made In the last twenty years along
material lines, and believe the next
twenty years will see greater pro-
gress. For long the eyes Of this ma
ton have been set steadily westward
to watch its great and typical growth:
From now on I think the South will
share with the West In rapidity Of
growth. This leadership will be has
Canal The East has the Atlantic and
the West the Pacific; the South, even
more than the East and West, will
have the Panama Canal. and will
therefore,. stand at the distributing
point Of all the great oceans Of the
world t5t,s5 II ;$ Az
Needs People OF Right Sort.
You need more people. but, like the
rest Of the country, you need that
those people should pc # orlEtnes right
sort. Feeling this way. naturally
sympathize most cordially with every
purpose OF the Southern Commercial.
Congress in It's efforts 1, to make the
South know itself, and to make both
the South and the nation realize that
greater nation will be developed
from the development OF greater;
South In your naemb bershlp no polit-5
teal lines are drawn; your effort is to
strive for the advancement Of Ameri- =
can citizenship, and all broad mi ifued
men throug hout$ the nation must heart
lily sympa thize with you in what you
are doing both to develop and In
crease the power OF the south h and at
the same time to arouse herein a
keener# national sense. M
with hearty good wishes, VI rs,
Faithfully yours IA 81
THEODORE ROOsEvELT,"S
Women yvill Not Vote. ss3
Baton. Rou ge La, Au guat lev 8.