Judsonia weekly advance., 1913-10-29

 AMONG SPEAKERS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE MAKES LONG TRIP FROM CAPITAL TO
 SHOW INTEREST.
FOREIGN DIPLOMATS THERE
Convention Is Made Occasion for CeIe braton of Completion of the
 Panama Canal.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 Mobile.-Never before has there been in the South as great a gather ing of men prominent in the official and business life of the nation as that which marked the fifth annual conven- ton of the Southern Commercial Con gross, held at Mobile this week. Presi- dent Woodrow Wilson was present and delivered an address and others on the program included United States sena- tors and representatives governors, members of the presidents cabinet, foreign diplomats and men prominent in the industrial and commercial life of the country,
 This meeting eclipsed all others held by the Southern Commercial Con gress because it not only brought to- gether the big men of the country in B program of nationwide scope but 1t also took on the character of an inter- national celebration of the opening of the Panama canal. The meeting of the congress was selected as an appro- priate occasion for this celebration because of the part that the represen- tatives of the South have had in the creation of the Panama canal and be- cause of the great impetus to the com merce and industry of the South that the completion of the Panama canal is expected to give.
 The men who made the South of to- day were assembled in Mobile for this big convention and with them were the high officials of the nation, men who are powers in the financial, eommer- cial and industrial life of the country, representatives of the Latin-American countries which the Panama canal is expected to link still closer to the United States and the men who are taking the leading part in the devel- opment of the South along all lines.
 President Woodrow Wilson recogniZ- ed the importance of this meeting by making the long trip here from Wash ington for the express purpose of showing his interest and giving the support that comes with the presence of the chief executive of the nation. President Wilson made the trip from Washington to Mobile in a special train, making no stops on the way.
 The presidents address was the feat ure of the opening session of the con- ference. He spoke on the subject of '"The Panama Canal and Our World Relations" In his address the presi- dent called attention to the great bene- fit that should accrue to the South through the opening of the Panama canal.
 The president was given an enthu- siastic greeting and his address was loudly applauded by the big assem- blaze.
 Another feature of the opening ses- sion was the annual address of Senator Duncan U. Fletcher of Florida, presi- dent of the Southern Commercial Con- gress and chairman of the Permanent American Commission on Agricultural Cooperation.
 The introductory address was made by Governor Emmet O'Neal of Alaba- ma.
 One of the features of the eonven- tion was the "Pan-American Evening, presided over by John Barrett. direc- tor-general of the Pan-American Union. MT. Barrett opened the session with an address on "The Panama Canal in Its Relation to Pan-America " Others on the program for this ses sion were Senor Don Eusebio A. Mora les, minister from Panama to the United States; Senor Frederico Al fonso Pezet, minister from Peru; and Senor Ignacio Calderson, minister from Bolivia.
 Among other men of nationwide fame on the program were Josephus Daniels, secretary of the navy, whose subject was "The Panama Canal and the American Navy" Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia; Senator John H. Bankhead of Alabama; Senator Joseph E. Rans- dell of Louisiana; Governor Elliott w Major of Missouri; w. w. Finley, presi