The Washington herald., 1911-12-22
SOUTHERN TRIBUTE
GIVEN PRESIDENT
Commercial Congress Pre-.
sents Convention Memento.
NEXT MEETING IN NASHVILLE
Tentatively Accepts the
Invitation to Attend Extended
by Senator FIetcher-FeIicItat
Gar Upon Celebration of AnnI-
VerSary of His Name"

Replying to an invitation extended him
| yesterday by a committee OF officers
from the Southern Commercial Congress,
| President Taft tentatively agreed to at
| tend the fourth annual convention of the
organization, which will be held in Nash
willie. Tenn. next April. This action by
President followed the presentation of a
volume, bound in morocco, containing all
of the speeches delivered AT the conven-
tion last March in Atlanta.
The members of the Southern CONNER
Cial Congress who visited the White
| House were Senator Duncan L. Fletcher,
OF Florida, president of the organization
q. GroSvenor Dave managing director;
! Clarence J. Owens secretary treasurer:
William II. Saunders and Charles A.
Douglas, resident directors, and Senators
Taylor and Lea. and Representative J.
| w. Byrne, of Tennessee
Senator FIetcher's Speech.
Senator Fletcher. president of the
| congress, presented the volume TO the
President. He said in part:
Mr.. President: On behalf of the ex-
ecutive officers of the Southern CONNER
cial Congress, and on behalf of the States
that participated in the great meeting
of Southern business forces in Atlanta
last March. ! ask you to honor us by
accepting this volume, containing all the
speeches delivered during the three days
OF our meeting. This volume has been
specially bound for your private library.
We regard ii as being more than group
ing of printed pages
1T Is an event, for il voices an in
sistent call upon both North and South
TO rally in terms Cf commerce and of
peace, as contrastad with the conditions
" i,.h bot
to rally fifty years ago in terms of strife
and bloOdshed. The idea of the volume
is 10 set forth this important national
contrast. II our nation is TO learn that
which is valuable in these and semi
centennial years from 1911 to 1885, il must
learn the contrast rather than revive the
memories and the stories of the strife
that was
Vice President Sherman called at the
White House Yesterday and had a con-
ference with President Taft in regard to
the case of young man who failed in
his physical examination for appoint
ment TO the Naval Academy Mr.. Shpr-
man declined to discuss politics. His
friends however, deny the recent reports
that he is anxious to be the candidate
for governor of New York in the next
campaign. They say he will retire from
politics II he is not nominated for the
Vice Presidency.
CabIeGram to CZar.
President Taft has sent cahlegram of
CongratulatiOn to the Car of Russia
upon the anniversary of his name yes
terday. 1t is a Russian custom to cele-
brate the anniversary of the date upon
which the name of person is given
rather than his birthday. President Taft's
message was as follows:
beg To offer to your majesty cordial felici-
tations upon this anniversary and the assurance Of
my high regard and good wishes for yourself and
for the nation over which your majesty reigns.
WM. II. TAFT.
Here is the Cars reply:
Pray accept my cordial thanks for YOUR congratu-
atiOns and good wishes. NICHOLAS
The President sent this telegram to |
Miss Grace Bigelow, of q Gramercy |
Park, New York: |
extend to YOU and YOUR fathers family my deep |
sympathy in your present John BigelOw has
been historic figure in his eleTstng influence on
public affairs for half century.