The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-12-28
t5jIF
Of a Copy of Volume Made
by the Congress to the
Nations President.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 26-i
Senator Duncan U. Fletcher, presl-
dent OF the Southern Commercial
Congress. when presenting to Pres!
dent Taft copy Of the volume IS
sued BY the congress- entitled "Tha
souths Physical Recovery" used
these remarkable words: We re-
gard this volume US being more than
a mere grouping OF printed pages.
II s an event; for it 70 res an in
s.stent call upon both the North
and South 10 rally in terms Of com
merce and of peace, "a con.rastea
with the conditions which compelled
both North and South to rally,
fifty years ago. in terms OF strife
and bloodshcd. The i'd Of the vol
ume is TO set forth THIS important
national contrast If our nation IS
% learn that which IS valuable IN
these semi-oentennlal years from
1911 10 1915. it mus. learn the con
tfast rather than rey5e the mem
cries ard stories Of the strife tina.
was"
THE volume was bound in full
morocco, and bore President Tafss
name in gold lettering. 1t contains
sll the speeches delivered before the
congress at Atlanta last March, in
GLIDING those BY Pres dent Taft, for
mer President Roosevelt, Governor
Woodrow Wilson. George Nest,ng
house, George w. Perkins and
ninety others.
At the time of the gift the same
committee invited Pros dent Taft to
the Nashville convention Of the con-
gress, April of next year. The invl-
tation was accepted tentatively. The
committee consisted OF Senator Dun
can L. Fletcher, @. Grosvenor Dave,
managing director; Clarence j.
Owens. secretary-treasurer; William
H. Saunders, resident director; and
Senators Taylor and Leo and Rep
resentative Byrns, of Tennessee. The
invitation was presented by G. Gros-
yenor Dave and seconded by all
others present. Mr.. Dave said in
part: Atlanta was chosen for the
1911 meeting because city that
was practically removed from the
map during the war between the
states was one thatsfent itself most
readily to the dramatic contrast be-
tween the conditions of 1861 and
1911. The same thought as to the
fitness OF locations mas entered into
the deliberations of tha congress in
relecting for the second scene in the
series of five CITY in the Mississippi
valley; for the Mississippi valley
VII be the most potent future in
fuence in agriculture and in general
development. It's area almost, of
not quite, equals two-nths of the
total. area of the United States.
Furthermore, as the meetings OF the
congress are not more fortu.tous
grouping Of men, but represent the
most intense ethical purpose looking
twards the disappearance of all sec
t.onal understanding and fore
seeing greater, nation to come into
existence through greater South,
We desire to state that these meet.
ings should, during this entire
series of five years, be graced with
the presence of the president OF the
United States. Our effort has no po-
litical significance; we are seeking
only to transform the minds of men
in the South regarding the truths
of their great section and to inform
the minds of the men of the nation
regarding the national significance
Of the South, once so willing to de-
part from the sisterhood, but now
so convinced that in the truest
union there is the truest strength.
You will call the moment OF intense
feeling when the flags of southern
states were paraded before you in
Atlanta and grouped around the
platform, under the folds of the ma
tlon's flag, as indicative of the pres
ent national status