The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-28
Birth Southern Commercial Congress

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
In recent issue of the Montgomery
Advertiser. under the caption, ''Distin-
guished Speakers VIII Make Addresses
on Pan-American Evening / find the
following statement:
Congress conceived here: It is not
generally Known. but it is fact that
Mai. A. G. Forbes, then president of the
old Montgomery Commercial club, con-
ceived the idea of Southern CONNER
cial congress. The plan was laid before
the directors of the club, all Mont
gomery men, of course, and G. Gros-
venor Dave, then secretary of the Com
mercial club, was instructed by the di-
rectors to put the matter before the or
ganization meeting of the Southern
Commercial Secre taries' association at
Chattanooga in the summer of 1908.
"Mr. Dave attended this meeting and
laid the plan of the Montgomery men
before some 40 or so secretaries of
southern commercial bodies who had
gathered in Chattanooga to perfect an
organization of their own, and which
now is headed by Montgomery man,
Bruce Kennedy, general secretary of
the Montgomery Business Mems league
THE first public suggestion of the
Southern Commercial congress was
made at the secretaries meeting In
Chattanooga and these secreta ries
thought well of 1t that a committee
was appointed, headed by Mr. Dave, to
put the suggestion into effect When
Mr.. Dave returned to Montgomery he
got busy Immediately on the plan and
in short time it was announced Of
ficially that the organization of the
congress had been perfected and, that
Mr. Dave would be in charge as man
aging director with Headquarters in
| i
as secretary of the Mont gomery Com
mercial club and in January, 1909.
moved to Washington and took up his
new duties.
Dave made director Mr.. Dave
served as managing director of the
congress until 1912. when he resigned
to become chief OF the editorial division
of the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States
Believing in giving credit TO whom
honor is due and finding this statement
little incomplete, 1 would state that
at the time the organization of the
Southern Commercial congress was be-
ing planned the Commercial club of
Montgomery of which | was then pres
ident, without funds to initiate the
proposition, and in discussing the finan-
clal feature of same with one of the
directors Mr.. George W. Jones, we
concluded to ask Mr.. Milton H. Smith
piSslueHt OF the l-Ou1SV1lle and Nash
vile Railroad company. to assist in
financing the idea, and through the
good offices of Mr.. George w. Jones'
Who took the matter up with Mr.. Mil
ton H. Smith. we We're very much graf
flied to receive from Mr.. Milton II
Smith his personal check for $500
without which the Southern CONNER
cial congress might not have been
born.
This $500 enabled us to launch the
proposition through the commercial
secretaries meeting at Chattanooga and
make its permanent home In Wash
ington, ID. c., and nothing pleases me
better than the growth and usefulness
OF this organization. which has al :
ready done so much for the south and
yet has only commenced its usefulness
under DIR. Clarence j. owen of Ala
hama, now managing director of the
Southern Commercial congress. We cam
not forecast the immense amount of the
southern Developments that will follow
the great work being done by him and
his associates. 1t is just another case
OF tall trees from little acorns grow
Yours very truly, A. G. FORBES.
birmingham. October 27, 1913