Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-17
MAY ADDRESS THE BODY
AT ATLANTA IN SPRING
Es-Chief Executive Of United States
Speaks in Glowing Terms Of What
He Expects in Dixie" Land in
Years 20 Come-Pays Glowing
Tribue to Citizens.
fBy Associated Press.J


NEW YORK. aug. 16.-In response
to an invitation to address the
Southern Commercial Congress at
Atlanta, in the spring OF 1911.
Theodore Roosevelt has just sent a
letter 10 Charles Hall Davis, chalE-
man of the congress, at Petersburg,
Va, in part as follows:
His Letter.
August &c, 1910
my Dear Sir:
at is not possible as yet for me
to answer definitely; but I believe
that on my trip to California. next
March. I shall pass through the South
ern states and l hape that il can
be arranged that the Southern Com
mercial Congress then hold its meet.
ing in one of the cities through
Xhich ] am able to pass. If so. 1t
ii be a very real pleasure to me 10
Be present and to say all that | can
in behalf of this admirable move
ment-f
more and more, the former mis-
understanding about the South is
tending TO disappear; and you and
your associates have set in motion
a force that will have to do with
the complete dissipation of this mis-
understanding You are working for
q stronger South; and you show
your wisdom and foresightsjness in
the wav you realize that this move
ment for a stronger South, to be ef-
fective. must really mean a stronger
N hA oil
of yesterday is being changed into
the young America of today.
Hopes for Solid South.
Every good American must hope
to see a real solid South. in the
sense of solid business prosperity in
the South; for all good Americans
now realize that the prosperity of any
part of the country helps the pros
perity of the whole and the pros
perity of the whole will grow faster
and stand on the most durable foun.
dations only when We effectively
realize that the words SOUTH north,
east and west have only a geograp-
hical significance. I earnestly hope
that the young men of the South will
never forget the past glories of the
South. because | earnestly hope that
the young men all over America to-
day will keep ever in mind these
glorious memories of every section
of our common country; and that
the men of the North and of the
West viii remember the South's
past with the same price that the
South itself does; for the undying
glory won by the men who so valiant
Iy. and with such sincerity. fought
for their convictions. whether they
were the blue or the gray, is now a
common peritage of all of us. wher-
ever we dwell.
Special Problems.
This nation is thrilling with ideals
al 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 il must participate in full
in the solution of all the national
problems Of this age with the courage
that our fathers showed in those
heroic days to which we look back
at mournful pride.
The statue of General Lee. in
Confed0te uniform. stands in the
halls % congress today. and his
memory is bonorcd no more by the
South than il Is by the North: and
IN the North as in the South alike.
I think we ere now learning 10 apply
absolutely in good faith the great
words of Grants let US have peace
South to the Front
The part played by the South in
the constructive craftsmanship Of our
nation during all our earlier years.
was OF incslculabe weight and value.
firmly believe that the time has
now come when the South's influence
will again be felt. not only in con-
strac;ive stateSmanshiF. but in the
foremost field Of constructive bust
ness endeavor. No part % orr COM
try has shown IN progress as the
South has made IN the last % years
along material lines: and I believe
the next % years viii sec a greater
progress. For long the eyes Of this
nation have been set steadily west
ward 10 watch It's great and typical
growth. Prom now on think the
South VII share with the west in
faDidliy Of growth This leadership
yin be FASTENED by the completion
~ the Panama canal: the Fast has
the Atlantic and the West the