The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-05

general discussion of methods for
increasing the efficiency of these men.
This was the first meeting Of Its
sort in Southern territory. but It re-
suited in the organization OF the
southern Commercial Secretaries As
ISOLATION which has since that time
held annual meetings.
Il resolution passed by the Sec
retaries' Association in Chattanooga
recommended to the various CONNER
ciaI bodies OF the South the holding
OF a congress of Southern business
men in Washington, beginning Dec
ember s, 1905.
AFTER a necessary delay in securing
suncient authoritative endorsement
Tor the call, a committee of three of
the members of the Secretaries As
ISOLATION called upon Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, then President Of the
United States. and enlisted his inter-
est and cooperation. A number of
other prominent men in official and
business life gave assistance, and at
the time set. there gathered In Wash
inston a number OF representative
men from sufficiently large territory
to make the promoters Of the con-
vention feel that their efforts had been
successful. The Congress was ad-
dressed by a number of eminent men
on broad, general topics pertaining to
Southern conditions 1t was at this
time that the business men of the
South themselves unanimously de-
cided to bring into being a permanent
organization to be known as the
Southern Commercial Congress and
to have its headquarters at Washing |
ton.
A general line of work for the Con-
gress was mapped out. Mr.. John M
Parker. of New Orleans, Louisiana was
elected president, an executive com
mittee of able men from various busI-
ness centers of the South was chosen
The Congress was organized Decem-
Der s, 1908, and incorporated july 81
1911. From that time on the Cow
gress has worked every day in the
year for five years to accomplish tire
purposes for which It was orRantzad
The funds at its disposal have never
been adequate. but the money used
to carry on the work so farh been
In one way or another NV
various local commercial organiza-
tons and the Individual business in
stitutions of the South.
Two years ago DR.. Clarence 7
Owens. OF, Maryland. was elected
director, and Senator
Duncan U. Fletcher. Of Florida,
Mr.. Parker as president, ]
Under the administration of these two
officers the Congress has made great
progress. The Congress, under these
directors has become a national and
institution.
THE Southern Commercial Con- i
,ress Is not merely an annual {
Meeting. It is a union OF effort on the {
part OF all Southern commercial bod !
es and individual business institutions
o bring two things to pass.
first, to induce a proper understand I
ng by the people Of the South regard +
ng the significance of the physical re- I
ources OF their states in establishing a y
reater nation through a greater
outh; and second, to sweep out of Z
he mind OF the world all elements of ]
regarding the
outh. its prospects. its people and its
opportunities" I
THE Southern Commercial Con- A
ress was designed to be a confedera- ]
on of all local Southern commercial =
odies and individual business insti- y
ltions interested in Southern pro- v
ress, an extended Chamber of Com G
ierce doing for a section of country +
hat the local chamber does for Its P
centralized source of in j
,rmation and Inspiration for local u
a national office for p
ach. a cooperative bureau for as E
and circulating nationally Z
lie broad facts regarding Industrial I.
and agricultural possibili- c,
es and progress in the South" b
The Southern Commercial Congress, "
sing alert for every possibility in the n