The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-10-31
BIG men OF NATION THERE
GATHERING is ONE OF THE MOST
NOTABLE EVER HELD IN
THE SOUTH.
CELEBRATES CANAL OPENING
Convention Given Added Significance
by Presence of Representatives
Of Latin-American Countries.

WESTERN Newspaper Union News Service.
Mobile, Ala.-With the president O
the United States, the governors of ;
number of states, members of tn,
presidents cabinet, United States Sena
TORS and representatives, and Other
prominent men not only of the United
states but also of foreign countries
on me program, the fifth annual meet
Ing OF the Southern Commercial Con
gress, held this week at Mobile, was
one OF the most important gatherings
ever held In the South.
This meeting eclipsed all others
held by the Southern Commercial Con.
gress because 1t not only brought to.
Sether the big men of the country in
program OF nationwide scope but if
also took on the character of all inter
national celebration of the opening of
Inc Panama canal. The meeting of the
congress was selected as an annro-
pirate occasion for this celebration
because OF the part that the represen.
atiVes OF the South have had in the
creation OF the Panama canal and he.
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.
Inc men who made the South of to.
Gay were assembled in Mobile for this
dig convention and with them were the
nigh officials of the nation, men who
are powers in the financial, CONNER
cial and industrial life of the country
representatives of the tin-American
countries which the Panama cana, is
expected to link still closer to the
United States and the men who are
taking the leading part in the deva,.
opment OF the South along all lines.
PRESIDENTS Address Is Feature.
PRESIDENT Woodrow Wilson recogniz.
90 the Importance of this meeting nv
making the long trip here from Wash.
1ngton 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 trim from
Washington to Mobile in a snecial
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-
Tit that should accrue to the South
through the opening of the Panama
canal. ,
The president was given an enthu. I
siastic greeting and his address was
loudly applauded by the big assem-.
blage. {
Another feature of the opening ses. t
sion was the annual address of Senator i
Duncan U. Fletcher of Florida, presi- t
lent of the Southern Commercial Con-
sress and chairman of the Permanent
American Commission on Agricultural g
"
The Introductory address was made e
~ Governor Emmett O'Neal of Alaba- I
IA. |,
Have Pan-American Evening. p
One of the features of the conven. Ii
lon was the "Pan-American Evening,
resided over by John Barrett, direc. Il
of the Pan,American
Tnion. Mr. Barrett opened the session j.
nth an address on 1.-The Panama lie
anal in It's Relation to Pan-America." K
'thers on the program for this ses c
ION were Senior Don Eusebio A. Mora W
IS. minister from Panama to the S,
'nited States; Senior FREDERICK AL. "
,nso Pezet, minister from Peru; and A,
snor Ignacio Calderson, minister from L,
olivia. NJ
Among other men of nationwide Al
me on the program were Josephus dc
aniels, secretary of the navy, whose Al
Inject was 1.-THE Panama Canal and the R,
merican Navy" Senator Hoke Smith so
Georgia; Senator John H. Bankhead
Alabamta Senator Joseph e. Rams
III of Louisiana: Governor Elliott W. Co