■■■I 1MB ■■■ LIBRARY OF THE University of California. GIFT OF • AA^-cAvcg^dlo ^ \A \ 1 C/<7.« ,' OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS NINETEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 6 TO 10, 1908 PAST PRESIDENTS. 1. COIi. II. I>. LOVELAND, California. •z. HUGH . E. P. FERRY, I tali. 1». THEO. II. WILCOX, OreRoii. 11. R. <'. KERENS, Missouri. 12. JOHN ll. KIRBY, Texas. OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS Of the Nineteenth Session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress HELD AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA October 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, 1908 Arthur F. Francis, Secretary Cripple Creek, Colo. EDWIN M. COOPER, Official Reporter San Francisco Additional Copies of Report Will Be Supplied on Application to Thomas F. Walsh, Chairman Executive Committee, Denver, Colo. Arthur R. Briggs, Vice-Chairman, San Francisco, or Arthur F. Francis, Secretary. Cripple Creek, Colo. 1908 Calkins Publishing House San Francisco Sessions of the Congress Have Been Held as Follows. First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth.. . Fourteenth. . Fifteenth Sixteenth Seventeenth.... Eighteenth Nineteenth Date June. May, Oct., Feb., April, Feb.. Nov., Nov., July, May, April, July. Aug., Aug., Oct.. Aug., Nov., Nov., Oct., 1890 1891 1891 1892 1893 1894 1894 1895 1897 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 190o 1900 1907 1908 City Galveston, Texas .... Denver, Colorado. . . . Omaha, Neb New Orleans. La Ogden, Utah San Francisco. Cal . . . St. Louis, Mo Omaha, Neb Salt Lake City, Utah. President W. M. Fishback Arkansas E. P. Ferry Utah Chas. S. Thomas Colorado L. Bradford Prince .... New Mexico W. J. McConnell Idaho H. R. Whitmore Missouri Geo. Q. Cannon Utah Wm. Jennings Bryan. . . .Nebraska Hugh Craig California Wichita, Kansas E. O. Stanard Missouri Houston, Texas J. R. G. Pitkin Louisiana Cripple Creek, Colo Walter Gresham Texas St. Paul. Minn John Henry Smith Utah Seattle, Wash John H. Kirby Texas St. Louis, Mo Richard C. Kerens Missouri Portland, Or Theo. B. Wilcox Oregon Kansas City, Mo David H. Francis Missouri Muskogee, Okla Col. H. D. Loveland California San Francisco, Cal J. B. Case Kansas Note: April 14-17, 1891, was the date of the First Western States Congress, held at Kansas City, Missouri, called by the legislature of Kansas; Senator H. B. Kelley being the author of the resolution. Honorable D. R. Francis, then Governor of Missouri, was President of the Congress. This Congress with the deep water harbor convention and the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress which had assembled in the Cotton Exchange at Galveston, were merged at Denver, May, 1891. J. B. CASE, Ahileue, Kansas. President. ADDRESSES AND PAPERS President's Address J. B. Case Message from Theodore Roosevelt Wm. R. Wheeler Assistant Secretary Department Commerce and Labor Message from Twenty Latin Republics John Barrett Director-General Pan-American Bureau Work of the Congress Arthur F. Francis Western I nsurance , Col. Fred W. Fleming Trans-Mississippi — What Does It Mean? Benjamin Ide Wheeler Transportation J. C. Stubbs Conservation of Our Natural Resources John C. Cutler Governor of Utah National Conservation Commission Dr. George C. Pardee Mining and the Conservation of Minerals James F. Callbreath Jr. Irrigation and Disposal of Public Lands W. H. Dickson Attorney-General, Colorado Conservation of Our Natural Resources and the Preservation of Our Funda- mental Political Conditions and Constitutional Principles. .Frank H. Short Inland Waterways Col. W. F. Baker Reclamation of Arid Lands C. J. Blanchard Live Stock Industry Col. Ike T. Pryor Future Greatness of California Fletcher E. Cutler Drainage Robert T. Devlin Pacific Ocean Commerce George W. Dickie Good Roads J. M. Eddy Los Angeles Viaduct J. B. Lippincott Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress (Origin) A. G. Stacey Oil Industry of California L. E. Blochman Pony Express Greene Majors Carnegie Institute Hon. Wm. W. Morrow Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition J. W. Howell Mare Island Navy Yard A. C. Rulofson Preservation of Our Fishes David Starr Jordan Creamery and Dairy Interests W. F. Jensen Dry Farming Arthur R. Briggs 189849 OFFICIAL ROSTER TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS Twentieth Annual Session Meets in Denver, Colorado [Auditorium], August 16-21, 1909 President — Thomas F. Walsh, Denver, Colorado. First Vice-President — X. G. Larimore, Larimore, North Dakota. Second Vice-President — Charles A. Fellows, Los Angeles, California. Third Vice-President — A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Fourth Vice-President — Herbert Strain, Great Falls. Montana. Secretary — Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Treasurer — Fred Moffat, Denver, Colorado. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Chairman — Ike T. Pryor, San Antonio. Texas. Vice-Chairman — Sam F. Dutton, Denver, Colorado. ADVISOR V COMMITTEE. Chairman — Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco, California. Vice-Chairman — James H. Brady, Pocatello, Idaho. Members- — W. O. Hart, New Orleans, Louisiana: John Henry Smith, Salt Lake City, Utah; Tom Richardson, Portland, Oregon. CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE. Chairman — Fred W. Fleming, Kansas City. Missouri. Vice-Chairman — J. B. Case, Abilene, Kansas. Ed F. Harris, Galveston, Texas. J. D. Phelan, San Francisco, California. H. P. Wood, Honolulu, T. H. L. Bradford Prince, Santa Fe. New Mexico. Colonel H. D. Loveland, San Francisco, California. Alva Adams, Pueblo, Colorado. STATE VICE-PRESIDENTS. Alaska — W. B. Hoggett, Juneau. Arkansas — C. R. Breckenridge, Fort Smith. Arizona — W. T. F. Donald, Phoenix. California — A. L. Darrow, Sacramento. Colorado — James H. Peabody, Canon City. Iowa — Levi Baker. Shenandoah. Idaho — Frank R. Gooding, Boise. Kansas — J. W. Creech, Herington. Louisiana — W. W. Galliard, Donaldsville. Minnesota — Tarns Bixby, St. Paul. .Montana — D. R. Peeler, Kalispell. Missouri — Edward L. Scarrett, Kansas City. Nebraska — Henry T. Clarke, Omaha. Nevada — J. B. Waterhouse. Reno. New Mexico — George Curry, Santa Fe. North Dakota — H. F. Arnold, Larimore. Oklahoma — C. K. Luce, Woodward. Oregon — A. H. Devers, Portland. Philippines — John Gibson, Manila. South Dakota — Dr. R. L. Smith, Ree Heights. Texas — C. C. Slaughter, Dallas. Utah — John Henry Smith, Salt Lake City. Washington — J. W. Howell. Seattle. Wyoming — W. S. Collins, Basin. T. P. A. — Orrin S. Henderson, Stockton. U. C. T. — Robert Starr, San Francisco. MEMBERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Alaska — B. M. Behrends, one year; J. H. Tarn, Nome, two years. Arkansas — W. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, one year; George Sengel, Fort Smith, two years. Arizona — Andrew Kimball, Thatcher, one year; A. M. Conant, Phoenix, two \ ears. California — Colonel H. D. Lovcland, San Francisco, one year; O. H. Miller, Sacramento, two years. Colorado — Charles A. Stokes, Denver, one year; Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, two years. Hawaii — H. P. Wood, Honolulu, one year; Walter F. Frear, Honolulu, two years. Idaho — Marcus A. Means, Lewiston, one year; James H. Brady, Pocatello, two years. Iowa — H. McCartney, Thurman, one year; Robert Hunter, Sioux City, two years. Kansas — J. B. Case, Abilene, one year; John Dudley, Kansas City, two years. Louisiana— J. S. Dixon, Natchitoches, one year; W. O. Hart, New Orleans, two years. Minnesota — B. Magoffin, Duluth, one year; Hubert Eva, Duluth, two years. Montana — Herbert Strain, Great Falls, one year; J. H. Strain, Great Falls, two years. Missouri — Fred W. Fleming, one year; George J. Tansey, St. Louis, two years. Nebraska — George F. Milbourn, Minden, one year; W. J. Evans, Ogallala, two years. Nevada — Richard A. Riepe, Ely, one year; Oscar J. Smith, Reno, two years. New Mexico — W. C. Barnes, Albuquerque, one year; L. Bradford Prince, Santa Fe, two years. North Dakota — H. C. Plumley, Fargo, one year; N. G. Larimore, Larimore, two years. Oklahoma — D. P. Marum, Woodward, one year; J. J. Gerlach, Woodward, two years. Oregon — Tom Richardson, Portland, one year; Peter Loggie, North Bend, two years. Philippines — Daniel O'Connor, Manila, one year; M. L. McCollough, Manila, two years. South Dakota — Homer Johnson, Armour, one year; J. A. Ross, Sioux Falls, two years. Texas — H. H. Gaines, Galveston, one year; W. W. Turney, El Paso, two years. Utah — George Romney, Salt Lake City, one year; L. W. Shurtliff, Ogden, two years. Washington — Henry E. Reed, Seattle, one year; George C. C'ongdon, Seattle, two years. Wyoming — A. G. McGregor, Cheyenne, one year; Eli Crumrine, Cheyenne, two years. T. P. A. — J. Roy Stafford, St. Louis, one year; Charles Griffith, two years. U. C. T. — Watt R. Sheldon, Denver, one year; M. Allison, Texas, two years. ■ BY-LAWS AND RULES (Revised at Kansas City Session, 1906.) The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, organized for the purpose of promoting the commercial interests of the states and territories, in whole or in part, west of the Mississippi River, has adopted the following rules and reg- ulations for its government: ARTICLE I — MEMBERS. 1. Any resident of the territory named may become a member of the Congress, on application to and approval of the Executive Committee, by the payment to the Chairman of said committee of the sum of five dollars ($5.00) annually, and such members shall be accredited to their respective states or territories. Residents outside the territory may become members, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, such members, however, not being entitled to vote, but in other respects are accorded all the privileges of dele- gates. 2. Representation shall be confined to the states and territories situated wholly or in part west of the Mississippi River. Every business organization shall be entitled to appoint one delegate, and an additional delegate for every fifty members. The Mayor of each city or town may appoint one delegate for every 5,000 inhabitants; but no busi- ness organization, city or town, shall have more than ten (10) delegates. The Governor of each state and territory may appoint ten (10) and not more than twenty (20) delegates. The Governors of states and territories, mem- bers of the United States Congress are ex-offieio members, with all the priv- ileges of members, except those of voting and election to office. 3. The Executive Committee is authorized to extend invitations to any person to attend any session of the Congress, and to take part in its discus- sions; such persons shall have all the privileges of delegates except those of voting and election to office. The names and addresses of all persons thus invited must be reported to the Congress at its opening session. 4. The United Commercial Travelers and the Travelers' Protective Asso- ciation shall each have all the rights and representation of a state or ter- ritory. ARTICLE II — MEETINGS. 1. The annual meetings of the Congress shall be held prior to the sessions of the National Congress, at such place and time as fixed at the previous session, or the time may be left by the Congress to be fixed by the Executive Committee. No city shall be selected which does not guarantee to pay the expenses of the Congress, including the neces- sary preliminary advertising and the printing of the proceedings; and in case such guarantee be forfeited, the Executive Committee shall have power to change the place of meeting. 2. The Secretary shall keep a register of the names and addresses of all members and of all delegates of whose appointment he is officially advised, showing by whom such appointment has been made, and such register shall be accepted by the Congress as the official list of members and duly accre- dited delegates. 3. Each member of the Congress shall be entitled to one vote, provided that no state or territory shall cast more than thirty votes; if more than thirty members are present, each shall be entitled to his fractional part of said thirty votes, when a state or territory shall be represented by less than ten members, it shall be entitled to ten votes. ARTICLE III — OFFICERS. 1. The officers of this Congress shall be a President, four Vice-Presidents at large, a Secretary and a Treasurer, to be elected by the Congress at each session, and to hold office until their successors are elected; and a Vice-Presi- dent from each state and territory, to be elected as hereinafter provided. The President shall not be eligible to re-election until at least one year shall have elapsed since his term of service. 2. The annual election of officers shall take place at the opening of the session on the last day of the Congress, and the officers shall be inaugurated during said day and shall hold office until the inauguration of their successors on the last day of the succeeding Congress. 3. The duties of the officers shall be those usually pertaining to their positions. The President shall preside al all meetings, and in his absence the Vice-Presidents shall preside In the order of their precedence. The Treas- urer may be called upon to furnish a bond, by requirement of the Congress or its Executive Committee. ARTICLE IV — COMMITTEES. 1. The committers of the Congress shall be as follows: Committee on Permanent Organization. Committee on Resolutions. Executive Committee. Advisory Hoard. Congressional Committee. 2. The Committee on Permanent Organization shall consist of one mem- ber from each state and territory. The Committee on Resolutions shall consist of two members from each state and territory. The Executive Committee shall two members from each state and each year. The Advisory Hoard shall consist of Ave members, to be appointed by the President or Congress during its session, or by the Executive Committee thereafter. The Congressional Committee shall consist of five members, to be pointed each year by the President or Congress during its session, or by Executive Committee thereafter. This committee shall hold office for years. 3. At the afternoon session of the first day of each annual meeting the members present from each state and territory shall present names for the following positions: consist of the seven general officers and territory, one of whom shall be elected a li- the two A State Vice-President of the Congress. One member of the Committee on Permanent Organization. Two members of the Committee on Resolutions. any time before the last day of the session they shall present the name member of the Executive Committee to serve for two years. 1. 2. 3. At of one • 4. The Executive Committee shall have general charge of the work and Interests of the Congress, during its recess, and unless otherwise ordered by the Congress, shall act as a Committee on Order of Business during its ses- sion. It shall have control of the funds of the Congress, but no obligation shall be incurred beyond the amount of unappropriated funds in the treasury. It shall elect its own chairman, and the Secretary of the Congress shall be its secretary. It shall have power to fill all vacancies among officers or com- mittees occurring while the Congress is not in session. 5. The duties of the Committee on Permanent Organization shall be to nominate the seven general officers, before the end of the third day of the annual session. 0. The Committee on Resolutions shall receive all resolutions that are introduced, and report all such as in its opinion should receive the favorable consideration of the Congress as promptly as practicable. 7. The Advisory Board may be consulted at all times by the officers or the Executive Committee of the Congress and shall, with the chairman of the Executive Committee and the secretary of the Congress, have supervision over the program. 8. The Congressional Committee shall bring to the attention of the Con- gress of the United states or officials of the Government, personally, if pos- sible, ail of the proceedings of the Congress which require action from the United states Congress or such officials. \UTM1.E V — RULES. 1. The sessions of the Congress shall open at 10 a. m., 2 p. m., and 7:30 p. m., unless otherwise determined by the Congress. 2. Cushing's Manual shall govern the deliberations of the Congress. 3. All resolutions shall be submitted In writing in triplicate, with name of mover and of state to which he belongs, and shall be referred to the Committee on Resolutions without debate, but the mover shall be allowed three minutes for explanation, if desired. The duplicate copies shall be re- tained by the Secretary for the official record and for the newspapers. 4. No subject, which has been made a party issue in politics, shall be placed on the program, nor shall any resolution referring to any such subject be considered. 5. On the report of each resolution it shall be open to debate, the intro- ducer being- allowed to open the discussion, and no member to speak more than twice. The opening speech shall be limited to ten minutes, and all others to five minutes each. 6. Papers and addresses made shall be limited to twenty minutes. ARTICLE VI — ORDER OP BUSINESS. The order of business at each daily session shall be as follows, unless otherwise ordered: 1. Introduction of resolutions. 2. Reports of committees. 3. Discussion and vote on committee reports. 4. Reading of papers or addresses on subjects named in program. 5. Miscellaneous. Selection of place for holding next convention, special order for 4 o'clock next to last day of session. ARTICLE VII — AMENDMENTS. These rules and regulations may be amended by a majority vote of the Congress, after one day's notice of the proposed amendment. FREE FORUM FOR THE WEST TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS OFFICIAL CALL To the Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade, Committees of Publicity, Commercial Clubs, Manufacturing, Mercantile, Maritime, Live Stock and Immigration, Irrigation and Drainage Organizations; also To the Governors of states and territories, Mayors of cities and Boards of County Commissioners: The Nineteenth Annual Session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress is hereby called to meet in San Francisco, California, October 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, 1908. REPRESENTATION. The Governor of each state and territory may appoint ten (10) dele- gates and not more than twenty (20) delegates. The Mayor of each city one (1) delegate and one (1) additional delegate for each 5,000 inhabitants, provided, however, that no city shall have more than ten (10) delegates. Each county may appoint one (1) delegate through its executive officer. Each business organization one (1) delegate and one (1) additional delegate for every fifty members, provided, however, that no such business organization shall have more than ten (10) delegates. Governors of states and territories, members of the Congress of the United States, and former presidents of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress are ex-officio members, with all the privileges of delegates except voting. Permanent members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress have all the privileges of delegates, except when such permanent member resides outside the Tra.ns-Mississippi section, in which case he is entitled to all the courtesies of the Congress except voting. Permanent members resident of the Trans-Mississippi section act and vote with the delegates of their respective states and territories. SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION. The Executive Committee submits the following subjects as germane to the objects of the Congress, and upon these a free and full discussion is invited. They follow: Irrigation and Drainage. River and Harbor Improvement. Leasing of Public Lands. Dry Farming. Alaska. Statehood. Parcels Post and Postal Hanks. Trans-Pacific Trade. Closer Trade Relations with the l.atin Republics. Public Ownership of Utilities. Panama and the Canal. Hawaii and the Philippines. Immigration. Live Stock Industry. National and State Aid for Highways. Sugar Beet Industry. Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. National Finances. An Enlarged and Improved Consular Service in the Far East. The Pan-American Railroad. Inter-State Commerce. CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. The Executive Committee directs special attention to the conservation of natural resources which was recently emphasized by President Roosevelt by a conference of governors of the various states held in Washington, D. C, May 16, 1908. As this question closely affects the reserved rights of the states of the Trans-Mississippi section in relation to the forests, the national reserves, the leasing of the public domain, internal waterways and the utilization of power, and the development of mineral and other resources, etc., it is the desire of the Executive Committee that a full analysis of these matters should be made to the end that the administration may be accorded such intelligent co-operation from these states as may be consistent with the general good. In order to obtain the best results, the Executive Committee has made provision in the program for the Commission and a special invitation has been extended the members to appear personally before the Congress. DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND MINING. Whilst the Executive Committee feels gratified at the action of the National House of Representatives in passing the bill for the Bureau of Mines, and is pleased with the assurance that favorable action will be taken by the Senate and that the President will sign this bill, yet, never- theless, the Executive Committee enumerates among the special subjects for discussion that of a Department of Mines and Mining, believing that the great mining industry will not be adequately recognized until a department of Government is created co-ordinate with the Department of Agriculture. INLAND WATERWAYS. The action of President Roosevelt in recreating the Inland Waterway Commission brings the subject of a supplemental system of cheap trans- portation again to the attention of the business interests of the country. The Executive Committee, believing that the questions herein involved are not only of great importance to the people of the Mississippi Valley and those upon the tributary streams, but is of equal importance to the people of the Pacific Coast and the Pacific Northwest and to the inland states of the Trans-Mississippi section, especially calls the attention of the western commercial organizations to this action with the request that delegates be appointed with special reference to this matter. FREE FORUM FOR THE WEST. In addition to the above, upon which recommendations and resolutions may be made, any delegate may submit suggestions germane to the objects of the Congress. It is the desire of the Executive Committee to have a free discussion of all matters of interest to the people of the Trans-Missis- sippi country. NO POLITICAL QUESTIONS DISCUSSED. The Executive Committee, however, desires it to be understood that all questions of a political nature are excluded from the discussions of the Congress. .1. B. CASE, President, Abilene, Kansas. THOMAS F. WALSH, Chairman Executive Committee, Denver (Wolhurst), Colorado. ARTHUR R. BRIGGS, Vice-Chairman Executive Committee, San Francisco, California. I). R. FRAXCIS, Chairman Advisory Committee, St. Louis, .Missouri. A. C. TRUMBO, Vice-Chairman Advisory Committee, Muskogee, Oklahoma. FRED W. FLEMIXG, Chairman Congressional Committee, Kansas City, Missouri. COL. H. D. LOVE LAND, Treasurer, San Francisco, California. ARTHUR F. FRAXCIS, Secretary to the Congress, Cripple Creek, Colorado. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE TRANS -MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS HELD IN DREAMLAND PAVILION, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, 1908 FIRST SESSION. Tuesday, October 6, 1908. The opening session of the Nineteenth Annual Convention of the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress was called to order by Honorable Arthur R. Briggs, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Congress, and Chairman of the local Executive Committee, in Dreamland Pavilion, at San Francisco, California, at 10 o'clock a. m., Tuesday, October 6, 1908. The following is a full text of the proceedings: By Chairman Briggs: As Chairman of the local committee having in charge matters relating to the Congress, I am privileged to call this assembly to order. This is the Nineteenth Annual Congress held in the Trans-Mississippi section, and while we have not as large a number of delegates from our own State as we hoped to have, we have a very large and a very representative number from the other states. In explanation 1 am going to say that there seems to have been some misunderstanding on the part of some members of the reception and entertainment committee, so that an excursion on the bay was announced for this morning at 10 o'clock, which was not to have been, and I now take occasion to say that the excursion announced will not take place until Thursday morning, probably beginning at 9 o'clock; however, the announce- ment of the time will be made through the public press later on. It has been arranged by the executive officers of the Congress that when we adjourn on Wednesday evening we shall adjourn until half past 1 or 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon. This will give time for the enter- tainment and the excursion as has already been announced. Another reason why there are some vacant seats is because of the presentation of the silver service, which occurs today on the cruiser "Colorado." The Colorado delegation, upwards of one hundred, is necessarily detained for that purpose, and they are there now. This afternoon we hope to have the pleasure of their presence. I now have the pleasure of asking Rabbi Nieto to deliver the invocation. Ladies and gentlemen: Rabbi Jacob Nieto. INVOCATION. By Rabbi Jacob Nieto: Oh, Lord God, Thou who art the Guider of the destinies of men and nations, we humbly invoke Thy blessing at this time. Deign to cause Thy spirit to rest upon this Congress; that they may understand that not in rivalry of states or of cities can the ultimate success of our Nation be guaranteed; but on the contrary in the putting aside of all feelings of antagonism; in coming together as one people, with one intent, they can alone do what is necessary 12 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS to foster what is best in our people. Let them understand, these who are business men, that the work they are about to engage in is philanthropic, moral and religious; that in creating new industries for our people, and giving impetus to those that are now among us they are lessening crime, and obviating possible want and distress, and creating a moral atmosphere among the people of this great country. Imbue them with Thy spirit that they understand that we stand not only as United States in name, ready to combat any nation that may affront us, but we stand as a united people, bent upon doing those things which will increase the usefulness of Thy serv- ants in this, the United States. Bless them with Thy wisdom; guide them throughout all their deliberations; and let them be forever mindful of the one duty they are to perform, that of increasing the moral tone of our people and leading them by useful work and by useful means to become still more neces- sary to the peace and welfare of the world. Let them also be impressed with the fact that the message of freedom already announced to the entire world should be carried still further and further through the means of commerce, which is also a mighty moral instrument designed by God for the uplifting of man. Bless them with Thy wisdom; bless the people of this State and this city; and let those delegates who have come from afar, be imbued with the example of San Francisco, arising from its ruins, strenuous in its attempt to build itself again, morally and structurally. And may all Thy servants ever do that which will glorify Thy name and exalt this great Nation. Amen. Amen. By Chairman Briggs: Again it falls to me to express the regret on the part of the chairman of our executive committee, Mr. Walsh, that he cannot be with us this morn- ing. He has asked me, therefore, to represent him, because he, necessarily, is called to participate in the presentation of the silver service by the Colo- rado delegation on the cruiser "Colorado." Knowing as I do the capacity of our distinguished chairman, I feel that a duty has been laid upon me that I can but poorly fill. We had hoped that Mr. Walsh would review the work that has been done by the Trans-Missis- sippi Commercial Congress, that he would outline what its future might be and what it is destined to be; and in other words, that he might present to this assemblage thoughts that could be taken away when we have adjourned finally, to the benefit of the districts which we represent and to the benefit of the whole Trans-Mississippi section. This Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress means vastly more than many have any idea, who simply know it by name. It touches every im- portant question relating to the development and progress of the Trans- Mississippi country. It is represented by men of affairs, unselfish in every way, who come together for the purpose of discussing in a patriotic, philan- thropic and public manner these great questions which affect the welfare of the State and of the Nation. It is well known by those who have followed the work of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress that the Congress of the United States takes heed of much of the work that is done here, and encourages the organization. It is therefore important that whatever is done shall be done deliberately and carefully, and that when we have finally fin- ished our work, the resolutions which we have adopted should be such as will express the sentiment, no! only of this Congress, but of the states and districts which we represent. I feel sure that every delegate to this Con- gress appreciates the dignity of the position which has been given him by the appointment and the responsibility which is placed upon him: and I feel also sure that the people of San Francisco and of California will understand what it. means to have this assemblage here. A word now with reference to ourselves: 1 take it that very few people in this country, even among those well informed, have much knowledge of the present condition and the future prospect of San Francisco. It has been thought far and wide that San Francisco had received a blow from which it would take many, many years to recover. But we hope before the delegates from the distant states and territories have finished here, to be able to show MAYOR K. It. T\W,(HI, Sim Frnn<-lMcnt the light? If I quench thee, thou darning minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should l repent me: but once put out thy light, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, 1 know net where is the Promethean heat That ran thy light relume." Ah. no iino. indeed, can know where or how a resource of nature once de- stroyed can ever in- replaced. Nowhere do we better behold the Imperfect processes of nature than in California, as exemplified in our two great rivers, tin- Sacramento and tin- Joaquin. 'Phi' rain falls in unusual quantity, the mountain snows un- timely melt, ami thereupon follows the result of flooded farms ami widespread destruction. < in the other hand, the winter rains fail to fall ami thereupon follows all th.' distresses of desolating drouth. Here is the case of cases for man to help out such a grievous situation; to use the materials at his hand in such wis,- as i" bring blessing ami harmony where before wen curse ami disharmony. Tin- problem is simple to state ami perhaps not difficult to solve. ami. indeed, scientific men have theoretically worked it out. What is needed are concerted effort and tin- bounteous aid of tin- Federal Government which should not longer be withheld. The problem is the treatment of the rivers so thai tie- storm waters, instead of being a destructive agency, shall be diverted to tin- purpose of irrigation when drouth shall demand it. In such case v.'u would have a perfect conservation of the greatest resource that Nature has in-stowed upon man. Furthermore, you would put the two greatest valleys of tin- State in the way of supporting millions of human beings, and of adding untold millions to the wealth of the world. It has now. for many years, been tin- conceded constitutional policy oi rress to aid in the internal improvements of the states; ami nowhere has the power been better or more frequently exerted than in the improve- ment of waterways. ('an anyone in- found bold enough to say that two SUCh streams as the Sa era men t o ami the San Joaquin should not receive greatest attention at the hands of tin- Government? This would be so. if there were no other considerations than those mentioned. Hut look at this other picture: in the great deltas of the Sacramento and San Joaquin lie many islands, which passed to tin- state from the United States under the trust of reclamation, they being so swampy by reason of overflows as to be Insusceptible of cultivation. These pass.d from tin- State to those who have reclaimed a number of them by levees costing great sums of money, ami on the lands thus reclaimed have raised abundant emps. .Now it has happened (inn- and time again that these valuable lands thus reclaimed and with grow- ing crops upon them have been inundated by the flood waters of the rivers. their crops lost and their improvements and their costly levees greatly Lged. The losses thus suffered, SO enormous in extent, would either not have occurred or have been very materially minimized had the channels of the rivers been deepened as thej should have been, ami as thej must be. if similar losses are not to incur. Thousands of acres of these island lands aw ,it reclamation and great populations upon them, but such are not likelj t,, come in the absence of Federal aid to tin- end of rectifying ami deepening the river channels. Nothing is of more importance than this so far as our own state is concerned; for our principal waterways not only carry millions of tonnage, but they serve to keep down, as they do everywhere, excessive railroad rates. (Applause.) indeed, we have Mr. Prentiss Maslin, the Ian of the River Improvement and Drainage of California, affirming that; "Tiie products of the counties within the -/.'me of the influence of the Sacramento ami San Joaquin Rivers represent a total annual valuation of over $200,000,000, and the products >'{ the counties within the /.one of the Napa ami Petaluma Rivers represent a total annual valuation of J27, 000,000." And the tonnage of these rivers, as In- states, was in i:nn; mi less than 1,68 "is. immediately connected With this subject, and as a necessary part of it. is tin- preservation of our forests, in fact, conservation of waters and forest preservation are correlates. Destroj the trees of the mountains and you destroy the plains ami the valleys. Ii Is thej which perform the must neces sary offices Of anj Other one thing which abounds in animate nature. The is not ab. ne that magnificent creature which at its greatest lifts its fronded head in towering grandeur far above tin- earth, its mighty arms wrestling with all the storms that blow, ami bearing within its enormous bulk tin- sign ami s.al of long gone centuries a wonder-breathing thing that sets athrlll tin- heart of the poet; but it stands endowed with such infinitude "f useful qualities, that beautj ami utility are united in it as in .1. \. (.1 1,I,KTT. Siicriuiiento. Governor of Cjilifornin. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 15 nothing else that is known to man. The matter is so scientifically and at the same time so poetically stated by Madame Michelet that I beg the privilege of quoting her language, her French being given in the English of a trans- lator who has worthily turned it from the one tongue into the other: "Oh, who will really undertake the defense of the trees and rescue them from a general and senseless destruction ? Who will eloquently set forth their manifold mission, and their active and incessant assistance in the regulation of the laws which rule our globe ? Without them, it seems de- livered over to the blind destiny which will involve it again in chaos ! The motive powers and purifactors of the atmosphere through the respiration of their foliage; avaricious collectors, to the advantage of future ages, of the solar heat, it is they, too. which arrest the progress of the sea-born clouds, and compel them to refresh the earth; it is they which pacify the storm, and avert its most disastrous consequences. In the low-lying plains, which had no outlet for their waters, the trees, long before the advent of man, drained the soil by their roots, forcing the stagnant waters to descend, and construct at a lower depth their useful reservoirs. And now, on the abrupt declivities they consolidate the crumbling soil, check and break in the torrent, control the melting snows, and preserve to the meadows the fertile humidity which in due time will overspread them with a sea of flowers." Yet, in the face of all this, what wanton, what criminal destruction have we witnessed of the trees of the forest ! The lands on which the trees were standing have been sold outright to private parties, and they, without super- vision of any kind, have worked their indiscriminate will upon the forest, slaying, mutilating and wasting, until what was before an indescribable beauty and an indispensable utility became a desolation revolting and aw-ful. That the trees are made for man, and not man for the trees; and that the paramount use of the trees must be that which best serves the practical necessities of man, all must concede, even the most visionary of sentiment- alists; but the harrowing pity of it is that, while all of these necessities can be met and the forest yet remain, the destruction still goes on. What is needed is scientific and proper treatment very like that now prevailing in the matter of sheep and cattle grazing on the Government reservations. Formerly to let sheep graze at will upon certain lands was to invite destruc- tion of all small growth even to the roots, and so with cattle to a limited extent. Now, the matter is so arranged that the ground is never overgrazed, and in some cases not grazed at all. The people's land is in no wise injured w r hile serving as a great benefit to the owners of sheep and cattle. The irremediable mistake was made in selling forest lands outright to those who could do as they pleased with them, and who only cared to turn the trees into money as soon as possible. None too soon did the Federal authorities enter upon the policy of reserving large mountain spaces where the spoiler may never raise his relentless, indiscriminating hand. Great forests have already been destroyed, and within recent years, in the vast regions you represent; and others will in like manner be destroyed, for man can do what he likes with his own; but many forests yet remain, and pray God a wiser policy may prevail as to them — a policy that embraces scientific forestry. (Applause.) You have many great questions to discuss other than those I have ven- tured to advert to, and I cannot but believe that your discussions and delibera- tions will redound to the benefit of each one of you and to that of the whole country. Men beat out things in discussion as they cannot do in any other way. But I must not detain you longer. Again I greet you, and in con- clusion assure you that San Francisco gives you no reluctant, no niggardly welcome, but a welcome that wells fresh from her heart and inscribes your presence here as a proud eyent in her history. (Continued applause.) By Chairman Briggs: In addition to the welcome to the city which his Honor, the Mayor, has given, we also desire to give a welcome from the State at large, because, in our generosity, if we give you the city we may just as well give you the State, and we think that with the generous nature of our Governor, of whom we are all so fond, he will probably extend to you the State as a whole. I have the honor to present Governor James N. Gillett, Governor of Cali- fornia. (Applause.) ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR. By Hon. J. N. Gillett: Mr. Chairman, delegates of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, and ladies and gentlemen: To you, composing the Congress, the state of California, and we, the people of California, extend a most cordial and hearty welcome and express our sincere appreciation of your presence with us on this occasion. 16 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress was organized for the purpose of developing the resources and advancing the interests of the great West, a rich and mighty country, an empire in extent, that lies between the Father of Rivers and the Monarch of Oceans, a greal and most valuable part of which rests on the fair Pacific slope. You are interested in questions of great moment that affect not only the people of the West, but the people of this great Nation of ours. You are interested in questions of irrigation, in questions affecting the reclama- tion of arid lands, in the improvement of our water ways, in the conserva- tion of our waters and in the preservation of our forests. You are interested in the cultivation of our valleys, in the encouragement of manufacturing, and in t lie extending of our markets — not only to our sister states in the east, but to foreign countries beyond the ocean. It is your aim that these wonder- ful natural resources which lie within what we term the Great West shall be properly developed, shall be properly known, and inasmuch as California and the Pacific slope contain so many of these natural resurces, it is exceed- ingly pleasant on the part of our people and on the part of the whole Western slope"' that you are with us today. And we want to say to you and express to you our feeling when we say that you are welcome to our State, you are welcome to participate in the magnificent climate which is ours, you are welcome to go over and through our mountains and valleys, and whatever you may find of interest; whatever may please you, is yours — for today and for tomorrow, but not for all time to come because we propose to keep it for ourselves, as much of it at least as we can. (Applause.) We have great problems in our State the same as you have in your states. Our great problem is the proper irrigation and reclamation of our most fertile lands, the conservation of our waters, the protection of the forests on our mountains, the building up of our cities, the construction of good high- ways and roads, and the improvement of our waterways. These are ques- tions of great moment to us, and they are no doubt questions of great moment to you. We know that San Francisco, over which the Mayor presides, and which has extended to you so cordial a welcome, will be the great metropolis of this Pacific Ocean, we know that it has the Golden Gate, and through that in the future must pass the commerce thai will build up the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering upon it; and the citizens of our State are deeply interested in the doubling of this commerce. They are sensible of the great responsibility that rests upon them, and they are doing their work with a consciousness and with a feeling that they are going to succeed. We know that the great city of San Francisco, in which we are now pleased and delighted to receive you, will be the great metropolis of the entire Pacific slope, that here will be centered trades, commerce, and all the active indus- tries. We have faith in its future, a faith that cannot be shaken, and today our citizens with strong minds and great hearts are rescuing it from the ruin caused by fire and earthquake. And we propose to make it the fairest city overlooking the great Pacific Ocean, no matter in what country or in what time — a city that shall be thoroughly American, a Western city, full of life and energy, a city that will be an honor to our country and which will glorify the ambition, the courage, the strength and the civic pride of Californians (Applause) — a city which not only will be representative of the great State in which it rests before the great Pacific slope, a country that holds not two like it from the northern boundary of Mexico to the storm- beaten and frozen coasts of the North; because this country on this Ocean runs from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. There is no Oregon or Washington or California in the developing of our resources in the great West, which our people have undertaken to develop; we shall all work together with one purpose in mind. And while you are here in San Francisco receiving the hospitality of this city, having in mind the greal problems which you all have, we want you to understand thai this is a Congress convening in the greal West, on the Pacific Ocean, having an interest in everything thai goes to the benefit and to the advantage of the great country lying along the Pacific Ocean. In conclusion, lei me again, as Governor of ihis magnificent common- wealth, extend to you a most cordial and hearty welcome. We are pleased that you are with us. We hope your stay will be pleasant here. We know your work will have good results. And when we part, we hope you will take back with you to your homes the righl kind of spirit, which we believe you have, and that you will remember that the people of California have been deeply pleased to have you with us on this occasion. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: When Colonel Loveland and myself wenl to Muskogee a year ago to invite the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress to come to San Fran- cisco this year we looked about to see who there was in this community • : GEO. <• PERKINS, ^:m lr.Muis.o. I ii i < •-«! State* Senator. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 17 who would stand behind us in any promises we might make. The com- mercial interests in this city immediately said to us, make the invitation Californian, and San Francisco stands ready to fill any promises you may make. The Chamber of Commerce, which is the parent commercial body in this city, made a guarantee of the funds sufficient to carry on the work of this Congress and to entertain it while it was here. It therefore gives the local committee in charge very great gratification to be able today to have a welcome extended by the president of that organization, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, who is one of the most useful, energetic and forceful men in this city. He is with us today and I have the pleasure of presenting him to you: Mr. C. C. Moore, the president of our Chamber of Commerce. (Applause.) ADDRESS BY MR. C. C. MOORE, PRESIDENT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. By Mr. C. C. Moore: Mr. Chairman, fellow delegates, ladies and gentlemen: After the kind remarks of the chairman, it might be the proper thing for me now to hand him something. We are glad to see you here. We want to thank you for coming. We congratulate ourselves that you are here. It is unnecessary for me to add anything to the welcome of the Mayor or Governor, except to assure you that the commercial bodies join most heartily in all the sentiments they have expressed. We want to say we are glad you are here so as to be able to show you what we have done. All men like to have the notice of their fellaws and if deserved, to receive words of praise, consequently we assure you we will feel amply repaid if, after you have seen what we have done and tried to rise through, it meets with your approval, if on your way, either by word of mouth or letter, you would let the truth be known, that San Francisco is again its own self, every San Franciscan would appreciate it. What we want is not flowers, but facts. We feel that if those who believe the statements about what San Francisco has done are altogether wrong, let them look about. If they think it impossible for the city to accomplish so much in such a short space of time, let them ride over the city. Then if you are pleased with what you see and will give expression to your honest convictions, we will be delighted. I want to say further in line •with what Mr. Briggs has said that the entertainment committee is formed of the best we have. The members are young; they are active; and they have the money, now. If any man visiting here with his family and friends fails to gives his endorsement to that pre- diction of hospitality, which all of us here treasure so highly, we shall feel that you are not giving our entertainment committee a fair chance. In their behalf we hope that you will take advantage of every advertised feature and function; and we hope you will place yourself where you can come in contact with our committee, so that we may preserve the fair fame of San Francisco for entertainment and hospitality. I thank you. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I shall present the next speaker very reluctantly. During the past twenty-four hours so many compliments have been paid him, and so many seem to desire his presence in their state or in their territory that I almost fear some of these large delegations will offer such inducements to him that he will want to leave the State. I know what the delegation from Colorado is; fortunately they are not here this morning. I know what the Colorado people do, particularly those in Denver, and if they should get their eye and their mind and their thoughts centered on our distinguished Senior Senator in this State, I am very fearful that San Francisco and California will never have him again. It is therefore with reluctance, as I say, that I present to you this morning our distinguished Senior United States Senator, Hon. G. C. Perkins. (Applause.) ADDRESS BY SENATOR GEORGE C. PERKINS. By Hon. George C. Perkins: Gentlemen: The pleasant privilege has been assigned me to extend a hearty greeting and cordial welcome to the members of this Commercial Congress on behalf of the delegation in the Congress of the United States from Cali- fornia. It is exceedingly gratifying to the people of California, and especially of the great commercial metropolis of San Francisco, that the 19th session 18 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress Is to be held In this city. With great pleasure our people have anticipated your coming and we feel confident your session will !><■ productive <>!' much benefll to our common country. California is our home, the land of our choice. Ii Is thoroughly cos- mopolitan in character, the majority of our population coming from every state and territory, and with representative people from every country in the world. Many who came here to see the wonders of this western land have remained to assist in developing its varied resources, and are now living in the enjoyment of the results of their Labors. We have seen our great cities and towns spring, as by the touch of the magician's rod, from canvas tents and adobe cabins. The beasts uf the foresl and the wild cattle of the plain roamed at will where there are mow thriving towns, cultivated fields, burdened orchards, and loaded vineyards, through which great railroads run their trains of cars bearing the products of the land to remunerative markets. Tin se spacious hays, rivers and harbors; these productive hills, dales and valleys, abounding with gardens and happy homes, these majestic mountains and hills veined with precious ores and minerals, make this Indeed a land of promise. Our fertile plains and fields, with varied and prolific soil, produce fruits and the vine, vegetables and cereals in such abundance that ship and car supply other states and oilier countries with luxuries from our surplus stoic We point with commendable pride to our public schools, universities, colleges, churches and benevolent institutions as an in- dex of the intelligence and philanthropy of our people. It is within the recollection of many of us when a visit to California meant a journey of several months across the plains, around Cape Horn, or by the sickly, miasmatic Isthmian route. Now your trip has required but a few days from the Atlantic to the Pacific with all the luxuries a palace car can afford. Yet we realize that the delegates to this Congress have come at a sacrifice of time and money for the purpose of performing a great public duty. The program of the deliberations of this Congress embraces the dis- cussion of many subjects of vital interest and importance to the whole country. It is public sentiment, it is public opinion, under our form of govern- ment, that formulates into law the wishes of the people. And I know of no more potent Influence for wise legislation and good government than the recommendations that may be made by this Commercial Congress. Its dele- gates number some or the most learned, thinking and progressive men of the Nation, with representatives from the leading states and territories of our country, than whom none is more capable of an Intelllgenl discussion of these questions which are fraught with such great Importance to the advance- ment and welfare of our e, mimon country. The people have confidence that your deliberations will result in ureal public benefit, and that you will formu- late into resolutions, or otherwise, recommendations that will be enacted into laws that are in harmony with the mission of your good Association. We extend to you a heart; welcome to our State, to our city, and to our homes, and to the enjoyment ,,f our delightful and varied climate, from our southern boundary, where grows the citrus and semi-tropical fruit, to our northern border, where Mount Shasta rears its majestic dome above the clouds clad in eternal ermine, reflects his sunshine to the sea. We feci that it is an honor to have you. our fellow American citizens of one country and one government, with us today. We know that with us vim feel the Inspiration of patriotism, paramount to all political parties, which unites the hearts of every true American from .Maim to Texas, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We are proud, as you are. that we are citizens of this great Republic with the stars and Btripes float! >ove us, the emblem of our nationality. When the labors of your Congress have endei < the work for which you assembled Is done, and you return to youi respective homes, may you carry with .sou pleasant recollections of your visit to the Golden stale where the Pacific sin^s on the western ha the sunset song of the Nation'' (Pro- longed applause, l By Chairman Briggs: It was said some years ago thai the face of the Reverend Robert Collier was as good as a benediction. Now, we have a gentleman among us whose face is as good as thai benediction, and l want everj delegate bere to see it- and not only that, bul we want iliat you bould bear what be lias to say as a. welcome on behalf of the lower bouse of Congress from the delegation of this state. I have the pleasure of Introducing Hon. Julius Kahn. (Applause.) ADDRESS Bl n<»v Jl in «• K \ii\. m. «-. By lion. Julius Kahm Delegates and Members of the Trans-Mlsslsslppl c< , Ladies and Gentlemen: TO m« alSO has been allotted the pleasant dul |,. u , JULIUS KAHN, San Francisco. Member of Congress. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 19 words of welcome to these delegates. I am afraid that the previous speakers have left but little for me to add by way of welcome; but nevertheless the people of San Francisco are glad on this occasion to extend to each and every one of you a most hearty and most cordial welcome. Our people are not unmindful of the great work that these Congresses have performed for this great Trans-Mississippi region: and when we turn back the tables of memory we realize that since your first meeting nineteen years ago history has been made in this Trans-Mississippi region. Millions of acres of the public domain have been opened up to American homesteads. The great work of National Irrigation has been inaugurated. The great islands of the Pacific now recognize the sovereignty of these United States, for American hands have carried far out across the Pacific "Old Glory" to the distant Philippines: and Hawaii, that Paradise of the Pacific, has been annexed to the American Union, and has been made a territory of this Government. A new state has been born, and since the 4th of July a bright, new, resplendent star has been placed in the Union of azure. But we must not rest on our laurels; there is still much work to be accomplished. The Panama Canal has almost been completed since your first meeting, and within another four or five years the Pacific will be wedded to the Atlantic, and that great public work will stand as another monument to the skill and the ability and the energy and the indomitable courage of the American people. (Applause.) We have just begun to realize the great necessity for the conservation of our national resources. The matter of the upbuilding and the rehabilitation of the American Merchant Marine is one that must challenge the best thought of our public men. (Applause.) These and cognate subjects will un- doubtedly be discussed by this Congress: but in all your discussions, in all your deliberations, we want you to feel that we are glad to have you among us. The best that we have is yours. We want you to enjoy our glorious climate, our luscious fruits, our fragrant flowers. We wish you each and all a most hearty and most cordial welcome — yes. thrice welcome. (Applause.) (During a short intermission, the convention was entertained by a popular air from the band. ) By Chairman Briggs: We seem in this State and in this city to be having it about all out- own way. and it occurred to me as not quite fair not to give some of our guests an opportunity to say something back to us if they wanted to. I have got my eye on Judge Harris, of Galveston, Texas, and as his fame has preceded him, I am going to ask the judge if he will not give us the benefit of a response of two or three or five minutes. (Applause.) I have the pleasure of presenting Honorable Ed F. Harris, of Texas. RESPOXSE BY HON. ED F. HARRIS, OF GALVESTON. By Mr. Harris, of Texas: Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of San Francisco and California, and my fellow delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: It was but a moment ago that I was pursuing, in my usual modest manner, the ordinary avocation of a delegate to this Congress, when I was summoned by the smiling face of my friend Mr. Briggs, and requested as a prominent officer of this Congress to grace with my presence the platform upon which I now stand, I was brought under somewhat fraudulent representations and placed before you without a moment's warning, that I might, if I had it in my heart, say to you of San Francisco and to you of California some word of response for the greetings you have extended us. It may not be inappropriate that the only delegate, the only guest within your city walls from Galveston, should bring to San Francisco some message of peace and sympathy; it may not be inap- propriate that the little city by the Mexican Gulf, that little city which storm and wind and wave could not destroy, should come and pay its tribute and lay its flowers of brotherly affection at the feet of that still greater city upon the Pacific Ocean, which even the gigantic forces underground, the rumble of the earthquake, and the fierce flame of fire could not destroy, but could barely check in its onward progress. (Applause.) As a survivor of the great Galves- ton storm, I greet you, my brothers of brain and brawn, you good women and brave men of San Francisco; and I know as my heart beats, and I know as my brow lifts to the earliest kisses of the morning's sun, that as brave Americans, kindly men, and virtuous women, you cannot be stopped in your onward progress, not alone to commercial prosperity, not alone to wealth and fame and fortune, but on your onward journey to better things, to greater civic virtue, to higher moral acquirements, to a grander and a nobler civilization. 20 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS And may the God Almighty, who blesses the efforts of all honest thinking- men prosper you, and prosper you again : I thank you. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I think Montana ought to have a show too. And, without making any apology for it, I am going to ask Mr. Herbert Strain if he will step forward and give us the benefit of his presence and his eloquence for a few minutes. If Mr. Strain is in the audience I would like to have him step forward. I am told he is here, but he is a very modest gentleman, and if someone will start him over this way I shall be very much obliged to him. response: prom hr, Herbert strain, of Montana. By Mr. Herbert Strain, of (;r«-jit Palls. I am no orator, bul I wish i" thank the citizens of the city of San Fran- cisco and the state of California fur the cordial invitation of one year ago and for the enthusiastic greeting with which you have met us. I was not aware thai r would be called upon. I want to say that I am here to enjoy myself and will do so as long as I remain here. This is my first trip to this city, and I intend to look around and see what you have. I thank you. < Applause. I By Chairman Briggs: Mr. Strain did not quite get away from me. He tried to, but he did not quite do it. I am going to try again. I am going to try to sqq what Washington will do, and now ask Governor McGraw if he wall come to the rostrum. By a Delegate: Governor McGraw has just stepped out. By Chairman Briggs: We will leave him for a lew minutes and try someone else. T know there is a gentleman here who will not get away from me, and that is Colonel Fred W. Fleming, and I am going to ask if Colonel Fleming will come to the rostrum. I have the pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, of presenting Colonel Fleming, of Missouri. RESPONSE nv COL. PRED W. fii.minc;. of missoi hi. Bj Mr. Fleming, of Kansas Cltyj Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen of the Congress: Twelve months ago, in Oklahoma, al the Eighteenth session of the Congress, the gentleman who is presiding this morning, Mr. Br) and Col. n. D. Loveland, of San Fran- cisco, whom the [ndians In thai new State affectionately .iui>i>ed "Harry" Loveland, Invited the Congress to come to San Francisco this year in order to witness the greal achievements <>( this community in rebuilding this stricken eity. i can only say In the f- tits thai it is expected of me this i 'ning, thai the progress and forwardness of the work of rebuilding this beautiful city is almost beyond the comprehension of any man who ,,,,t had the opportunity of looking it over. The recuperative power of s.mi Francisco has never been duplicated In the history of 1 1 1 < - world. (Ap- plause.) it emphasizes the American spirit, the Indomitable spirit of progress thai will ii.it be down or discouraged :ii any misfortune, however grea f the disaster maj b< w , are glad to be here, Thi d< ■ from Missouri have come a long distance. We feel thai "we have been shown," which Is the proverbial pre- ti\,- of all Mlssourians everywhere; and we are glad to be here and glad to see the Coi >pen under Buch an auspicious beginning, i Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I feel ashamed to even attempl to Introduce Tom Richardson, of Port- land, Oregon. He la so much better known than I am, that it is sort of a Farce to Introduce him. I am going to Introduce, or, rather, present — not Introduce our distinguished friend from Portland, Tom Richardson. ED F. HARRIS, Galveston, Texas. Chairman Committee on Resolutions. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 21 RESPONSE BY MR. TOM RICHARDSON, OF OREGON. By Mr. Richardson, of Portland: Ladies and Gentlemen, and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commer- cial Congress: It is really a delight to come here from Oregon and join with California in welcoming you out to this part of the United States. To me and to Colonel Fleming, and to a number of others, like Senator Harris, Judge Shurtliff, and a great many others, this is a family affair. It began nineteen years ago, and there are a lot of faces who are here today that have been at St. Louis, that have been at New Orleans, at St. Paul, at Seattle, at Portland — at all the meetings of this Congress. It is the only organization of its kind, the only one that from purely unselfish devotion to public duty ever existed in any country for such a length of time. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress differs somewhat from the National Irrigation Congress in the fact that the National Irrigation Congress has asked for specific appropriations in one direction in which hundreds and thousands of men were personally interested, but this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress had its birth and growth in the very best of American sentiment; and the best of American sentiment is always West of the Missis- sippi River. I thank you. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: Our friend Richardson has mentioned the name of Judge Shurtliff, of Utah. If Judge Shurtliff is here, we would be pleased to have him step forward. You will look a great deal better from here, I mean to the audience, Judge. The Judge tries to apologize, but I am going to present Judge L. W. Shurtliff, of Utah. I do not think he needs to make any apology. RESPONSE BY HON. L. W. SHURTLIFF, OF UTAH. By 3Ir. Shurtliff, of Ogden: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates: I am highly pleased to be with you here today, although I was late in arriving:: and to hear the many pleas- ant greetings of our fellow citizens of the Pacific slope. I feel very grateful that we have the opportunity of meeting in this city that so recently was practically destroyed by earthquake and fire, and to receive so hearty a welcome by the Governor, the Mayor, and the people of this city. I trust that our labors will not only be of a character to bless and benefit the Pacific slope, but will extend not only to the Trans-Mississippi region, but to the United States in the far East. Whatever will build up the West will benefit the whole country. I thank you for your attention. I hope that our deliber- ations will meet with the approval of not only the people, but of the law makers. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I am looking now a good ways south, and if Mr. W. O. Hart, of Louisiana, will step to the rostrum, we will be very glad to see him. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Hart, of Louisiana. RESPONSE BY MB. W. O. HART, OF LOUISIANA. Presentation of the Gavel. By Mr. Hart, of New Orleans: Mr. Chairman and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Congress: I want to say to you that Louisiana not only says things, but Louisiana does things. And without any introduction, I desire to present on behalf of the state of Louisiana to the president of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress a gavel made from a magnolia tree on the battlefield of Chalmette, just below the city of New Orleans, that battlefield on which Andrew Jackson achieved his wonderful victory the 8th of January, 1815: without which victory proba- bly there would be no Trans-Mississippi section, and no Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. I make the presentation, Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the United States daughters of 1776 and 1812, a Louisiana organization which has charge of the Chalmette Monument, which marks that battlefield, which monument has just been completed through an appropriation from the Con- gress of the United States, which was obtained by the members of that organization. That monument not only marks the spot of that battlefield, but it is the first thing that is seen as ships ascend the Mississippi River. The monument has now been completed and will be dedicated with appropriate 22 REPORT OP PRO< E3EDINGS ceremonies on the 8th of January nexl year, the anniversary of that occasion, an anniversary and an occasion at which I hope many of you may be present. i Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: There are other places where they do things, too. I happened to be in Oklahoma about the time the State was admitted into the Union, and made the acquaintance of a gentleman by the name of Trumbo, and I found that he was one of the men who did more things in a shorter space of time than any man I had met in many years. I should like to have Mr. Trumbo come forward. (Applause.) I have the very great pleasure of presenting Mr. Trumbo, of Muskogee, Oklahoma. RESPONSE IIV MR. A. C. TKI MHO. OP OKLAHOMA. Bs Mr. Trumbo of Muskogeea Ladies and Gentlemen, .Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates: A little over sixteen years ago I '-am.' to California through the beneficence of Senator ami .Mrs. Stanford, and today, as l am here, 1 wish to pause a moment and pay a respect to tin- memory of those greal 1 pie of your State. I came here sixteen years ago am! entered as a junior at the Stanford University; and if the Chairman has talked to you properly today in saying that we "did things" in Oklahoma, it certainly is due to the fact that I learned to do things in California. (Applause.) I have a great confidence in the success and the results attained by the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Two years ago in Kansas City I met these gentlemen whom we find here today, our secretary and our presi- dent. Colonel Fleming, and Mr. Cannon of Utah, and many of you other gentlemen; and it was at thai time that our Little city of .Muskogee was a candidate for the eighteenth session of this Congress. We were in competition with San Francisco and Denver. Ami after making an earnest appeal to the members of this Congress, on the advent of our statehood, that on.- of the greatesl things this Congress could do would be to come to our state and start us off properly as a pari of this great Western country, we finally succeeded and landed the Congress. It was a great undertaking. We were compelled to build a magnificent convention hall, costing us $60,000. In addition to that we had to guarantee the $5,000 for the expenses of the Congress. 1 believe that many of the men that are here today look hack with pleasure to that occasion. Colonel Loveland was our president; Mr. Briggs was with us. acting j M the same capacity today as I did at that time; ami I believe they will all agree that Muskogee, Oklahoma, is a good city, and that they all had a good lime and were royally entertained. Your distin- guished men now welcome the notable nan of the Western country today as we did then. We from Oklahoma and the other states appreciate that wel- come which you have given us today. ] want to say this: 1 think that this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress, representing all the different communities of this greal country, is one of the greatesl institutions that we have. We come here knowing no creeds, no politics, only as practical com , - sense business men. We do not come offering any theories, as college presidents or as political economists or sociologists, wedded to a theorj hut we come here in this convention to talk good common, plain sense as we find it in tin- world at large. We are men of the world; we are men of business, men who come here, win. paj our own expenses, owing no allegiance to anyone, asking no favors or odds of anybody. We conn here from all the Western country to exchange ideas and thresh them out; I would like to hear from all these differ. -tit people, from Hose different states, these delegates who are here, and i hope thai we may all go home taking With US S g I ideas, thai Will had to some practical results. We do nol all agrei in Oklahoma. Some of us believe In one thing and some In another. We have some troubles at present, bul we al] go out mi' our Si anding together; and ti |j thing Oklahoma wishes to pre- sent to this Congress is thai we may have the opportunity to present some good argument In behalf of the Arkansas River. (Applausi By Chairman Briggs: Kansas always likes to be on the map, and we like to have her, and I have my eye and I have had mj eye on one gentleman from Kansas, Mr. C. M. rlarger. I would like to have him step forward. I have the pleasure of presenting Mr. rlarger, of Kansas. ARTHUR C. TRUMBO, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Chairman Advisory Committee. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 23 RESPONSE OF MR. C. M. HARGER, OP KANSAS. By Mr. Hargcr, of AMleue: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of San Francisco and of California: We extend to you — not hands across the sea, but — hands across the mountains. Kansas was the father of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. The resolution out of which it grew was adopted by the Legislature of the state of Kansas, and we are glad we did it. The work that it has accomplished has been very satisfactory to us who began it, and those who helped to carry it on; and when you honored us last year by electing a Kansan as president of the association, we were more glad than ever that we had done it. As we came over to San Francisco, across the mountains and over the barren plains and then down your beautiful valleys and landed in your splendid city, we were more proud than ever that we had had an opportunity to come over here and see you. You are good advertisers. There is only one state in the world that can advertise better than California, and that is Kansas. (Applause.) But you have not told all of it. We are surprised and delighted and charmed with the beauty and the magnificence of your State and of your city; and we are par- ticularly pleased with the greetings you have given us and the cordiality of your hearts. We shall spend a few days in your city and in your State, and I am sure that we shall all go home to Kansas more glad than ever that we crossed to the Pacific Coast with the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress for this Nineteenth Session. On behalf of Kansas and its delegates, I thank you for your greetings; and I assure you that if at any time California and San Francisco want anything that Kansas can help you get, all you have to do is to whistle. Thank you. (Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I hope all will remain because there is an important matter coming up before the recess at noon. The secretary has some communications which I am sure you would like to hear, and after these communications, an an- nouncement will be made for the afternoon, after which we shall have the address of the president, Hon. J. B. Case, of Kansas. Mr. Secretary, you may read your communications. By Secretary Francis:- (Reading.) COMMUNICATION FROM PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. White House, Washington, September 24, 190S. My Dear Mr. Case: I greatly regret that it is not in my power to accept your kind invita- tion to Sttend the Trans-Mississippi Congress. It is one of the bodies which can do most for this country, and I am in the heartiest and warmest sympathy with its purposes. If it were possible for me to attend any meeting this year, I should certainly have been present at yours. All I can properly do as Presi- dent to further what your organization is seeking to accomplish, will as a matter of course be done. Pray accept my best wishes for the success of the Congress, and convey t<> those assembled my thanks for, and appreciation of, the work they aro doing for the national welfare. Sincerely yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT. Mi-. J. B. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Abilene, Kansas. (Prolonged applause.) By Secretary Francis: TELEGRAM FROM HON. WM. H. TAFT. Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 30, 1908. J. B. Case, President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, I beg to send my greetings and good wishes to the Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress, which is to be held in San Francisco on October 6th, and hope that the meeting will be productive of much good. WM. H. TAFT. (Applause.) 24 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Secretary Francis: TKl.l'.lilUM FROM HON. WM. J. BR\W. Lincoln, Neb.. Oct. 4. 1908. J. B. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco. Cal. Please present my greetings to those in attendance and to the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress, and express to them my regret that I cannot be present with them. I remember with grateful appreciation the honor which the Congress has done me and recall with much pleasure the meetings I have been able to attend. With hearty sympathy Cor the purposes of the Congress and with best wishes to its members. 1 remain, Yours truly, W. J. BRYAN. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: TBLB6RAH FROM HON. L>. R. FRANCIS. St. Louis. Mo., Oct. 5, 1908. J. B. Case, President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco. I tender hearty greetings to the Nineteenth Annual Session of the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress and sincere regrets that other engage- ments prevent my attending this annual meeting which I trust will be even more far reaching and beneficial to the interests of our section than has any of its worthy predecessors. To the president, secretary and individual mem- bers I make grateful acknowledgment for courtesies extended and hope nothing will prevent my attending any future session of this representative organization where proper recognition is gained only by concerted action. DAVID R. FRANCIS. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: COMMUNICATION FROM TIIK JAPANESE AMBASSADOR. Imperial Japanese Embassy, Washington, September 30, 1908. Hon. Arthur R. Briggs, Chairman, San Francisco, California. Dear Sir: Confirming my telegram in which I expressed regret for not being able to attend the Nineteenth Annual Session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress to be held in your city, I beg again to thank you for the spirit of cordial good will you have shown me in extending this courteous invitation. I fully recognize the significance of the meeting and I may add Consul-General Koike, in forwarding the invitation to me, used the strongest words of commendation. I would have been the last to decline your kind invitation to be present, if it were not that I am compelled by circumstances to remain here. It is, indeed, exceedingly unfortunate that the resumption of my duties here in Washington, after a long absence during the summer, and the renewed activities in official circles, prevent me from accepting your invita- tion. I feel doubly sorry when I think that this condition so unfortunately happens at a time when every preparation is being made by your Local Committee to insure the brilliant success of this forthcoming annual session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, l assure you, however, that I am deeply concerned and hope your purpos is will be fully realized. While 1 cannot share with you the pleasure of witnessing the successful fulfillment of the proposed program of your meeting, I am nevertheless inter- ested in the subjects the Congress will consider. It is presumptuous for me to attempt to Inform yon what pari the vast territory known as the Trans- Mississippi district has done in building up the political and industrial life of this greal Republic. You are too well informed as to its natural resources and geographical advantages t" hear from me. I may be permitted, however, I think this is a lit occasion, to give expression to the opinion which my countrymen have relative t" the development of this magnificent district. The people of Japan consider it essential to their welfare to have as neighbors communities and nations which are advanced and prosperous, so that they may derive benefits from the Intercourse which is bound to exist Such is the position which your district hears to Japan, and of which your city is one of the principal gateways t<> the Orient from the West. Moreover, the view that the future of this great Republic largely hinges upon the development and progress of Its western section Is not over-sanguine or without foundation. The commercial world Is dailj ding from west to east, and it will not be long before the Pacific will be teeming- with an enormous traffic. I am, therefor* In that the work of your Cone-r^s* will be productive ol great results. s eM TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 25 I regret I shall not have the opportunity of meeting the many distinguished gentlemen who are so deeply interested in this great work and who will be present at the sessions of your Congress; but I wish again to assure you of my deep appreciation of your courteous invitation, and sincerely regret my inability to be present. I hope you will express to your associates on the committee my hearty wishes for the success of your present and your future undertakings. With the assurance of my best regards, I remain, Very truly yours, KOGORO TAKAHIVA. By Secretary Francis: PACIFIC COAST DEFENSES. War Department, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, September 22, 1908. Mr. Arthur F. Francis, Secretary, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, Cal. Dear Sir: 1. Your letter of September 11, 190S, inviting the Chief of Engineers co address the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress at San Francisco, meeting October 6-10, has been received. 2. I regret that I cannot be present in person, or delegate to one of my officers the pleasant duty of making an address on Sea Coast Defenses. It is a subject about which silence is golden, for the less any possible enemy knows, the better, and an address is necessarily public property. 3. For your own information, I do not hesitate to say that the Pacific Coast defenses are today in an excellent shape to repel attack, and, with each additional year, will be made stronger and stronger, if the United States Congress continues to make the appropriations necessary to carry on the work. Very truly yours, W. L. MARSHALL. Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: NATIONAL, CONSERVATION COMMISSION. Washington, September 26, 1908. Hon. J. B. Case, President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Abilene, Kas. My Dear Mr. Case: Upon my return to Washington, after an absence of several weeks, I have your letter of September 22. I want to thank you most cordially for the assurance that a Conservation Commission will be appointed to co-operate with the Federal Commission at the coming meeting in San Francisco. The interest of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress in the con- servation movement is very greatly appreciated, and it is with profound regret, as I have several times written, that I find myself in a position which makes it absolutely impossible for me to be present at your meeting. The work in connection with the National Conservation Commission is so very heavy at this time, that this, together with the pressure of official duties, makes it imperative for me to be in Washington at the time the Congress is held. Your kind personal words are indeed appreciated. It would be a great pleasure to meet you and talk over the many phases of this work. The commission will be officially represented by Hon. George C. Pardee, ex-Governor of California, who, I am sure, will present the subject of con- servation in a most helpful manner. And doubtless other members will be present. Very sincerely yours, GIFFORD PINCHOT, Chairman. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: FROM HON. O. S. STRAUS, SECRETARY DEPARTMENT COMMERCE AND LABOR. Department of Commerce and Labor, Office of the Secretary, Washington, September 17, 1908. Mr. Arthur F. Francis, Secretary, San Francisco, Calif. Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 12th instant, enclosing a copy of the official call for the Nineteenth Annual Session 2f» REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS of the Congress, to be held In the city of San Francisco, octobct >. in, 190S. I thank you very much for the compliment your Invitation conveys, but exceedingly regret that, on account of the pressure of official business, which i- especially exacting al this time In preparing reports and other matters connected with legislation prior to the meeting of Congress, I will be unable to avail myself Of the pleasure it would otherwise give me to attend the Congress. With best wishes for the Buccesa of the Congress, Very truly yours. OSCAR S. STRAUS. By Secretary Francis: PROM r. .1. \. SKIFF, AMERICAN COMMISSIONER TO TOKIO, JAPAN. The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois. September in. 1908. Honorable Thomas P. Walsh, Chairman. Executive Committee, The Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress. Hear Sir: I have received your favor of the 3rd instant, inviting me to address the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress at San Francisco, at its 19th animal session. October 6-10, on the subject of the mining industry, and the advisa- bility of the establishment of a Governmental department devoted to the protection and development of our great mineral resources. T should be very glad to speak upon this subject, as I have done upon at ii sasl two occasions, but my absence from the country on the day stated will deprive me of the privilege and the honor of addressing this session of the Congress. I am leaving in a few days for Japan as one of the Government's Commissioners-General to the Exposition to be held in that country. I wish to Bay, however, that the organization of which you are the executive head, is one In which 1 have always felt the deepest interest and one which I have always held in the highest respect. I was a delegate representing Colorado at its first meeting, and addressed a most notable gathering at the Coates Opera House, in Kansas City. I have marked, with great satisfaction, the remarkable growth of the organization, and have observed that it has faithfully progressed along tin- pre-deter- miiied lines which its founders had marked out. As an educational agency affecting not only the "Western states, but the whole country, it leads the quasi public bodies of the [Jnited States. Confining its province to suggestion, it naturally exercises a great influence upon legis- lation. .Meeting in annual session at different important points in the Trans-Mis- sissippi country, exchanging and appropriating the views and judgment of public-spirited and patriotic men, it has not failed, and cannot tail, in making effective impressions upon the minds of those who are charged with the making of the laws id' the stales ami id' the federation. In reference to the them.' upon which you have Invited me to speak, I still entertain the hope thai ultimately the great Industry of mining may receive that adequate consideration which it deserves as a department of the general government, co-ordinate with that other great department devoted to our natural resources agriculture. I believe that in the end. which cannot be far in the future, the efforts which you and your associates have put forth for nineteen years in moulding public opinion UPOII this question, will result in success. I'.ut of course this achievement must be accomplished by degrei our magniflcenl Department of Agriculture did not reach its present high state of efficiency :iii at once, it grew with the experience which came with the development of its scope and with th :currence of Its opportuni- t ies. So it win be with the Department of Mines. Your efforts last year in ecuring the passage by the House of Representatives of the bill for a Bureau of Mines ami Mining, and vour sue. ess in securing the Incorporation i plank in the platform of one ..t the great political parties, recommending the passage of this law, ami th.- same service performed by your associates in the Congress, before another great national party, mark the nrsl greal and conclusive step in the establishment of this department. n -.ems to me th.it thert era! unanimity of ..pinion throughout the country that Hie industry of mdning demands this recognition on the part of the general goveri and thai the wonderfully successful opera- tions of tiie iiej.artm.ni ..f Agriculture should be a Bufncienl Indication for the establishment of a simllai department to foster and promote an equally great branch of our economic affairs. Having secured Buch an Important i cognition as the establishment of a Bureau of Mines and Mining, with tl pportunity thus afforded to Imp FREDERICK JAMES VOLNEY SKIFF, A. M., LL. D. Director, Field Museum of Natural History; National Commissioner, Etc. National Commissioner to World's Columbian Exposition, 1893, later, Chief Department Mines and Mining and Deputy Director General; Director- in-Chief United States Commission, Paris Exposition, 1900; Director of Ex- hibits, Universal Exposition, St. Louis, 1904: Bronze Medal of Merit from Prance, 1900; Gold Medal of Honor from Germany, 1893; Commander Legion of Honor, France; Commander Order of Leopold, Belgium; Commander Order of Red Eagle, Germany; Commander Order of the Sacred Treasure, Japan; Commander Francis Joseph, Austria; Commander Double Dragon, China, etc. Member American Institute of Mining Engineers; International Museums Association; National Educational Association; National Geographic Society; American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Vice-President of the American Museums Association; Master of Arts, Colorado College; Doctor of Laws, George Washington University, Washington, D. C. ; Doctor of Laws, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 27 its value on so large a proportion of our working and investing public, a department is certain to follow within a reasonable time. When it becomes generally recognized that the operation of the Bureau is adding untold wealth to tbe Nation's resources, the Congress of the United States will not hestitate to increase its efficiency and raise the bureau to a department, just as the Department of Agriculture has been, from time I" time, increased in its authority and its scope. Wishing the organization as great success and hoping that the meeting in San Francisco will be equal in interest to, and as beneficial in its results as former sessions, I am, with assurances of my highest personal esteem, Sincerely yours, FREDERICK J. V. SKIFF. By Secretary Francis: FROM HON. HENRY R. WHITMORE, OF MISSOURI. St. Louis. Missouri, September 30th, 1908. Honorable J. B. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, California. My Dear Sir: I greatly appreciate your cordial invitation to attend the (•nining session of the Congress, and very much regret my inability to do so, but I heartily congratulate it on being the guest of a city so well known for its cordial hospitality and its unsurpassed public spirit, and one which, for so many years, has taken an active interest in its work. I also con- gratulate the Congress upon what it has already accomplished, and upon the broad Held of usefulness which lies before it. During the seventeen years I have been identified with it, many public measures have been advocated which have already become accomplished facts or are in the process of accomplishment; such as the National Bankruptcy law, the Pacific Cable, the Isthmian Canal, the Annexation of Hawaii, the De- partment of Commerce and Labor, National Irrigation, the improvement of various rivers and harbors, the extension of the powers of the Inter-State Commerce Commission, and many others scarcely less important. In all those, the Congress was an important factor, serving as a great educator of the peo- ple on subjects of vital interest to the public welfare. It was the first, and for many years the only, organized body to endorse the movement, inaugurated at the Peoria convention in 1899. for a deep waterway from the Lakes to the Gulf. At every session since 1900 it has been ably discussed and advocated (notwith- standing the opposition or indifference of some who now pride themselves upon being among its leading supporters) until it has become a question of national interest and importance. May the future of the Congress be as successful as its past; may it always serve as a forum for the people, where public measures may be fully discussed by business men from a business standpoint, rather than by politicians from a partisan standpoint. Verv respectfully yours, HENRY R. WHITMORE. (Prolonged applause.) By Secretary Francis: It should be stated that Mr. Whitmore was President of the Congress which convened in this city in 1894. By Secretary Francis: FRO>I HON. WALTER GRESHAM, OF TEXAS. Galveston, Texas. Sept. 25, 1908. Hon. J. B. Case, President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Abilene, Kan. MJ ' ?fe a ase Sl extend to the Congress my regrets at not being able » to 'attend its 19th annual session. I always take great interest in its ^libeiations ami watch with pride the successful consummation of the great work it has advo Cate The necessity for the development of a great ^fr^Mv**™*™ one of the first projects urged by this body before the Am u an < ^ ; ;j The partial completion of this work, at a cost of approximately ten milHons of dollars, has resulted in a saving to the people of the l r s-. M is eisslpp country, as shown by the official reports of the Nations G ,!;,.",,, least ten millions of dollars a year. The value of the foreign commerce tn annually passes through this port is now next to that of New 28 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1907, it aggregated $245,081,146.00, an increase in its foreign exports in ten years of 400 per cent, and an increase during a like period of 1106 per cent in its imports. Its coastwise trade is greater than its foreign trade. The National Congress, at its last session, following a resolution adopted by this Congress at its Muskogee session, directed a survey of Galveston Har- bor for the purpose of establishing a broad, comprehensive and systematic plan for its future extension, enlargement and deepening so as to meet the grovying needs of commerce. This survey is now being made by competent and skilled United States engineers, and I confidently expect them to report a plan for the making of one of the largest, best and safest harbors in the world. I hope at the next session of this Congress to report the adoption of such a plan by the* National Government. With sentiments of kind regards for you and for the success of the Con- gress, I remain, Yours very respectfully, WALTER GRESHAM. By Secretary Francis: FROM HON. GEO. L. SHELDON, GOVERNOR OF NEBRASKA. State of Nebraska, Executive office, Lincoln, September 24, 1908. J. B. Case, President, Abilene, Kansas. Dear Sir: Replying to your letter of the 7th inst.. permit me to suggest that it would be highly pleasing to the people of the irrigation section of our State if the cost of the Pathfinders dam i ould be met by a direct appro- priation of the Government, instead of, as is now being done, from the reclamation service. It is my understanding that work in the reclamation service is practically at a stands'till on account of lack of funds. If the cost of this dam, which I understand is something like $1,500,000, could be met by a general appropria- tion, it would relieve the situation so that the work of the reclamation service might go on. Inasmuch as this great dam will keep back the flood waters of the upper Platte, it would seem that there is justice in the contention of those who feel that it could properly be charged up against an appropriation in connection with the scheme of conserving the national resources of the country. Many homesteaders who filed on lands under the Pathfinders ditch in Nebraska are now in destitute circumstances on account of the slowness with which the work on the ditch has progressed. When they filed, the presump- tion was that in a short time they would have water through this ditch. As you well know-, it is impossible for a man to make a living in a semi-arid country on eighty acres of land. Therefore, the justice of the above sugges- tion will appeal to you. If you feel like making this suggestion to the Congress, it will certainly be appreciated by the people of Nebraska as well as by myself. Very respectfully yours, G. L. SHELDON, Governor. Referred to the Committee on Resolutions. By Secretary Francis: PROM HON. JOHN II. KIHHV, OF TEXAS. St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 28, 1908. Hon. J. B. Case. President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Abilene, Kansas. My Dear Mr. Case: I very much regrel thai other engagements will prevent my attendance upon the meeting of the Congress In San Francisco next month. I trust you will have a successful and enthusiastic meeting. There was never a time in the life of the Congress when there was more to engage its activities than now. The ocean routes of the commerce 01 the world are about to be changed, and will be changed with the completion ol the Panama Canal. The demands made upon our pr.al Trans-Mississippi country — producing the food supply of the world — will be enormously augmented, and it is imperative that our Congress continue to bad us In the development of those great enterprises which make for the advancement and higher productivity of our great sec- tion. Regretting thai I cannot be with you, and with assurance's of my high esteem, believe me, \'e iv t ruly yours, JNO. H. KIRBT. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 29 By Secretary Francis: The California Club invites the visiting ladies to attend their regular meeting this afternoon at 3 o'clock, at 1750 Clay Street, near Van Ness Avenue. In connection with the work of the Congress the announcement is made prior to the recess that the delegations must get together and caucus during the recess, so that at 2 o'clock upon the call of states, the names of two members for the Committee on Resolutions, one on Permanent Organization, one on Executive Committee, and the vice-president for each state and territory shall be submitted. The Committee on Resolutions will then be in shape to prosecute busi- ness and will be ready for the resolution hour — between 10 and 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. I am also requested to state by the Executive Committee that it is the earnest desire of every member of the Executive Committee and the officials that the people of San Francisco shall attend these meetings, and those who are here now are requested to disseminate this information, so that the presence of every one possible may be obtained. The public generally is not only desired, but is welcome; all meetings are open. By Chairman Briggs: Our president has 'been exceedingly patient during the detail of the morning hour. We have now reached the point where we shall hear from the president with his annual address. President J. B. Case. ADDRESS OP HON. J. B. CASE, OF KANSAS. By President J. B. Case, of Abilene: Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: First- 1 desire to thank the local committee and the vice-chairman of the executive committee, Mr. Briggs, your ex-president of the Congress, Mr. Loveland, and the people of San Francisco, and the gentleman from Louisiana who has furnished me with a gavel. Almost one-fifth of a century has passed since this organization was formed. It has seen the Nation expand and develop as never did any nation on earth; it has seen great men pass away and others as great take their places; it has held sessions in the far Northwest, on the banks of the Mis- souri, in the heart of the mountain region, amid the magnolias of the Sunny South and among the fertile lands of the newest state — but by no means the least; it has had cordial greetings from men of many climes and from representatives of many ambitious cities, but never in all its nine- teen years of progressive history has the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress received a warmer welcome, or been the guest of a kindlier, nobler people than here beside the Golden Gate, in beautiful, courageous, un- daunted, splendid San Francisco. Her wonderful and romantic history, her difficulties, and her victories that have crowned the city with glory, should be an inspiration not alone to us as individuals, but to our organization as an example of what American manhood can do when inspired by faith and hope and unfailing energy. We extend to San Francisco our best greetings; we honor her for marvelous achievements past and for evidence of greater accomplishments to come. (Applause.) Nineteen years in the history of a commercial organization is a long time. In that period it must determine by its work -whether it is to be alive or dead; it must prove its right to exist. I congratulate you today that the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress has become a permanent, ag- gressive force in the upbuilding of the Nation, and that it is very much_alive and is going to stay so. It stands for the big things that are making the great West yet greater, for the elements that lift the business life of the Nation, and it has been the originator of more important commercial and legislative achievements than any body of men ever gathered together outside the Congress of the United States. In these years this organization has turned the eyes of the world toward the needs of the new states; it has been constructive in its methods; it has built up and has never torn down. These two decades of business progress have been the mightiest in the Nation's history, and I am proud that our organization has had so great a part in framing the accomplishments of our time. 30 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS \«-« Problem* Before • «. Bu1 ii'-\\ problems are to be solved. The things of tomorrow are not those of yesterday. It I t been the Idea of this Congress to conquer the present e given every possible encouragement. However, only a comparatively small portion of the Trans-Mississippi country can be reached by navigable streams. We must depend upon the iron rail as a highway to market for the greater portion of our products. The railroads came into the Western States and found them a trackless desert. Today the most splendid limited trains in the world flash across well-improved and wonderfully developed areas. Transcontinental lines con- nect the Pacific Coast with the Atlantic seaboard. North and south lines reach from the Dakotas town to the Gulf. Branch lines tap the interior and haul away the grain from the lonely prairie elevator. The railroads have transformed the Trans-Mississippi country. But every year at harvest time we hear the recurring cry of too few cars and too few engines. The prairie elevator is filled to the roof day after day, with no cars ready to haul away the grain. New towns spring up and are unable to secure freight because of the congestion at central points. Down in the corn-raising districts this fall you will see hundreds of thousands of bushels of corn heaped on the open ground because transportation is lacking. The country has developed faster than railroad building lias gone on. Increase in Production. Not until we study the statistics of the Trans-Mississippi country do we realize the importance of this need. When the Commercial Congress was organized there were but 16,000,000 people here, today there are 25.000.000. The value of farm propertv was given bv the government census as $2,137- 000.000; today it is $19, S98. 000,000. The production of the farms of the United States this year is estimated at $7,500,000,000, of whieli fully 50 per cent comes from the Trans-Mississippi country, an increase of 100 per cent in the past fifteen years. The mining industry lias increased in even greater proportion. While these tremendous growths have been taking place in the value and production of the Trans-Mississippi territory, the transportation facilities have not increased in any such measure. In 1888 the railroad mileage was 68,057 miles. The statistics for last year — which are the latest available — give to this territory 102,286 miles. This increase of less than 60 per cent is far below the needs of the richly productive area that these lines serve. It is evident to the student of commercial affairs that we need tens of thousands of miles of new railway in order to handle properly the tremendous and growing output of our farm lauds and mines. (Applause.) Railroad Building <<• it.- Encouraged. Here and there a commonwealth has a mistaken idea of its own needs and attacks the railroad as an enemy, when it should have considered it an associate in its development. It is a poor policy on the part of individuals or of a community to hinder those things that make for presenl day progress. Thousands of communities today would have railroads if the builders of great lines were not afraid of what may come in the way of hostile legislation. Hundreds of communities need :i railway station j n order to grow as they should. The Trans-Mississippi country oughl to have thousands of miles of new railway in the nexl year, and the men who are most familiar with its needs and opportunities realize this most completely. It makes no dif- ference whether these new lines art buiH bj old established railway corpora- tions or by new ones. The railroad today Is run on principles of straight- forward business and all must come Undei Ihe same regulation. (Applause.) But the thing is thai more lines should be built, more country should be opened, more facilities should he given to sections thai have thus far ex- ceeded the ability of transportation lines to i ommodate their needs. It would be a wise thing tor everj membei oi the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress, and foi everj business man in ihe territory we represent, to^encourage the building of these needed lines of transportation that the splendid civiliza- tion of our Western States m:i.\ not be hindered in its progress. Oriental Trade, Another great Influence thai la working toward the advancement of the state.-: we reprt en1 Is the growing Improvement in oriental trade, a vast portion of which passes through the portals of the Golden Gate. \Vhen we recall that the export trade to Asia twenty years ago was only $17,325,000, and thai now it has become $185,504, we n nondous importance of this portion of our national commercial life. \\ tth a corresponding increase we shall have in less than a decade $1, 1 of exports shipped from the Pacific Coast to Asia. This one feature means tremendous things to San Francisco and to all the 1 h means that there are to be on the sunset side of the Nation, magnlflcenl and mlghtj ports thai shall rival th<* t< 1 In the world. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 33 Alaska a Territory. Nor is all this business confined to the states. Alaska is coming prom- inently to the fore as a great producer of wealth, expanding steadily in its importance as a factor in the Nation's commercial life. I believe the time has come when Alaska should be given a full territorial form of government with such self management as is possible. It has men of brains, commerce that runs into marvelous figures — let us take it into the circle of our Gov- ernment and allow it a voice in the affairs of the Nation. (Applause.) There is neither justice nor wisdom in refusing to do this. Hope for Future. With these great problems and many others before us, we meet here the representatives of nineteen states and two territories — which ought to be made into two more states at the next session of Congress by all rights of good sense and intelligent legislation — with Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands joined, to advance our business interests. We are fortunate in having such a splendid gathering of business men whose lives and efforts speak for in- telligent progress, and doubly fortunate in having such a magnificent city as our host. Though the second time we have met here, and many of us have known the city long, never has there been so splendid an exhibition of advancement and determination as is evidenced by the San Francisco of today. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress will soon close its first two decades. It has a splendid record of things done, of things attempted, of high-minded effort, of abundant hospitality, and of commend- able American spirit. Let us hope that coming years will see a continuation of the same united effort in the interests of the business development of that portion of the United States we call our home. Upon the West's progress depends the progress of the Nation and its interests deserve our heartiest good will and the sacrifice of our time and our money. Because its members believe in this idea the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress is the greatest force for business advancement existing in America today. (Prolonged Applause.) By Chairman Briggs: I would like to make an announcement. This afternoon we will hear from President Wheeler of the University of California, from the Hon. John Barrett, and from Hon. W. R. Wheeler, assistant secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor, who brings a message direct from President Roosevelt. (Applause.) I hope this will be communicated to all with whom you come in contact, so that this hall may be filled. I think the adjournment should be taken to two o'clock. By Secretary Francis: I have received the following communication: FROM THE MERCHANTS EXCHANGE. The directors and members of the Merchants Exchange extend to the officers and delegates of the Trans-Mississippi Congress the courtesies and privileges of the floor of the Merchants Exchange during your stay in San Francisco, and your badges wi-11 be sufficient for admittance thereto. Trusting that, we may have the pleasure of seeing you on our floor, and wishing you a very successful session in this city, I beg to remain, Yours verv respectfully. JAMES ROLPH, JR., President. By Chairman Briggs: President Case, I now return to you the gavel which you relinquished temporarily to me. « By President Case: Mr. Vice-Chairman, I hope that I can use it to as good advantage as do you. I will, however, use my best efforts. If I fail I will call upon you to take it back. An adjournment was here taken until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. SECOND SESSION The second session of the Congress was called to order at 2:30 o'clock p. m. by Hugh Craig, President of the Ninth Session of the Congress. The Secretary called the roll of states and territories, and the names of those elected for vice-presidents and the various committees, as finally completed, are as follows: \ Ice-Presidents. Alaska— Hon. \v. B Hoggatt, Juneau. Colorado — James M. Peabody, Canon City. Hawaii — James T. Morgan, Honolul .Missouri- Ed. I.. Scarrett, Kansas City. Kansas— J. W. Creech, Herington. Iowa- Levi Baker, Shenandoah. Oklahoma — C. K. Luce, Woodward. Arkansas — C. R. Breckenrldge, .Fori Smith. Nebraska i [enrj T. i llarke, < >ma Utah— John Henrj Smith, Salt Lake City. North Dakota — If. V. Arnold, Larimore. Ti xas -c. C. Slaughter, I 'alias. New Mexico Hon. Geo. Curry, Santa Fe. Nevada — J, B. Waterhouse, Reno. California — A. L. I 'anew. Sacramento. Minnesota — Tains Bixby, sr. Paul. Oregon — A. H. Devers, Portia South Dakota Dr. R. I,. Smith, Ree Heights. Washington — .). \v. Howell, Seattle. Arizona — W. T. I-'. Donald, Phoenix. Idaho — Frank R, Gooding, Boise. Montana — D. R. Peeler, Kalispell. Wyoming — W. S. Collins, Basin. Louisiana — W. W. Galliard, Donaldsonville. Philippines — John Gibson, .Manila. U. C. T. — Robert Starr. T. P. A. — Qrrin S. Henderson. I Sxecul i\ <■ < lommlttee. Alaska — B. M. Behrends, Juneau; J. H. Tarn, Nome. Colorado — Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek. I la waii —Walter F. F: ear, I lonolulu. .\i Issouri- Geo. J. Ta nsey, St. Louis. Kansas — John Dudley, Kansas City. Oklahoma — J. J. Gerlach and D. P. Marum, Woodward. l.uva — Robt. Hunter, Sioux City. Arkansas Geo. Sengel, Fort Smith. Nebraska F. W. Brown, Lincoln. Utah — L. W. Shurtllff, Ogden. North Dakota— N. <;. Larimore, Larimore. Texas W. W. Turney, El P New Mexico L. Bradford Prince, Si nta Fe. Nevada- < »sca r J. Smil h, Reno. i :a lifornla O. 1 1. Miller, Saci amento. Minnesota Hubert Eva, Duluth. i fregon Petei Loggie, North Bend. Soul h I 'a kota J. a. i . ..ii\ Fa lis. Washington Geo. C. Congdon, Seattle. Wyoming Ell Crumrlne, Laramie. Arizona -A. M. < !ona rd, Phoenix. [daho Marcus A. Mea n Li wisl on. Montana J. H. Strain, Great Falls. Loi W. ( '. i tart, N< u i irleans. Philippines Daniel O'Connor, M, I .. McCollough, Manila p l K. C. T. — M. Allison, T. T. P. A. i i trlfflth, I »i i Permanent Organisation. Alaska \V. A. McGinn, Falrbai ( lolorado- Wm. 1 1. Dickson, Denver. I la waii J. Hutchlns, I [onolulu. Kan.-. r Fred I I Qull Una. Missouri Fred W. i TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 35 Oklahoma — D. P. Marura, Woodward. Iowa — Levi Baker, Shenandoah. Nebraska — W. J. Evans, Ogalala. Utah — James D. Murdock. Texas — Ed. F. Harris, Galveston. Nevada — Alfred Chartz, Carson City. California — Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco. Montana — J. H. Strain, Great Falls. Arizona — W. T. F. Donald, Phoenix. Oregon — H. E. Albert. Louisiana — W. O. Hart, Wm. W. Galliard. Philippines — Max L. McCollough, Manila. U. C. T. — C. A. Chintsman. T. P. A. — J. D. Ward. Committee on Resolutions. Alaska — John J. Boyce, Juneau: Thos. R. Lyons, Juneau. Colorado — James F. Callbreath Jr., Denver: Aaron Gove, Denver. Hawaii — J. T. Morgan, Honolulu; L. E. Pinkham, Honolulu. Kansas — C. M. Harger, Abilene; John Dudley, Kansas City. Oklahoma— D. P. Hall, Muskogee; A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee. Iowa — Victor E. Bender, Council Bluffs; Wm. Sonna, Harlan. Nebraska — W. G. Evans, Ogalala. Utah — George M. Cannon; Richanl W. Young. Missouri — Edward L. Scarrett; Walter N. Moore. Texas — Ed. F. Harris; J. H. Rothwell. Nevada — J. F. Waterhouse. California — Leroy A. Wright, San Diego; Geo. C. Pardee, Oakland. Arizona — A. M. Conard, Phoenix; W. T. F. Donald, Phoenix. Oklahoma — D. P. Hall, Muskogee; D. P. Maruni, Woodward. Oregon — E. E. Benedict; Peter Loggie. Louisiana — W. O. Hart; W. W. Galliard. Philippines — Max L. McCollough, Manila. U. C. T. — H. L. Judell; Jack Baumgartner. T. P. A. — Emmett Dunn; S. T. Breyer. When the United Commercial Travelers and the Travelers' Protective Association were called upon, they asked leave, through Mr. H. L. Judell, to act jointly in the appointment of committees, which permission was unanimously granted. By Secretary Francis: I am requested to announce to the delegates present that the California Club, a ladies' club of this city, has invited the visiting members to attend the regular meeting of that club this afternoon at 1750 Clay Street, near Van Ness Avenue. I am further requested to state by Mr. Briggs, that inasmuch as there is an error in the California delegation as reported, in its list of committees, he does not desire to assume the responsibility of determining which one of the two members named for the Committee on Permanent Organization selected, shall remain as the member of that committee for California, and that he leaves to the delegation to select. By Arthur R. Briggs: I desire to add to what the Secretary has said that it is my error that there are two names upon that committee from California. I stated at the meeting at which the committees were selected that we were entitled to two on Permanent Organization and two were named, myself and Mr. Stewart. I now turn it back to the delegation to decide which one shall remain. The California delegation thereupon, in open convention, considered the matter, and, upon motion, which unanimously carried, Mr. Arthur R. Briggs was declared the unanimous choice of the California delegation as its com- mitteeman on Permanent Organization. 36 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Secretary Francis: I state to the convention at large that it has been announced by the California delegation that Mr. Uriggs is the choice of the delegation for their member of the Committee on Permanent Organization. These com- mittees, gentlemen, and particularly the Committee on Resolutions, must organize for business. A room has been provided in the front of the hall for the meetings. If that room is not satisfactory to them, if they will give notice to the Secretary, other quarters will be provided. There will be a stenographer from the Secretary's force at the disposal of the committee, and the office of the Secretary in the front part of the building is for the present designated also for the committees' use. PRESIDENT J. B. CASE IN THE CHAIR. By President Case: Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: We have in store for this afternoon what I am sure you will all agree with me is a treat. President Roosevelt, in his message to Congress two years ago, made this statement, that the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress represented the crystallized commercial and business sentiment of the entire West. We have with us this afternoon Honorable W. R. Wheeler, one of the representatives of the Government, in the Department of Com- merce and Labor, who will represent President Roosevelt and who will now address you. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Honorable William R. Wheeler. (Applause.) PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE CONGRESS PROM PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. II y Hon. Wm. It. Wheeler, Ax.st. S «■<•.> . Dept. of Commerce and Labors Mr. President, Delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: it is Indeed a pleasure as well as an lienor to be af- forded this opportunity, in my home city and in my native State, to address so earnest a body of men, men from the West, men who do things. The President, In delegating me to be his representative, did so. not with a view thai I would add anything of material moment to tin discussion. In fact, lie took me from my office on very, very short notice, ii was more as an earnest of the Interest which he feels in this great West of ours that led him to the view that he should have al this Congress a personal n presentative, l think all of yon know thai the Presidenl is himself a Westerner by adoption. He is doubly so; he first adopted the West, and then the West adopted him. I want to congratulate you, Mr. President, and the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, upon the Interest manifested In this Congress and its work. 1 want to congratulate San Francisco upon having the opportunity of bringing within its gates such a distinguished assemblage as is this. i )i gani/.at ions for Improvemenl are always helpful; moreover, they arc the spirit of the West. The village organizes its Ton Thousand Club, the town organizes its Kilty Thousand Club, and the citj organizes its rive Hundred Thousand or its Million Club, all with a view to promoting the town or city and bettering it. These "uoi together associations," as we might term them, and as I believe thej are often termed, are In line with progress and prosperity. This l take It, Is a gigantic "gel together association." n simply differs from the others In the fad thai 11 lakes In a large geographic area, it is well tJial the world should know what the West contains, and w 1 1 a I lie West's ambitions are. I ,|j,| n0 1 come prepared to make a u y extended address to you, and I do h ,,i therefore, purpose Inflicting upon you extemporaneous remarks made. perhaps, from the thoughl of thi moment, without the necessary study which should always precede the dell of anj address to such a ly as is this. I am come, as l ha i -impi> as a manifestation, and I am here as a manifestation of the President's g I will and of the heartj Interest which he takes In the work which you are doing. (Applause.) is. perhaps, Bubject, (and one only) thai l ran touch upon, appropriate to this occasion, and this Is the BUbjecl of ral When in Albuquerque, a tew days ago, attending thai map. irrigation Con- ge, . i.| there, the thought came to me how Interwoven Is Irrigation with 1. WM. R. WHEELER, isst. Seey. Dent. Commerce ami Labor. THEODORE ROOSEVELT, President United States. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 37 immigration, not only by the alliterativeness of the words but by reason of the fact that irrigation is a sure forerunner of immigration. I know the difficulties under which the Pacific Coast, and in fact, the entire country represented by the delegates here assembled has been, for lack of a rough laborer, you might call it, a hewer of wood and a drawer of water a man to pioneer the way for industries and for cultivation. There has up' to nearly a year ago, been a steadily increasing volume of immigration to the Atlantic Seaboard cities. Of this vast wave of immigration which rolls upon the Atlantic coast, by reason of the very distance at which we are from that coast we could receive, at the best, but a very filmy spray The Department of Commerce and Labor, in the administration of which I have the honor to assist the able secretary, Mr. Straus, is doing, in its way. what it can to better that condition. Recognizing the desirability of a better distribution of immigrants, recognizing the desire, not alone from the standpoint of the needs of the Western people, but also from the standpoint of the betterment of the immigrant himself by causing him to avoi.i the congestion in the great cities of the Atlantic Seaboard, the Department has been exerting itself in that direction. The last Congress passed a bill creating a Division of Information within the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization. This Division of Information is, after all, what we might call a national intelligence office. We have established in New York, Boston, Baltimore and Chicago, offices where tlie alien applying for work is listed and put in communication with people who are in need of such work as he can perform. And I am very glad to say that, while the work is yet very young, the progress that has been made is most gratifying. The Division has, by postal cards with return coupons, advised the farmers of the rural free delivery routes east of the Mississippi of the existence of this Division, and the returns, the applications that are coming in, are most gratifying in number. It only remains to get the office a little further under way, the machinery a little more firmly established, before similar notification will be sent to the west of the Mississippi. This, however, is a tentative arrangement for bringing immigration to the West, to the far West, as we call the territory represented by this body. There is not far off an avenue for the transportation of desirable European immigration, and that is in the Panama Canal. Today the question with the immigrant with regard to coming to California, is, first, the expense of the journey, and second, the complexity of the journey. Both of these will be removed with the completion of this canal, and with the establishment, as will surely follow, of steamship lines direct from the great European ports of immigration to the Pacific Coast gateways. I took occasion a short time ago to ascertain the difference in distance between Naples and New York, and Naples and San Francisco, via Panama. I found that there was about double the distance to San Francisco, possibly a little more. But that of itself is no deterrent. The immigrant minds not the length of the journey. When he can get aboard of the steamer at Naples and be landed at San Diego, or at San Francisco, or at Portland, or at Seattle, as the case may be, without transfer and for approximately the same amount of money for which he would be landed at New York, he will be ready to pay the extra charge for transportation to the land which offers him the greatest inducements, and that, undoubtedly, generally, is the Pacific Coast. This will work to the advantage of the Nation in two ways. It will supply you with what. I take it, is much needed labor; and it will relieve the congestion which is the problem today confronting the immigration authorities on the Atlantic coast. In closing, I 'want to say to you that the canal is not far off, it is com- paratively near at hand. It seems to me it is time that you were thinking of these possibilities, which I have no doubt have occurred to you, but which I merely remind you of now. There is a chance and a possibility in fact, a possibility that makes it amount to a certainty, that this same flow of European immigration will be to a very large extent diverted to the Pacific coast cities in the not far distant future. So I say that it is time that we prepared the way. Gentlemen, I am glad of this opportunity to address you. There are others to follow me who can give you, no doubt, far more of interest in their addresses. But there are none to follow me who can from the heart feel the gratification that I feel in having this opportunity to meet my old friends and the people of the Pacific Coast whom I so dearly love. I thank you. (Applause.) By President Case: Under the rules of the Congress, there is now given an opportunity for the members and delegates to ask questions. If anyone desires to ask a question of Mr. Wheeler, I presume that he will be very glad to answer them. 38 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Hearing none, gentlemen, I now have the honor and the pleasure to introduce to the members of this Congress, or, I should rather say, present to them — I think that would sound better — a member and a distinguished member of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, a gentleman who has distinction as Director of the International Bureau of American Re- publics, representing twenty-one American Republics; a gentleman who has been Minister to three of the South American Republics, and who has taken an interest in this Congress, has been present at nearly every meeting for at least ten years, and has been our vice-president, from the state of Oregon, one whom you know and have heard and are always glad to hear — the nation is glad to hear him. I have the pleasure of introducing to you Honorable John Barrett. (Applause.) \ili!rrx- of Hon. John Barrett, Director General of the International Bureau of the American Benuhlles, Acting as Knvoy F.xt raordinnry anil Minister Plenipotentiary to deliver to the Congress the ineHsanc from Twenty Latin Republic*, By Mr. Barrett, Washington. I>. C.I President Case, Senator Perkins, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen: While I am not as good looking as Assistant Secretary Wheeler, nor have I quite the honor of being a full resident of California, I am somewhat near Wheeler in the respect that, I hope, when he gets a little more l>ald, I will be as good looking as he. I am a resident of the state of Oregon, near at hand, but I landed at Oakland, California, in 1889 — I shall never forget it — at Sixteenth Street, on the 16th day of August, with |16 in my pockets, and I cast my first vote in Oakland. I do not know whether it was for Senator Perkins, but lie has been in public life so long thai it may have been indirectly for him. His worthy service certainly would make me now proud to have voted for him when casting my first ballot. I congratulate the state of California on having as part of the adminis- tration at Washington, a man of Mr. Wheeler's energy and sincerity. In the short time he has been there, he lias made a splendid impression, he lias been a wheel-horse along with Secretary Straus, and has a ri i ord of which you can well be proud. (Applause.) 1 want to say to the California delegation thai when 1 arrived in San Francisco today, a year and a half after being here the last time, 1 was prouder than I have ever before been in my life thai l am an American. When I see the splendid accomplishment of this city, ns wonderful record in recon- structing itself out of the awful ruins of two and a half years ago, it is some- thing of which not only San Francisco and California, but the entire nation may he proud. And 1 am glad to su y that this record has established itself, not only here, but throughout all the world. S;m Francisco is a syn- onym for magnificent enterprise. (Applause.) I want to congratulate the- commercial organizations of the Pacific Coasl upon the meeting that they had yesterday in the form of a ".net -together" club. If there is anything that has Impressed me a1 Washington, in the year or two that 1 have lived there, it is that the Pacific Coasl should work together, that the Trans-Mississippi sen ion should work together, and in thai was- hack up our Senators and our Congressmen, and secure those results which will be SO beneficial to this section. With one state pulling against the other, with one portion of the Trans-Mississippi Bectlon working In opposition to another, we cannot come into our own, and receive thai legislation which Is so necessary to develop a new country. I earnestly pray that this new organization may do a herculean labor, and that as a result we maj see prosperity such as has never before come to the Pacific Coast and the Trans-Mississippi States. (Applause.) Before I go into the perhaps general purpose of my address, i want to make a suggestion in regard to the Trans-Mlssissipp] Commercial Congress. Of course, I would not be so Indiscreet as to Bay where it should i,e held. Hut, the next congress will come just before the meeting of the United States Congress under the new administration. As i understand it. one ot the prin- cipal purposes of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress is to use Influence getting the righl kind of legislation for the Trans-Mississippi section. There- fore, let us make the next congress, without any disrespect to the p one, a record-breaker; let us make the nex1 • - one whose Influence will be fell all over this land. There cannot he any more desirable thin: thai this nexl congress, to be held In Bay October or November of 1909, shall have, as it s foremost guest, the next President of the United States of Ami (Applause.) Of JOHN BARRETT, Washington, D. C. Director-General International Bureau of the American Renuhlics. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 39 course, presidents are a good deal like us ordinary people. And when presi- dents are happy over their election, they will promise all sorts of things, that, a few weeks later, when the whole world is camping on their front dooryard, they will not be so likely to promise. I want to suggest that this congress now, or during its session, appoint a committee, one portion of which will camp in the middle of the city of Cincinnati, and another portion of which will camp in the middle of the city of Lincoln, and the moment the news comes as to which man is elected President, have that committee wait upon the President-elect, and demand of him that he attend the next Trans- Mississippi gathering. (Applause.) And I assure you that if you do it then and do not wait for a week or ten days, you will get the promise. As I say, lie will be so happy in his election, that he will assure you of his presence. And if we can only have the President of the United State's at the next Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress, there will be a dignity and an influence as the result of it, that will carry tremendous weight. All the Senators and all the Congressmen that we want will be with us, if we will only have the President there. I hope you will pardon me for making that little digression, perhaps, from the line of what I am expected to say here today. I am sure we want this congress to be more than an ordinary gathering. We want it to be the greatest organization of its kind in this country, the great non-official congress of the people of the Trans- Mississippi country; and the only way to make it permanent is to make it have influence, influence that makes for results, and you are the kind of men that can do it. I therefore hope that the committee that has in charge the next meeting will pardon me for this little suggestion. I recognize, ladies and gentlemen, that you have so many men upon your program, with diverse subjects to discuss, that I must not take up too much of your time. But I want to say that I come here this afternoon as the director of an institution, an international institution, supported by all the American Republics, and devoted to the development of commerce, of friend- ship, and of peace. With all due respect to any organization that is repre- sented here, I do not think any can have a nobler purpose. The twenty-one American Republics of tne "Western xiemisphere, including the United States, organized the International Bureau some nineteen years ago, for the purpose of making all the countries better acquainted with each other, of making this country know what was done in Latin America, and making Latin America know what there is up here. That organization has been going on in a peaceful, quiet way, until there appeared upon the scene of foreign affairs in Washington one of the greatest men that this country has ever pro- duced, a statesman of splendid ability, a man with a broad horizon, a great lawyer, a man who saw that the destiny of the United States as a powerful nation depended upon the co-operation of other American Republics, a man who stands in the front rank of the statesmen of the world, as a clear-headed Minister of Foreign Affairs — I refer to Honorable Elihu Root. (Applause.) When Mr. Root became Secretary of State, he determined that he must make a journey around Latin America, and that after he had made this jour- ney, this international bureau ought to be made a world-recognized powerful organization for the development of commerce and comity among those coun- tries. And now, thanks to his support, and thanks to the hearty co-operation of all those countries, that bureau is experiencing a prosperity that it has not experienced in the past, and is, in association 'with the business interests of the United States, the business interests of Latin America, the diplomatic interests of North America and the diplomatic interests of South America, opening up an opportunity for the United States and for this Coast which was never appreciated before. But the International Bureau of American Republics can never become a powerful organization, unless it has the sincere co-operation of such organiza- tions as the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, the Chambers of Com- merce and Boards of Trade throughout this country. We are beginning to get that. We have already got it, to a large extent, from Latin-America. Already our correspondence amounts to nearly three or four thousand letters a month. We are sending out each month anywhere from fifteen thousand to twenty-five thousand pieces of printed matter, and all over the world. We have increased our staff nearly fifty per cent. And today I believe this country is awakening to the fact that it is time to stop looking merely to the East and merely to the West, that it is time to l,ook also to the South, to see what is the opportunity there. I am greatly in earnest in this matter. I mean everything I say. And the more I study the field, from Mexico and Cuba south to Argentina and Chile, the more i realize that we must not neglect it any longer. I gave up the opportunity of going as an ambassador in order to take this work. But I never would have taken it, unless I had known that I had the backing of such a man as Root, unless I had believed that I had the backing of the business and commercial interests of this country. 40 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS I want the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress to be one of the great levers by which the international bureau shall make the people of the Trans- Mississippi section appreciate what a vast opportunity for our commercial ex- pansion and our home prosperity there is in this South and (Vntral American country. I Applause.) It is such a big field that I cannot do justice to it here this afternoon. But I want to emphasize and warn you that there is danger of irreparable injury, irreparable injury to the Pacific Coast and to the Trans- Mississippi section, unless it begins almost now, instantly, to realize that opportunity and do everything that it can to make itself better acquainted with it. and to make that section better acquainted with us. I am not indulging in any exaggeration when I point out to you that the countries of Europe today are struggling harder to get the trade right in your front door, as it were, than is the United States. I indulge in no exaggeration when I tell you that at this moment the government "f Japan is doing more to get in touch with the great trade of the west coast of South Ame' ca than is the government of the United States. Those arc hard facts, but they are true. It is no discredit to Europe, it is no discredit to Japan. I say it not in any spirit of criticism. It is to the credit of both Europe and Japan that they are doing it. But we should be up and doing, working all the harder, to see that our position is not lost. Those countries realize that, just as soon as the Panama Canal is com- pleted, it will give the United States an advantage that it never had before, that there will be a mighty commercial development all along the west coast such as it has never experienced before. And they are therefore sending to Latin America, especially to the west coast "f Latin America, today, their best diplomatic officers, their best consuls, their best commercial agents, their best representative men, in order to get a hold from which it will be difficult to oust them when we wake up to a real comprehension of the opportunity. The Latin American field is so vast that I can only give you one or two general statements that will make you comprehend it. Then I want to follow them with one or two brief statements in regard to the twelve republics just south of us, bordering on the Pacific Ocean, our own close neighbors, which should be in the closest touch with the Pacific Coast of the United States and the Trans-Mississippi country. But the Trans-Mississippi country includes Texas and Louisiana, as part of it — territory bordering upon the Gulf of Mexico as well as upon the Pacific Ocean. So I will just call your attention to the general field in a brief word. There are twenty-one American Republics. The United States we might call the first or the twenty-first. The other twenty are Latin Republics — we call them Latin because they are descended from the Latin races of Southern Europe. The United States is Anglo-Saxon, So it is almost the proportion of twenty to one against us. These twenty-one republics, including the United States, cover a total area of twelve millions of square miles. Think of it! But of that, the United States proper, without Alaska, has only three millions. In other words, our sister republics occupy three-quarters of the total area of the American Republics. Think id what that means in regard to natural resources and the greal competition in commerce and trade in the future. When we consider population, we find that the twenty-one republics, including the United States, have a population of approximately one hundred and sixty millions. Bui of that, our sister republics, though often despised and disregarded, have seventy millions. There are seventy millions of people, with a future to work out, just as we have, and it is for us to stop and think whether we are ^oing to have those seventy millions ami the increment of influence which is going to be reaped, on our side ami with us in the race of nations, or have them againsl us. Unless we begin very soon, there is danger that it may he extremely difficult lor us to overcome the prejudice there is against us. I indulge, I say, in no criticism of ourselves, but I simply state a fact when I remind you thai we have pursued in the past too much of a "holier than thou" attitude towards them. We have patronized Latin America too much. We have taken the position that we were "it," and the "only thing," and that they were hardly worthy of consideration. Ami when we. as the belle of the hall, were willing to dance with any outsider, it has been some Kuropean nation, or Japan, or China, while the Latin American Republics had to he the wall flowers. Bui we forget that they are young girls, as it were, and that, Kirl-like, they may give us thd "mitten" when we ask them to dance with us. It is high time, therefore, that while they are yet in their youth, as they are now. just about in the position where we wore fifty years ago, we should show them that we are thoroughly Interested in their welfare and in their progress and development. Now I come to a salient comparison that I think probably many of you have thought of a good many times, and at other times discussed. Before I state it, 1 want to say that there is no man here who has more respect for Japan than have I; no man here who [ s more interested in China than am I. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 41 Fifteen years ago it was my privilege to write letters to the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco and to the newspapers here, urging them to develop their commerce in this Trans-Pacific world, and I was made fun of because I prophesied those things that came true long years before even I thought they would. I have been criticized by the news- papers of San Francisco, ten or twelve years ago, because I predicted the future of the Orient, its mighty power and influence and prosperity. I was ridiculed in sucn terms that it made me feel that my efforts were not appre- ciated. But everything that I predicted there, and more has come true. I say that, while I respect and admire Japan and China, and believe we should leave no effort unmade to get ourselves in touch with that part of the world, we should leave no stone untouched to develop our trade with the Orient, it would be criminal if, in our attention to that part of the world, we neglected our own sister republics to the south of us. My friends, if the Pacific Coast of the United States would spend one-tenth of the money that it has spent to exploit itself in the Orient, in exploiting Lati^ America, it would get five times the return that it has received from the Orient. If the United States Government had spent one-twentieth of the money that it has in the Far East to make its position stronger in South America we would have now twenty times the returns from the effort. (Applause.) I want to give you just one illustration of what I mean. Down in South America is the great Argentine Republic, half as large as the United States, a great white man's land, a country of wondrous vigor and influence and power. There are only six millions of people down there — only six millions. There are nearly fifty millions in Japan- — the great Japan that has conquered Russia in war. There are from three to four hundred millions in China, that great empire that is awakening, that vast empire that has always been represented to us as our only field for trade in the Pacific — forgetting South America. But I want to call your attention, as a home blow, as it were, a blow against this idea that South America is inconsequential, to the fact that last year those six millions of Argentines, who look like you, who feel like you, a splendid race of splendid men and splendid women, carried on a greater foreign trade than Japan with her fifty millions or China with her three hundred millions. (Applause.) The total foreign trade of Argentina last year amounted to six hundred millions of dollars, and it was bona fide trade, every dollar of it. That is merely by way of illustration. If you will take the population of Chile and Bolivia, of Peru and Ecuador, and Colombia, and Mexico, and Central America, on the West Coast, and compare the total population to the total trade, you will see there too, a business which completely transcends the business of the Orient. I say, keep at the Orient, let us develop their buying and their selling capacity, let us do all we can to make the Orient prosperous and get the benefit of it. But do not, in so doing, let us neglect that which is in our own front yard, as it were, our own sister republics. The total foreign trade last year of the twenty-one republics of the Western Hemisphere amounted to a little over five billions of dollars, exports and imports. Of that, the share of these nations to the south of us, amounted to over two billions of dollars. In other words, Latin America conducted over one-third of the total foreign commerce of the Western Hemisphere of republics, including the United States. If they can do that in their present stage of development, what are they going to do twenty or thirty years from now, when billions of foreign dollars have been invested within them, when railroads have been constructed, the Panama Canal has been opened, and revolutions have been done away with? Why, any man with any sense of arithmetic can draw his own conclusions. I said revolutions. What a misnomer! Just because there is a little trouble in some small American republic we are prone to forget that the greater portion of Latin America is free from revolutions. It is a fact that three-quarters of the Latin American Republics in area, and three- quarters of Latin America's population, have known no revolutions in the last fifteen years. And yet, because a little trouble occurs here or there, we talk about the prevalent and characteristic conditions of revolution in Lating America. A great financial paper of Europe the other day announced that European capital invested in the majority of the South American countries today was returning a larger dividend than the capital invested in the United States, and that the bonds of several of the Latin American countries were selling as high as those of the United States. So let us not live in too much of a glass house. I would like, as a matter, perhaps of reducing a little our pride, to remind you that the area of Brazil is greater than the connected area of the United States, and you could throw into the surplus the state of California. I would like to remind you, too that out of the mouth of the Amazon River flows every morning three times as much as out of the Mississippi. I would like to remind 42 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS i you that ships of twenty-five feet draft can "iily go as far as New Orleans in the Mississippi River, while the same shins can go two thousand miles up the Amazon River, i>ut l have not time to so Into the details of such a comparison. 1 would like to call your attention to the city of Uiienos Ayres, a city of one million two hundred thousand people in South America, growing- faster than any city In the United Stales with the exception of New York and Chicago, and possibly San Francisco, a city that Is today giving us lessons of how to govern itself, a city of splendid parks and boulevards, of splendid schools, two great opera houses, and clubs and all those features of modern civilization, of which the world can be proud. I would like to tell you how Rio Janeiro is reaching near the million mark In population, and is spending over fifty million dollars in public Improvements, overcoming the obstacles of the tropics, and making itself one of the show cities of the world. I would like to tell you that the Argentine Republic spent ten million dollars in governmental Irrigation before the government of the United States had undertaken its Brat work of that kind. The Brazilian government is today appropriating more money for improvement of its rivers ami harbors than Is the great government of the United States. (Applause.) I would like to tell you. further, that the city of Valparaiso, your own neighbor, your own fellow-sufferer In an earthquake, is about to expend fifteen million dollars in building the finest artificial harbor on the Pacific Coast, in order that it may draw its share of the commerce of the Pacific Ocean. I would like to telL yon how Santiago has followed your splendid example here rebuilding itself after the earthquake; how Chile is spending titty millions of dollars to build a great longitudinal railway of over a thousand miles through the length of the country, and how the government of Bolivia is spending fifty millions of dollars tor a railway system; and so on. But I have not time to go into all those details today — it would be too long a story. What I am getting at is this: I am coming to the point of making you appreciate that we must get in touch, particularly with those twelve republics bordering on the Pacific Ocean. Those twelve republics — .Mexico first, then Guatemala, Salvador, and Honduras, Nicaragua. Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, K.uador, Peru. Bolivia and Chile — all of which you are just entering upon a period of development which must appeal to you. Mexico, right south of you, is just commencing to do the very thing that should appeal to this Pacific Coast. Heretofore it has been the central and eastern portions of Mexico that have experienced progress. Now they are beginning to develop the west coaBt of Mexico, a mighty west coast, like the ««*»»■* A A n*.t **e enlif.n-iiiii o t"» A Hrofrnn Q ,1 . 1 \\* 'i ^ l-i i r\ o-t r,n TM-,*iTr ot«o beCTilinin ' to establish v, from the , Guatemala. And during the next ten years you are going to see a development along the west coast of America that will be greater than the best development in the central and eastern portions of it. It is, therefore, high time that \\ e should get In touch with those coun- tries and that section from which there are to come such great opportunities. A short time ago one of the great financial papers of London estimated that over a billion dollars would be Invested in the west coast of Mexico during the next ten years by Europe, in addition to the money that will com,. from the United States. I wish l had time to go Into detail and give you the particulars' of the enterprises that are waiting for our capital In Mexico, but T have not. Just south of Mexico is Guatemala. Guatemala has been connected with Mexico by th,. i'an-.\merican Railway, Thej have built a railroad across from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific In Guatemala South of that we find Honduras, a terra incognita With great resources; Nicaragua, its coast section well developed; and Costa Rica, a peaceful land of great prosperity, now just completing a railway from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean Sea. What about those live countries, those Ave Central American Republics, your own neighbors that havi oion been regarded as the land of revolution, but which have within the last year signed the most advanced treaty for interna- tional peace that the world has ever known? (Applause.) in the chambers of the international ibir.au of A rlcan Republics I saw the plenipotentiaries ,,|- those nve countries, In the presence of Mr. Creel, the Ambassador of Mexico, ami Mr. Buchanan, the representative of the United stales, sign a treaty by which they agreed to Bett dispute without appeal to arms — a thousand times more advanced 'ban even the great Hague conference. (Applause.) The test is Just now coining. Ami we may yet see the most civiii/.ed ami progressive nations of Europe and the United states taught a TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 43 lesson by these Central American countries. In other words, a child shall lead them. If that treaty proves a success, gentlemen, there is opportunity for the investment of a hundred million dollars of Trans-Mississippi capital, with a consequent development of the exchange of trade between that section and this, which will bring great prosperity to Los Angeles, to San Francisco, to Portland, to Tacoma, and to Seattle, and also to the ports of the Gulf of Mexico, of the Trans-Mississippi section. I might speak to you of Panama. Panama is not merely t.»e home of the canal. It is a land of thirty thousand square miles, of great productiveness when it shall be opened up. As to the Panama Canal, my friends, I want to call your attention to the fact that that enterprise marks and is perhaps the greatest monument that this country has ever constructed to show to the world what American per- sistency and courage and enterprise can accomplish. When I go back to the days that tried men's souls, and I use that "bromide" of speech with sincerity — it was the time that tried men's souls, and I may be pardoned a personal reference, as some of you know that I have the honor of being your first Minister there, and of bringing about the solution of the questions surrounding the government of Panama and the government of the Canal Zone. When General Davis, as Governor of the Canal Zone, and myself as Minister, went down to Panama, we found the isthmus one solid jungle, with millions of dollars' worth of French machinery standing up there in the forest like great specters or ghosts of the past. We found no drainage, we found no water systems, we found only a single track of railway, we found nothing but poor hospitals, no home for our employees, and we found mosquitoes, mosquitoes everywhere, malaria everywhere, and death-striking yellow fever stalking in every street, and into every building and home. I remember so well one Sunday night I gave a dinner to about ten of the younger men connected with the work. There was the chief architect of the Canal Zone, just about to marry a beautiful girl in Chicago; the chief auditor of the Canal Zone, who had a wife and six little children watching for his return; the stroke oar of the Harvard crew, who had just come down after graduation to assist in that work there; and a young alumnus of Cornell who had gone down there to assist in the surveying work. On the following Saturday I followed those four men to the grave, and saw them buried beneath tne yellow clay. And many a lovely girl who came down as the wife, sister, or daughter of the employees, I saw buried in that somber little cemetery. So I say to you that those were times that tried men's souls. And that lasted for a time. All credit to the boys of the United States and the girls of our country who stood at their posts and enabled us to pass through that dread period. What has happened now? The jungle has disappeared; the railroad is double-tracked; the mosquitoes are gone; drainage is everywhere, splendid water-works, splendid hospitals, splendid homes for our laborers, and every- where the evidence of American persistency and courage. (Applause.) That has taught a lesson to our sister republics, and today we find the Central American countries and the South American countries in the tropics all sending their scientists and specialists to Panama to learn how it has been done in order that they may conquer the same dangers in the tropics. You are going to see the result of that influence in the growth of population and trade all through the tropical section, which will gain an enormous heritage to the United States in its exchange of commerce, if we will but take advantage of our opportunities. My friends, this Pacific Coast, from Mexico south to Chile, reaches along some six thousand miles. Think of what that means with its ports and its hack country! Those twelve republics have now an annual foreign trade of six hundred "and fifty-five millions of dollars. Think of that! These neglected countries on the west coast of North and South America with an annual foreign trade of six hundred and fifty-five millions! When we analyze this, we find that four hundred millions of it is with other countries than the United States, leaving only two hundred and fifty-five millions of trade with the United States, and that includes both ex- ports and imports. This trade should be at least two-thirds in our hands, and if you will analyze the list of imports of that great coast line, you will find that a large proportion of them could be supplied by the Trans-Mississippi and Pacific Coast States of the United States. We find in those twelve republics twenty millions of people. I think the Domilation of the Pacific Coast States— California, Oregon and Washington- is about three or four millions, and the total population of the countries debouching on the Pacific Ocean is twenty millions, a population that is going to increase rapidly when their conditions are improved. V* e find again, those twentv millions of people conducting a greater foreign trade than the fifty millions of people of Japan, or the three hundred millions of China. And vet we hardly feel acquainted with them. There are so many things that come to my mind which might help to 44 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS right this situation, that I have not time to go through them. But one of the first tilings that comes to me is this: The absolute necessity of improv- ing our steamship facilities. (Applause.) We must have fast express, mail and passenger steamers running from San Francisco and Portland and Tacoma and Seattle and Los Angeles and San Diesro, to the ports of Mexico and Central America and South America, just as much as we have fast express, mail ami passenger trains on land. (Applause.) Could San Francisco conduct its business with Los Angeles and Portland and the rest of the world if its business men had to travel on freight trains, if its mails were carried in freight trains? You say we have water connection witli those ports down there. But you have got to bring the business men of those countries to this Coast, and to the Trans-Mississippi country gener- ally, and our business men have K"t t" go down there, if you are going to develop trade. Your letters from your great export and import houses have got to go down in quick time, and answers have got to come back quickly, if you are going to compete with Europe and with .Japan and the east coast of the United States. It is as foolish to say that we can go on with the present facilities as to say that it would be sufficient to travel from here to New York in the slowest-going freight trains that there are on the Union Pacific. It is a simple case of two and two making four. We are neglecting an oppor- tunity that the rest of the world is appreciating'. Europe is considering how she can improve her steamship facilities, as is Japan also, with that part of the world. And we, I am afraid, are sitting idly by. I watch the New York "Herald" and the San Francisco papers, and I see that your rich men and your men of business who have been prosperous and want to spend a little money, always go over to Europe, or to the Orient; they never think of going down to South America. I wish there could be a change in this matter of travel, and that business men of this section, and of the Trans-Mississippi country generally, when they travel, would go down the west coast of Smith America, and hack up the east coast. If they did they would learn a lesson that would be very helpful to you here. Another thing. They do not know enough about us in the right way. I would like to see the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco, and of these other cities of the Pacific ("oast, ami the Trans-Mississippi section, prepare carefully descriptive pamphlets of their trade facilities in the Spanish lan- guage — in correct Spanish, and not written in Pigeon Spanish. "When I think of my experience as a Minister in Latin America in three different coun- tries, and remembered the Spanish of Americans who had never been in Latin America, I imagined whal would be the condition if you had circulars sent up here from Spanish America written or translated by the Spanish or Latins who had never learned the English language. Let us send invitations down there, written in the purest and best Spanish, inviting them to come here. Let us advertise in their newspapers. We are neglecting that held entirely. They have great newspapers all over the territory. Let the great export and import merchants of this Coast, and of the Trans-Mississippi section, advertise In the newspapers of the west coast of South America, and you will see results that ymi have never seen before. I want to see, moreover, a large element of our young men studying the Spanish language. (Applause.) I want to see b large proportion of the youth of this State, under the able direction "f the Presidenl of the University of California, Benjamin Ide Wheeler, studying the Spanish language and edu- cated to the habits ami ways "f thinking <>f the Latin Americans, so that they can represent you down there in a creditable manner and be well received. In addition to that. I want to see an Invitation given out from this State to Latin America to send their young people up here to learn the English lan- guage, and learn our ways, habits, and country. Today, ninety per cent of the youth of Latin America are going to Europe in order to be educated. The tide should be turned. It should be just the reverse, and ninety per cent of them should come to this country for their education. Further, I want to suggest to you, in the greatesl of sincerity, that all of you should study that pari of the world, just as you read about the Eastern States, or you read about Europe and Asia, and get into sympathy and touch with them, learn of their historical deeds, learn of their great resources, ami their great possibilities, and then you will i ,, n admira- tion that will be a greal mora] Bentimenl all through this country for the development of closer relations with thai pan of the world. Now. I beg of you, riot to postpone action, i do not want to see this Congress break up this after] n, and finally close its session her.- and per- haps say. "Barrett told us some Interesting tilings.'' and let thai be all I want to see action. 1 want to see this Trans Mississippi Commercial Congress pass resolutions appreciative of thai great held down there, it j s with great pleasure that I was able to secure the co-operation of both Mr. Taft and Mr Bryan in putting Into the Democratic and Republican platforms a plank in favor of recognizing their Importai and the development of trade relations with them. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 45 It was announced that I would say a word here today in behalf of the Latin American Ambassadors and Ministers. I do that. I communicated with each one of them some time ago, and told them of this Congress. 1 not need to explain it, because two years ago you remember the great Con- gress tnat was held in Kansas City, which was addressed by Mr. Root and Mr. Bryan and Secretary Shaw, and others of national prominence. To that Congress seven or eight of the diplomats of Latin America went and made speeches of historical significance. That Congress was talked about, not only in Sout-. America, but in Europe and in Japan. One of the leading papers of TokiO published over a thousand words of Mr. Root's speech, with selec- tions from the speeches of the other Ministers. The great papers of Europe did the same thing. That had an influence, one that was so great that every Ambassador and Minister knew all about this Congress when I communi- cated with him. Every one of them wrote to me, without exception, to this effect, that they regretted that the lateness of the season and the distance from Washington and the meeting of the great tuberculosis congress in Washington prevented their acceptance. Nearly every Ambassador and Minister attended as a delegate to the tuberculosis congress in the National Capital — that was their first duty, and it largely prevented their coming here. But every one of them expressed the deepest sympathy with you in your work, the closest interest in what you are trying to accomplish, and said that every one of the Latin American Republics would co-operate with you in educating popular sentiment alike in North and South America to an appreci- ation of the importance of improving and developing a Pan-American com- merce and comity. (Applause.) My closing words — and you will pardon me for just touching the high places, for that is all I have done, and there are lots of high places down in those Latin American Republics — I desire to tell you of a journey of nearly two thousand miles that I took along the slope of the Andes Mountains, to see that great ■western section which would be opened by the Panama Canal. But I see that I have not time to go into it. I would like to do so, because a large portion of that country appears to be in the tropics, whereas in reality those great plateaus at an elevation of nine thousand and ten thousand feet, covering enormous areas, have a climate that is like that of California, and can spport millions of people like those of our Pacific Coast here. When the Panama Canal is an accomplished fact, and you get into closer touch with that country, you will be surprised to see the possibilities, and what can be accomplished now under the conditions as they exist. My final word is not merely material. I do not wish you to go away from here and say, "What this man has said to us is merely an appeal to our pocketbooks. merely an appeal to our business interests.'' I want you to go away and feel that I have exhorted you to remember this: That all of those twenty American Republics to the south of us today are watching closely everything that we do. everything that you and I do, to see whether we are worthy to lead them, to see whether we are worthy to be called the big brother or the" big sister of all these other nations. They are not so much watching us to see whether we will improve our steamship facilities, whether we will sell to them our products and buy their products; they are rather waiting to see whether the great citizenhood of this country will solve the mighty problems of state confronting this Nation today successfully, and therefore point out to them the way. They are watching every discussion in our National Congress, every action of our President and every public man, and the attitude of the American people on all of these issues, to see whether we have the moral strength and moral fortitude to stand the stress. the pressure of matters merely material, to stand the temptation to get rich quickly — in fine, to become a great moral force. It depends upon the people of California and of the Trans-Mississippi country as well as upon those in New England and the East, upon every man here as well as upon the Presi- dent and Congress of the L T nited States, as to whether we hold to the true moral standard to which they expect us to hold. I hope that the delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress and the people of His Nation are going to be aware of this fact, and to enable our country to stand before South America with such ideals, with such purposes, such hopes, such acts and deeds, that we shall be loved, loved permanently, loved affectionately, by all of our sister republics. I thank you. (Great applause.) By President Case: There has come to us from Honolulu- a good delegation, and those of you who attended the Congress at Muskogee last year will remember that, even at that long range, Hawaii sent to us a good, strong delegation. We that come from the far Eastern section of this territory, from Kansas City and St. Louis, think that we come quite a distance. But when one 46 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS thinks of riding eight days. I know that the members of this Congress appreciate such a delegation. One of the vice-presidents of this Congress is the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu, and I take great pleasure in introducing to you the Honorable James F. Morgan, who will discuss the subject of Hawaii and Pearl Harbor. (Applause.) kDDRESS ON HAWAII IND PEARL HARBOR, lly Honorable Jamea r. Morgan, Prealdcnl Honolulu Chamber of Commerce. Mr. President, Delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Oongress, Ladies and Gentlemen: I became so interested in thi address of Mr. Barrett thai T really forgol thai I was to address you. When we first considered attending this Congress, Hawaii fell that it could not send much of a delegation, bul lasl i nj ress treated us so handsomely and the Federal Government made such appropriations for us, thai it was felt that there was nothing thai could possibly be obtained at the hands of this convention. i : nt in thinking the matter over again, we felt that it was a matter thai concerned us. thai it certainly concerned the whole Nation, one matter in particular thai I shall refer to later. And it was determined to be well repn i nt< d a1 this Congress. While I am here, 1 wish to exti nd my thanks and the thanks of Hawaii to the members of this convention for their work in assisting- us last year in bringing to a focus the appropriations for thai maud naval harbor, Pearl Harbor. We thank also I gressmen who devoted their untiring' efforts in assisting us in attaining thai desired i There are three matters I cern us about which r will speak to you briefly. One of them, and one thai concerns us a great deal, is the matter of tariff revision, which will evidently take place after the next election. On this we are nol going to make any special appeal. Our chief product is sugar, of which we shall export this year some forty million dollars' worth. AVe would like to have the tariff remain as it is. But, as a loyal territory to this country, we are perfectly Willing to join in With others and assist, and give all the in- formation that w« possibly can ". h i <• 1 1 will tend to have our Congress revise the tariff In such a way that it will assist all of this country. Another matter thai concerns us greatly is the matter of immigration, situated the distance that we arc from the mainland, we are not in the position of other tropical and semi-tropical countries, w y have a larger proportion of their popu- lation than can be used as laborers. We have to Import laborers. We are overrun there with Japanese. There are some forty-five thousand Japanese on the plantations, and we consider them a menace, indeed, to Americanizing our territory. We have done our utmosl to bring into that country immigrants thai will turn oul true Americans and will assist us in mil' work. So far, how- ever, we have been blocked. Fears ago, under the monarchy and under the republic at first, the Board of Immigration was allowed to import laborers. since annexation, we have been allowed, in fact last year, to make an im- portation Of S( ■ four thousand Portuguese, who Will make g I citizens. the last Co would not allow us to assist Immigrants, but told us we could gel them after they had landed in New fork. We have established a bureau then . and are willing to al Ide by the laws and do everything possible to build up our country, bul we think tl ould be made some allowance by which we can assist our Immigrants, si them so as to make it really a n A in i nca n territory. We will nol pri b< n1 a resolution nor a recommemia tin a for a change o1 laws bei tuse we will abide by the good will of the a mil ica n people in thli conned Ion. Another mailer thai s us Is the matter of the disappearance of the ericai rchant marine fn We down there have a line of steamships thai carry our augars away, and it Is, I believe, the onl> large line Ing the American Hag. On the Atlantic the flag has nearly disappeared. Ii i Mere ;, n,,\.ll- I'. ..|.|e traveling upon the water, wishing tO -see tlieil OWn flag, are disappoint ed. We Want a law such that B Subsidy, Or a small subsidy, will be granted, thai win so build up the American shipping that it win not be necessary for our navs to be followed around by colliers carrying foreign flags to supply them fuel on their voyages. There are ] pi,. [ n the .Middle West who do not. as 1 u nde is t a n , I verj thoroughly comprehend the situation with reference to American shipping. I am told that a bill would have passed the la bul thai Beven votes were lacking. The votes of the Pacifli i . ■ bul some of the Interior states could not understand how vltallj important Is rican commerce upon the Pacific, or how rapidly it is being wiped out. v- an aggressive nation In the Japanese activity striving for the supremacy of thl Tf the American people ke.p .,11 going as thej have been going, the supremacy of the ocean will easilj K<< to the Japanese. We want the American dag to be there, and we want the c more, t,, t.e Ami rican. We do nol want Buch a condition to arise JAMES F. MORGAN, Honolulu, T. H. Vice-President for Hnvraii. vr< • TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 47 as that the American flag will be a novelty as it is upon the Atlantic. The people of the Middle West should realize this, and, through their representa- tives, aid us in this matter. We do not want to assist in building up a Japanese commerce. If conditions keep on as they are going, it will be a novel spectacle to the world at large. This nation will appear as a nation of mighty people, a nation of progressive people, a nation of eighty millions of people who are simply marooned on their own continent, and not having vessels enough to supply their commerce. A resolution has been prepared by the delegation from Hawaii which will be presented, asking you to assist us, as you did with the Pearl Harbor appro- priation, toward the rehabilitation and the growth of American commerce upon the Pacific Ocean. I thank you. (Applause.) By President Case: We have in store for you this evening an entertainment of a decidedly educational kind. The National Government in the Reclamation Service will be represented here tonight by moving pictures of the irrigation plants, of the different canals, also of the things of interest now being constructed by the National Government, together with a lecture explaining each picture by Hon. C. J. Blanchard, chief statistician of the Reclamation Service. To those of you who have not seen those pictures, I want to assure you that you will have a treat. I know that you will be greatly pleased with them. The entertainment will begin this evening promptly at eight o'clock. You are all invited, and your neighbors, and we hope that we will have a full house. Tomorrow's program will be announced in the morning papers. It will be an interesting one. We shall have a great many distinguished men with us. Is there any announcement you desire to make, Mr. Secretary? By Secretary Francis: Tomorrow there is the resolution hour, and all delegates having reso- lutions must prepare them in triplicate, one for the official record, one for the Secretary, which goes to the committee, and one for the newspapers. The Committee on Resolutions should be called together by some member of that body, and proceed to work as soon as possible. Some member of it should arrange for a place of meeting. The same thing applies to the Committee on Permanent Organization. In the absence of any place to meet, or any selection, the Congress offers the room in front of the building, with sufficient capacity to accommodate fifty members. By a Delegate: There seems to be no one requesting a meeting of the Resolutions' Committee. I suggest that it meet in the room in the front of this building at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, if there is no objection to that. By the President: If there is no objection, members who have been selected from the various states on the Committee on Resolutions will meet at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. We will now adjourn until tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. THIRD SESSION Tuesday, October 6, 1908. By Vice-President Pryor, San Antonio. Texas: According to the program arranged for tonight, we adjourned this afternoon until 8 o'clock, at which time Mr, C. J. Blanchard of the Recla- mation Service was to give us some stereopticon views. He is the statistician of this Service, and could explain all the details in the way of irrigation and reclamation service if he were here. Unfortunately his slides have not arrived, and the exposition of this will have to be put off until tomorrow- night. The Congress will now come to order, and after handling some routine business, I will call on some gentleman for short addresses which I hope will be entertaining to you. The Secretary will occupy the time of the convention for a few minutes. (The Secretary called the roll of the various states and territories for the organization of the committees of the Congress.) By Vice-President Pryor: The Secretary will now read his report. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. M\ Spcrctiirj I'rniicis: Mr. Chairman and members of the Executive Committee of the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress: Gentlemen: I herewith submit my reporl of receipts and disbursements. Permanent memberships at $5.00 i a \ <■ been received as fellows: J. R. Case, Abilene, Kansas: i;. .\i. Bressie, Bressie, Okla. ; Ike T. Pryor. San Antonio, Texas; R. C. Spaulding, Ardmore, iorado - J. B. Whlttier, Decatur, Neb.; W. L. Wright, Pomona, CaL; F. C. Dreseher, Sac- ramento, CaL; E. R. Lllienthal, San Francisco, CaL; F. J. Coster, San Kran- cisco, Cal.; I >. R. Francis, St. Louis, Mo.; L. A. Desmond, Highland, San Ber- nardino County, CaL; W. L. Steinweg, North Yakima. Wash.; N. ll. Latimer, Seattle, Wash.: M. F. Henderson, Portland, Ore.; N, <;. Larimore, North Dakota; Wm. I-'. Herrln, San Francisco, CaL; Henry <;. w. Dinkelspiel, San Francisco, CaL; Richard A. Riepe, Ely, Nevada; w. I ». Simmons, si. Louis, Mo.; A. L. Stetson, l. os Angeles, CaL; W. F. i:. Mills, Denver, Colorado; Theo. B. Wilcox, Portland, Ore.; X. M. Tabor, Denver, Colorado; s. I.. Kline, Corvallis, Oregon; < v ll. Bessent, Norman, Okla.; Robert Newton Lynch, Petaluma, CaL; E. E Brehm, Seattle, Wash.; Phineas F. Ferguson, San Francisco, Cal i '. ll. W. Ross. Ellensburg, Wash.; A. B. Poole, Topeka, Kansas; J. T. McChesney, Everett. Wash.; .loin, w. Noble, St. I, .oils, Mo.; J. H. Brady, Pocati o Idaho. a. M. Conard, Nogales, Arizona; Aaron Gove, Denver, Colo.; R. I .. Northup! |..i.i. Kansas; James M. Brlnson, Crippb Creek, Colo.; J. w. Creech, I i>i ington' Kansas; .las. i '. Morrow, Washington, Kansas; S. < '. !•;. Holland. Victoria] Texas; R. < '. Kerens, si. Louis, Mo.; Will C, Barnes, Albui x. M.; W. s. Collins, Basin, Wyoming; B. Rockwell, Junction City, Kansas; Charles A. Stokes, Denver, Colorado; E. ll. Forney, Abilene, Kansas: Truman G. Palmer, Washington, I >. C; Jessi Knight, Provo, Utah; <:. j, Tansey, st. Rouis, Mo.; M.' TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 49 B. Augustin, Seattle,, Wash.; W. M. Ladd, Seattle Wash ■ R T n»rr ni » Twt Sfr GS : ^bffilX¥T■ B 5 ^*^•^*»^ SenSim; Deny™' Coo 1 : lado, Geo. T. Odell Salt Lake City, Utah; James F. Callbreath Denver Colo • B. A. Lockwood, Des Moines, Iowa; Thomas Burke, Seattle Wash ' L R Seeley, Portland, Ore.; Geo. F. Fry Crinole Creek fnin ■ p w -a" ■ • Oakland, Cal.; J. M Wright, Cripple' Cree^ Colofrien^T. OxSVd^oKd' Cal.; Thomas F. Walsh, Denver, Colo.; Peter Log-g-ie North R^iJ i v££ ■ Chas. A. Fellows, Los Angeles, Cal.; D. P. Khigsley ^New -York City.' ' Receipts. June 29, 1907. Balance . . , n „ n April 25,1908. Books (John W. Noble) .'.'.'. innn July 1.1908. Membership Fee 1909 (Geo. H. Monroe).':"."" 500 July 1, 1908. Membership Fee 1909 (Geo. M. Perine) £00 July 1, 1908. Membership Fees . . ....'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.\'.\ 540.00 „. , $600.00 Disbursements. Nov. 8,1907. Supplies (W. D. Armstrong) $19 00 Jan. 15,1908. Midland Terminal .... 3 38 Jan. 17, 1908. Stenographer Salary (M. P. Marsh) 1'nn Jan. 20,1908. P.O.Box *« Jan. 22, 190S. Typwriting (R. C. Franks) " 10 00 Jan. 22,1908. Midland Terminal 2 70 Feb. 1,1908. Stenographer Salary '" sn'oo Feb. 8,1908. Printing (Star Publishing Co.).. ..'..'. .'.'"""" 300 Feb. 15, 1908. Postage and Clerical Work " 45'nn Feb. 19,1908. Telegram 40 March 1, 1908. Stenographer Salary 50'oO March 2,1908. Printing (Star Publishing Co.) 2*00 March 9,1908. Framing Pictures ' " 2 40 March 14, 1908. Manila Envelopes 250 March 17, 1908. Typewriting (Bertha Briney) 44 00 April 1,1908. Stenographer Salary '" 50 00 April 1, 1908. Printing (Star Publishing Co.) ' ' s'oo April 1, 1908. Freight (Midland Terminal) 17 11 April 1, 1908. P. O. Box ' 60 April 2,1908. Supplies '60 April 4,1908. Supplies l'l5 April 14, 1908. Typewriting (H. R. Kuni) 5 00 April 24, 1908. Typewriting (J. F.Morrison) 25 00 April 29, 1908. Framing Pictures (J. M. Ovren) 1.35 April 29,1908. Supplies (H. J. Mvers) 1.00 May 1, 1908. Stenographer Salary 50.00 May 2, 1908. Telephone (Walsh) 2.40 May 15, 1908. Printing (Star Publishing Co.) 4.50 May 18, 1908. Membership (National Geographic Society) 2.00 June 1, 1908. Western Union Telegrams 13.44 June 1,1908. Wells Fargo & Co. (Express) 38.04 June 1, 1908. Bank Exchange and Postage 7.50 Aug. 3, 1908. Postage (Danford) 32.32 $462 99 Interest acct. Note Kansas City Session 12 months 7^20 $556.19 Balance 43.81 Bills Unpaid. July 1, 1908. Cripple Creek State Bank, acct. K. C. Session $475.00 Smith-Brooks, printing acct., St. Louis Session 273.35 Total Indebtedness $746.35 ACTION OF CONGRESS UPON RECOMMENDATIONS. One of the important recommendations of the last session of this Congress was that in reference to National finances, being a reflex action incident to the financial flurry under which the country labored whilst the Congress was in session. The recommendations bore weight, coming from a commercial body just at that time, composed of delegates from all the leading Chambers, Boards of Trade, and Commercial clubs west of the Mississippi River. The result was the appointment of a Currency Commission by the National Congress in conformity with the Aldrich-Vreeland Bill. This commission has been at work during the year and will present its report at the next session of the National Congress. 50 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS KeviNlon of the .Schedule. Another recommendation of importance was that made to Congress to provide a non-partisan Tariff Commission. This led to the Tariff Committee selected from the Finance Committee of the Senate and the Ways and Means Committee of the House. This recommendation contemplates the revision of the schedule upon such items as livestock, wood pulp, zinc ores, etc., in which the business interests of the Western States are particularly interested. This committee has also been at work and will he ready to report at the coming session of the Congress. Pearl Harbor. One of the most important features of the last session, as you will remem- ber, was that in reference to Pearl Harbor. An influential delegation from the Territory of Hawaii, headed by Governor Frear, took an active part. As a result, it was strongly recommended to the National Congress that the channel of Pearl Harbor be widened, deepened and straightened and that other improvements be made for the defense of the island. President Roosevelt incorporated this recommendation in his message, and your Secretary for- warded to the Senate and House certified copies. The Hawaiian delegation, which remained in Washington during the winter co-operated with the Congressional Committee of this body. This resulted in an appropriation of $3,000,000, of which $lnii, was made available. The work covered by the dredging contract is to be completed in thirty-six months. Proposals for the dredging will he opened December 1st. The entire improvement will approximately cost $2,500,000. In addition, through the labor of Governor Frear and his associates, Hawaii obtained $800,000 for a breakwater at Hilo. What Hawaii now asks is a complete application of the land laws so far as they are applicable to the islands, and in conformity with the desire, Chief Engineer Newell, who was to have been with us today, has been dispatched by Secretary Garfield to the island for an expert examination, the findings of which will be submitted to the National Congress this winter. Enlargement of Claims. Recommendations were also made for an enlargement of claims in some arid states, and these were incorporated in the Smoot Bill. It authorizes the taking of homesteads of 320 acres of arid, non-mineral and non-irrigable lands, and applies to Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico. Arkansas River and Restrictions. The result of the session a year ago is very satisfactory as the delegates from Oklahoma in this Congress will cheerfully admit. Primarily the Congress was called to meet in Muskogee for the good it could do the Arkansas Riser and also to emphasize the necessity for the removal of restrictions. Incidentally President Roosevelt co-operated in the success of the meeting by signing the Act proclaiming statehood for Oklahoma, three days prior to the opening of the Congress, and by a personal repre- sentative participating in the Congress itself. The ceremony incident to this Act creating the new State was witnessed by an audience of upward of 7,000, at which there were gathered the Governor and officials of surrounding states and representatives of the j. Government. This historic gathering was presided over by Colonel II. I >. Loveland of San Francisco. In the concrete, the results of that meeting have demonstrated the navigability of the Arkansas River, and have don.- mui>, 000,000 worth of property was placed upon the tax list of the new State. Department of Mlaea. The past year has shown considerable progress in the work of the Congress for representation In the National Government of a Department of Mines and Mining. Your Vice-Fresh Mr. James l\ i\illbreath Jr., of Denver, Colorado, who is the efflcienl secretary tin- delegates of this Congress i" learn thai the public improvement at the mouth of the Columbia River, in which this organization lias taken such a deep Interest, is accomplishing desired results. Under the beading, "Great Vessels and a Great River," the Portland "Oregonian" of Tuesday, September 22d, this year H90S) prints a most remarkable stm-v nf the development of the Columbia River, The In- creased depth of thai great stream from Portland to the ocean since Septem- ber and October, 1888, as compared with September of 190S, has made it possible for five vessels to carry a greater 1. ad than was possible for a Heel of fourteen vessels twenty years ago. The "Oregonian" says: "The steamships 'Falls of Nlth' and 'Cambrian King' and t lie British bark 'Andorinha' crossed out of the Columbia carrying 616,576 bushels of wheat. They were preceded a few days ago by the steamships 'Braemont' and 'Queen Amelia' with 402,206 bushels. The draft of the big trio sailing yesterday ranged from u:; feet 7 Inches to 24 feet 8 inches, and all were taken through from Portland to the sea without the slightest detention. "As an illustration of the remarkable Improvement in the river channel ii is interesting to note that the five vessels mentioned, with cargoes of 1,018,782 bushels of wheat, carried a greater tonnage than the combined September and October, 1888, fleet of fourteen vessels. The total amount of the fourteen cargoes of twenty years ago was 1,014,543 bushels, and it was necessary to lighter some of this wheat to Astoria, even the diminutive vessels of that period being unable to load to their capacity at Portland. Evidence of this nature shows quite clearly what has been accomplished in the past, and what may be expected in the future." Recommendations have been adopted by the Trans-Mississippi Commer- cial Congress favoring the de< pening of the Columbia River, and the Congress has had representatives each year in Washington in behalf of thai great stream. Past Presidents The... i:. Wilcox, of Portland, and Colonel IT. D. Loveland, of San Francisco, have given this matter their personal and ener- getic attention in submitting these recommendations. The I'uhliv Domain. The recommendations affecting the grazing on public lands were also submitted upon which hearings were had by the Congressional and Senate committees. These committees had also under consideration bills preventing any advance in Interstate Commerce rates, fares and charges except upon the approval of the Interstate Commerce Commissioners, as recommended by this Congress, and it is expected thai these hills will he acted upon favorably by the Committee and will he enacted into law this coming session. Reciprocal Trade Agreements. For several years this Congress has been requesting the National Con- gress to authorize t lie President to negotiate reciprocal trade agreements with other countries so as to give the United states a greater foreign outlet for the livestock and meal products. This subject will be incorporated in the proposed legislation, of which it is thought the commission to revise the tariff schedule will recommend. Statehood for New Mexico. Recommendations favoring Immediate admission Into the Union of the territory of N'.'u Mexico took the usual course, being referred to President Roosevelt and submitted to the presiding officer of the Senate, Mr. Fair- banks, and speaker Cannon. These also received certification and went to the committees of both houses and an early date was arranged for the bearing. Former Governor Prince of New Mexico, a member of your Con- gressional C mittee, accompanied by Governor Curry and other repre- sentatives of the Territory made the presentation before Congress. They also had a conference with President Roosevelt on work incident to this matter, resulting in an understanding on the part of all concerned that further time of the National Congri ss would no1 be consumed in the considera- tion of the hill for the admission of New Mexico, with the assurance that at the opening of the session of Congress In December the matter would be pressed for passage, in a personal interview with the members of our Congressional committee, the President gave the assurance thai there was a goori • for this bill to become law unbss some unforeseen contingency should arise to prevent it. lie further gave the committee to understand that he would take greal pleasure in not ..nl\ signing the bill, but in with- drawing his recommendation to the bill for thi admission of the territories of Arizona and New Mexico jointly. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 53 Alaska-Yukon-Paeific Exposition. The resolution in behalf of the Exposition at Seattle next year was for- warded to the President and to the members of Congress, and the result was especially satisfactory to the officers of the Exposition Association, the city of Seattle and the Northwest country generally. Ample provisions were made for the erection of Government buildings and for the Colonial exhibit. The work of the Congressional Committee was simplified by the action of the Exposition officers themselves, who refused to make any request upon the National Government for direct aid as in the case of other expositions. It was because of this attitude that the cordial co-operation of Presi" Roosevelt was obtained as was shown in his message indorsing the project. It will be observed in such matters as the Postal Savings Bank, the revision of schedule, subvention, bond issue for internal improvements, etc., that these have since become questions at issue between the great parties in the existing national controversy. This may be considered a high tribute to this organization that in its purely educational work it has done so much towards moulding public thought so that questions so long discussed in a business way, have become national issues, and great parties are vying with each other in their haste to place themselves in touch with the popular chord. Improved Consular Service. In the matter of an improved consular service, which has been the subject of frequent recommendations to the National Congress, very decided progress has been made since the action of President Roosevelt in his executive order removing consular stations from the realm of political controversy. The official mind has now become thoroughly alive to the necessity of improving this branch of government. As a part of the work incident to an improved service, large appropriations have been made for the purpose of erecting suitable buildings for the diplomatic and consular representatives in China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Austria, Germany, and Mexico. Over $1,000,000 will be expended for consular buildings alone, in various parts of the Orient. There is an urgent demand for the energetic work along the line of an improved service, especially in China and Japan, where the commercial interests of this country suffer seriously because of the lack of adequate representation and because of an inefficiency. This condition of affairs appeals particularly strong to the business interests of the Pacific Coast and the Pacific Northwest. Your Secretary cannot refrain from commending as strongly as possible the work of the local executive committee having in charge the preliminary arrangements for this Congress. Hon. Arthur R. Briggs, the chairman, who is also vice-chairman of the general executive committee, has spent the whole of his time and has not spared any effort to make this gathering a splendid success. He has been enthusiastically supported by the commercial associa- tions and business men generally in this laudable purpose. Inasmuch as this Congress is the first important gathering that has assembled in San Francisco since the recent disaster, the business men have generously re- sponded both with their time and means. The result of this harmonious action and this enthusiastic co-operation upon the part of all, the hospitality, not only in San Francisco but the entire state of California, will be thoroughly demonstrated to the delegates to this Congress before returning to their homes after the final adjournment. It is my painful duty to call your attention to the fact that death has entered the ranks of our permanent membership, removing from our midsl familiar and well loved faces. Early among these was General Leon Jas- tremski of New Orleans, and J. C. Loveran of Eureka, California. In April, whilst touring Palestine, Mr. B. Warkentin of Newton, Kan., was accidentally killed by a Syrian traveler while on the train traveling from Damascus. The recent tragic death of Mr. E. R. Lilienthal of San Francisco, for whom the entire state of California sincerely mourned, is yet fresh in your memory. Respectfully submitted, ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary to the Congress. By Vice-President Pryor: You have heard the reading of the Secretary's report. Unless otherwise instructed, we will adopt the report and it will become a part of the minutes of this meeting. I desire to introduce to you Hon. Arthur R. Briggs, who has witnessed in Washington the exhibition we have hoped to show you tonight, will explain to you briefly what you may expect to see tomorrow night, and what you can tell your friends. It will certainly be in working order by tomorrow night. I want to say furthermore that it would be a great source M KKl'URT OF PROCEEDINGS of gratification to the officers of this Congress if the people of San Francisco would turn out and listen to the speeches that will be made here during the balance of this week. One of the speeches today in particular was highly instructive, thoroughly entertaining, and was well worth the coming here of every one of the business men of this city. The morning papers will give our program for tomorrow, will give the names of the speakers, outline the subjects, ami I believe it will be of interest to each and every one of you to return tomorrow morning and spend the morning with us as well as the afternoon. 1 will now introduce to you the Hon. Arthur R. Briggs, who will explain t<> you what you will see tomorrow night. REMARKS OF llo\. MiTlllK R. BRIGGS, OF CALIFORNIA. President <>f the California si:i<«- Board of Trade. By Mr. B riff ssi Mr. Chairman and Ladles and Gentlemen: If you feel disappointed at not having the opportunity to hear Mr. Blanchard, T fear your disappointment is only n part of what we experienced. The chairman lias asked me to make this explanation. 1 pri thinking thai seme of you might not want to make the experimenl of coming here again, by reason of the failure tonight. While In Washington, In attendance on the conference of Governors called by the President. T hail the opportunity to hear Hie lecture given by Mr. Blanchard with his stereoptlcon views, and am therefore ahle to speak with knowledge In reference to it. Mr. Blanchard is the statistician of the Reclamation Department under Mr. Newell, and is perfectly familiar with .-ill the work that has lieen done during the last few years in thai department. He is a very interesting speaker, with a pleasant personality and has lectures thai are as instructive and Interesting as anything T have i ver seen. As T say, I attended the lecture in Washington, and whilst it was given there three or four times, he was obliged to Issue cards .a" admission to prevent the overcrowding of the hall, and the hall was a very large one. I say this to you because his lecture will probably he given here tomorrow night. T hope every one of you will conic and hear what Mr. Blanchard has to say. Whilst T am speaking, T want to say just a word about California. You know, we Californiana — and T presume yen are not all Californians yet, but would be if you remained h re a greal while — we Californians never miss an opportunity to talk about our State; and it seems to us who have lived hei we are iustifted in being enthusiasts over our State. Bu1 the peculiarity of California is thai we are made up of people fri'in everj state in the Union; and therefore when these Congresses convene In California, we find thai our friends coming here from the dif- ferent states all have friends somewhere in California and largely in San Francisco. Therefore, when we have these gatherings they are sort of family gatherings from all parts of the United states. We have friends from every- where, and we expect to find friends whenever any of these assemblages meet. When r came to the state. California had bul aboul 750,000 people: that was In 1874. A few of us at thai early date saw greal possibilities for the stale bul we deemed the matter of Immigration was the thing above all things to be desired. We I ad an empire, bul we had very few people in it: and we had very little develonment In the Interior of the state, t can well remember my first trip down Into the San Joaquin Valley. In those days we were ai.ie to purchase acre property all through thai country at a cost of from $1.25 to $2.50 per .ere. and we thought it was \- rj dear at that. Tn fact, it reminded me In those days of the old farmer from Illinois, who, in the early settb mi n1 of the Dakotas, purchased 160 acres of land which he had never seen. After a year or two he wenl oul to look al it: ii looked to him so forbidding and so utterlj valueless that he made up his mind he would tret rid of it at nnv Drice to anv man who would take it. So he trade,) eighty acres of it off for a calf. Tn trying to gel the calf to market hi took it down to the railroad station, and some Of the new would-be settli nderfeet, we call then, who were looking for homes, asked tl id gentleman what he thought of thai country; they began to ask III iii what he was going to do with this calf. He said he was going to take it home and sell it. The m»n said, "I would like to know what just such a calf as thai mighl cost?' "Well." the old farmer said. "I got that calf blamed cheap." "Well, how cheap' Well, l give eighty acres of Dakota land for it." man expressing surprise, the old farmer said, "And that wasn't the Pest of it. 1 found when i come to make the deed that the fool couldn't read nor write and i gave him tl ther eighty acres along with it." 1 thought aboul the San Joaquin Valley the same as this man ARTHUR R. BRIGGS, San Francisco. Vice-Chalrinan Executive Committee. OF UNIV FY TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 55 thought about Dakota land. But after a few years the railroad went through the country. The land began to develop; they began to put water on it and today on part of that land is whore most of the raisins in this country are produced. Twenty-five years ago it would be dear at $2.50 an acre »n -n°ri ay -ft ? T anywhere from one hundred to three hundred dollars an „ a « e V . T hat shows the, development of the country through irrigation and that is only a little illustration of what California can do from one section of the State to the other if water is obtainable for irrigation For many years we thought it was impossible to get irrigation in any way except from the streams, by gravitation, as we call it. But at this time that development is going on rapidly throughout the State by the use of what we call the underground waters, and by the use of the electric power which has been developed and cheap coal oil for fuel we are develoD- lng underground waters and pumping them on the land and in that wav irrigating and improving it. „ ,J merely mention these incidents to show how we are developing- in California and what makes us think the future of this State is to be °-reit (Applause.) " »' cclL - By Vice-President Pryor: I will now introduce to you Mr. George W. Dickie, of San Francisco, who will entertain you for a few minutes. Then we will adjourn. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. G. W. Dickie, of San Francisco. REMARKS BY MR. GEO. W. DICKIE, OE CALIFORNIA. By Mr. Dickie of San Francisco: Your chairman has called me up, as he says, to entertain you for two or three minutes. Well, now, it should not be very difficult to entertain so large and intelligent an audience as this for two or three minutes. I am glad it is only for that time. I am going to try to interest — perhaps not entertain — the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. At another time during the meeting of the Congress here, I am going to talk about ships and about Trans-Pacific commerce. But now I want to tell you a little story. Some thirty-six years ago a very worthy citizen of the United States endeavored to establish a line of steamships between San Francisco and Australia, but he had to abandon it a sadder and a wiser man and devote the rest of his life to the founding of an institution for the protection and care of decrepit people. I am going to apply for admission some day to that institution. At that time I made a set of plans for a steamship for the Australian trade. After the business fell through I finished these plans and took them to an exposition that was being held in San Francisco at the time, in 1872, where Union Square now is, just in front of the St. Francis Hotel. The committee in charge of the exhibit looked at these plans and wondered what to do with them. Finally they came to a conclusion which I thought was very foolish at the time, but I think prophetically wise now: They put them among the Japanese curiosities. They had another Japanese curiosity which they put at the top of them, and that was the bust of Beethoven, the composer. One evening I was going through the exhibition behind some ladies and they looked at these pictures and said, "It is per- fectly wonderful how expert the Japanese are in embroidery. Just look at those embroideries. Why, it is a picture of a ship made of embroidery by the Japanese, and that is the figure of the man who made this. The Japanese are great people." We have been hearing today 1 think one of the most impressive addresses that I have heard in regard to our relationship to the Latin Republics south of us; but our great difficulty I think is going to be with Japan. They are indeed a wonderful people. Only a few days ago a steamship of 13,700 tons sailed out of San Francisco harbor, a turbine- propelled ship burning California crude oil, a thing we have never attempted to do in this country yet. And she was built and equipped in Japan for the very purpose of taking away what has been left to us of the Trans-Pacific trade, something worth considerable. They never lose an opportunity, these people, of accomplishing what they want to do. Some eleven years ago I went to Japan and succeeded in getting a contract for the building of one ship for the Japanese, at that time, new navy. One contract also was secured for the Eastern shipyards in this country. But the great bulk of their contracts went to the English. Why? Because the Englishmen were determined to have them, and we did not care anything about these tracts. Whilst I was there I had our minister telegraph to the Secretary of State of our government, informing him that the British government had notified the Japanese government that if any part of the programme that they had under consideration for the building of new ships should be placed with English shipbuilders it would be considered an act friendly toward the British government. We got a telegram back from the State Department at Washington that it was a matter of no consequence to the United States 56 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS government -where the Japanese government gol the ships built. And that was the kind of thing we had to fight with. We sometimes think, and I have seen it often stated in the newspapers that Japan is particularly favorable to work from America. That is not so — at least, so far as my experience goes — it is entirely untrue. 1 have found that it required seven days and negotiations by our minister with their minister of marine before I could get inside their navy departments at Tokio — seven days each time that I wanted to go there. Whilst I was there the British government detached one of the best cruisers from the Mediterranean fleet and sent her around to Yokohama. The captain had full authority to spend as much money as was necessary to make it very pleasant for the Japanese visitors on board. They had fetes every day on board that ship. One day T thought I would like to go, so I sent my card aboard to the chief engineer. He happened to have read some of my writings that had appeared in the magazines published in London, and invited me to the ship. Through that I was invited to one of their gatherings on board, one that was especially arranged for the entertainment of the attaches of the Japanese government. Walking with Admiral Sato, the late chief naval constructor of Japan, and the captain of the cruiser, the admiral turned around to the captain and said, "I understood that this entertainment today, sir. was for naval officers and for attaches of the navy department of Japan, and here is Mr. Dickie, an American shipbuilder, on board." The captain said, "That is all right. Mr. Dickie is in America now, but he was brought up a British shipbuilder," and that made it all right. The next morning I got a notice from the navy department that it would not be necessary to see the American minister again when I wished admis- sion to the navy department, because my name had been placed on the privileged list and I could go whenever I wanted to. This shows what a difference there is in their attitude towards different people in regard to trade. And then they are a wonderful people in other respects, the quick adaptability, for instance. In the month of March whilst I was there, they gave a garden party to non-residents, that is. people who are in Japan important enough to have their minister propose their names. They are received by the Emperor and Empress on a certain day in March; they call it "Cherry bloom garden party." It is intended to celebrate the opening up of the bloom of the cherry tree. With the invitation that came to me to this party was a card stating what kind of clothes I was to wear. I then understood why the residents were, not invited: Those who were not residents could borrow the clothes from the residents in order to go. So I borrowed some clothes to go to this party. The card said nothing about a hat. I did not have a silk hat with me, and I said to my friend, "I had better go and get a silk hat." He said, "You are all right: you do not need a stiff silk hat." When I got to the railroad station all those people there who were not in military dress had on stiff silk hats, and I was afraid I would have trouble about it. However, when I got into the car — into the compartment of the carriage, as they call it there — in the same compartment was the Consul General of the United States, Mr. Mclvor, he had an ordinary regular silk hat on just as I had, and I felt better about it. But after the train started he said to me, "Mr. Dickie, are you going to the garden party?" I said, "Yes." He asked, "Where is your silk hat?" "Why," I said, "the president of the American Trading Company informed me it was not necessary." He said, "You cannot get in without a silk hat." Here I was on the way to Tokio and had no silk hat. The people were commiserating me on the disappointment I should have in not getting into the garden party. I thought it would be sad, but I thought I might get there. When I got to Tokio, as quickly as I could I hired a jinrik islia man and told him to take me to a hat shop. In changing my clothes I found I had retained only some two or three yen in my pocket, and that would not buy a hat. 1 bad to go to a shop just the same. Going into one of them 1 looked around — I was not on speaking terms — and I saw some band boxes; but there was nothing bigger than six and three-quarters and thai would nol suit. 1 weni to another hat shop and it was just the same. I told the Jinriklsha man to take me to a big hat shop, which he did. and there there were more hats, and there was one seven and three-eighths. It fitted me beautifully and I put my hat in place of it in the band box and replaced it where it was. The Jinriklsha man understood and he went off and J. was at tie' garden [■arty all light, with the best looking hat in the party. When the party was over I had my Jinriklsha man take me back to the hat shop; i took down this band box. took out my own hat and put back the new one in the hat box witli a yen. The Japanese who kepi the store smiled all over and said something which I thought was, "Come back when you want another hat for a garden party." They under- stand business properly. We have a great problem light at our front door upon the Pacific, and that problem is to be settled between the United States and Japan. That is all I can say to you tonight without going Into the matters about which I TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 57 am going to speak at another time. They want me to talk some other evening on this subject, and I hope you will come and hear me. I am going to have a very good address, and I want to say that I am sure it is the desire of this Congress that the people of San Francisco shall attend these meetings. They will be informal and sometimes you may be amused. It is worth while to spend a few hours a day during this week to get in touch with the great problems that are coming before this meeting and to be resolved upon by the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. So that these resolutions may show a consensus of opinion and shall have proper effect when recommendations are brought to the attention of the lawmakers of the country, Members of Congress will then be able when they look at these resolutions to know at once what the people in the great West and in this portion of the country desire to have done in order that the country may develop and become great and powerful as undoubtedly it is intended to be. (Applause.) By Vice-President Pryor: I beg the privilege of the Chairman to say that I left the principal part out of what I was going to say about Mr. Blanchard. I wanted to say it to you but I forgot. The reason Mr. Blanchard is not here is because the Government paraphernalia to be used was locked up in the express office and he has not been able to get them. But he will get them tomorrow morning. The Congress will now stand adjourned until ten o'clock Wednesday, October 7, 1908. FOURTH SESSION Wednesday, October 7, 1908. By Vice-President Pryor: 'iii. i win now come to order. The adjournmenl last eight was to 10 o'clock and it. i.s t j i * - hour now to present and near the resolutions read. .Mr. Secretary, n ;ui the resolutions thai bave been presented. By Secretary Francis: Offered by Secretary 3 M Eddj of Stockton, secretary of the California Good Road A oclation: PI Ml H IIM.IIW \ \ §. \\ i u.i: i ; .-- .. The publii ol the United States In their con- ntlon, maintenance and administration, have nol ken! pace with other ta t Ion In tl be It RESOLVED By the Ti li Ippl Commercial Congress at Its nine- teenth annual set Ion, that the enorm. ed in thi transportation of farm product and othei material warrants the ln- menl of lari by the National and Stat ments, to encout the construction and -''i'l In the mail I ol Imj ithways, to reduce thai and i: i .. ' <\ .'.' i . i >. Thai tiii Con demands such attention and appropria- te the United and b es of the various Trans mIhhIkhIimm Stat< rluce ti tructlon, and guarantee iii. maintenance mpel scientific and specialized engineering, economic administration, strict account- ing, and faithful In thli Importanl public utilil Secretai Francis then read the following resolution: B1 1KB T. PRYOH OF ii.\\ i'l in. ic GRAZING. BE it RESOLVED e Tran >pl Commercial Congress In on October 7th, 1908, thai wi imend to tl gress of the United :~ i r 1 1 < • : < thf enactmenl of la • tbly provide for the regulation of thi use of the public grazing upon the publl I "f the United States, with to ■■> |u • and tionmenl among ti..- users <>f ih<- public lands so ■■! to stimulate and encoura nenl nf tin- grazing and providing water :ini TIES <>i ie \ i i.w \ \ COMPANIES. BE IT RESOLVED by the Ti I lommercial Congress, In annual session October .', 1908, thai we recommend to the Congrei of thi United Stati tment ol adequate laws defining thi- ol railway companies, with rig with reasonable promptness cars for the transportation ol frelghl and able hi like llvestocl I H n ind to requln prompl tran ports obedience <>f such law, and empowering thi Intel tate Con Commission to make rules ■ ii la tlons . ..ii. .i n i n •>■ the same, By Secretary Francis: n\ [KE i PRYOH OF Tl \\ RECIPROCITY. BE it RESOLV1 D by the 1 Co Congress In :i nnua i i esslon i • e the principles ol reclprocH icted Ii to the end thai thi tariff schedules be made so adju table thai the Pn Ii <•> ol the United Statei shall b< enabled liter l nt ii reelpi ocn i t which will adml! to the wldesl pi with tl tenance of the Industries of this • iducts of our farms, foi lock and ■ ■ i manufacturei as can bi pro I; and thai In thi I of the establishment ol i minimum scheduli of duties, thai the same be made upon a truly reclpi bs I opportunity to negotiate commer. ments, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 50 By Secretary Francis: IIV 1KB T. PRYOH OF TEXAS — INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF FREIGHT. BE it RESOLVED by the Trail \H\ I Ippl Commercial Congn il San Francisco, In annual session October 7, 1908, thai wi recommend to the Congress of the United States thi i nai tmi til of ■■> law which will require thai ;i 1 1 tariffs, changei In els Iflcatlon, rul gulatlon lei iff eel .•in advance In the rates oi chargi , dlrectlj oi Indirectly, for the Interstate made, and If upon such Invi tlgation the Comml slon shall determine thai i he same or any pari thereof Is unjusl or unreasonable or othei v nlawful, such rate or rates, classification, rules or i tin Commli ilon si in ll hold to be unjusl oi otherwise unlawful, shall no1 be filed or take effect. By Secretary Francis: liv AARON GOVE OF DENVER, COLORADO — BEET si«:\ic INDUSTRY. RESOLVED, Thai the beel sugar Indui ti merll and Is entitled to com petenl and ample protection and thai thl i i Is opposed to any measure that tends to Increase the Importi n oi Cre< tropical ugai grown bj cheap • irlental la bor. By Secretary Francis: II Y THE HAWAIIAN DELEGATION, JAS. F. MORGAN, CHAIRMAN — AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE. WHEREAS, The American merchanl marine engaged In Trans-Pacific i rade Is i hrea I ened wl1 h ex i Ind Ion, a nd WHEREAS, Mon Lggi natloni eking to dominate thi can Ing trade of the Pacific, and WHEREAS, There is In EHclenl American tonnage to i i iel and supplies to our fleets of warship nes of peace; and WHEREAS, Long since the carrying trade ol the Atlantic Ocean passed Into the hands of powerful European nation and WHEREAS The Pacific carrying trade is still under competition, and the United States has still Its natural and logical opportunity to contro thai trade to a degree within the bounds of fair and honorable competition; i ln-refore ■ . , , , BE IT KKS< >l.\ i;i >. r-. in.- Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress now i,, session In the city of San Franci co, thai the existing condition ol tne American merchanl marine upon th< entire Pacific - dangerous to both our naval, military and commercial strength and national progress, ana RESOLVED, Thai In the opinion of the delegates here assembled, the Congress of the United Statei si , al Its next session, pro Ide liberally for tin- expansion tuid maintenance of the American m< n ml marine en i - in foreign trade on the Pacific Ocean and thi »e taken al before greater or Insuperable difficulties presenl thi ; and m-:s< ilA'i-'i > That the delegati here a sembled pledgi themselves unitedly to urge upon th.-ir respective Senators and Represental Congress such prompt action ai will Insure the supn ol American shipping on the Pacific, and tl ruard national d and commerce. By Secretary Francis: BY GEORGE C. CONGDON, OF SEATTLE, W ISHINGTON— ALASKA-YI KON- PA< Hi' EXPOSITION. WHEREAS A World Exposition to exploll th; rces ol the countries Lord. -ring il,.- P.-ifiiie will h<- held In Seatth In 1909, and .,,,,,,,,.,. WHEREAS, Such an Bxpoi 11 will o develop f *e great o ountry lying to the west of the M >J River, brii to It therefore ma hundreds of thousands who would otherwise remain In Ig ol Its cliaraeter and people Commercial Co earn^tl y IT reaSft 8 L S D tVans?conti; to Sff.ttl.- during i d. In order any way Pacific Exposition 60 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Secretary Francis: BY A. H. WASTELL. SECRETARY OF THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON I.I HBBR >l\.M FACT1 RBRS> ASSOCIATION — ADVANCES IN FREIGHT It \ TES. PESULYKD, Tliat the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress in nine- teenth annual session at San Francisco, Cal., does hereby urge that the Congress of the United States enact an amendment to the Interstate Com- merce Act, whereby the interstate Commerce Commission may, at its discretion, upon proper complaint, suspend and investigate advances in freight rates, as to their reasonableness, before they become effective. By Secretary Francis: IJV PETES LOGGIE, OF COOS BAY", OREGON — FORTIFYING COOS BAY", WHEREAS, Coos Bay is now recognized as the most important harbor between the Golden Gate and the Columbia River, and according to estimates of Government engineers, can be Improved with the smallest expenditure of money of any harbor on the Pacific Coast, and WHEREAS, The products of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue River Valleys, central, eastern and southern Oregon, have but two outlets to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia on the north and San Francisco on the south, nearly six hundred miles apart, and NY 1 1 1 : ! : i :as. The rapidly growing importance from a commercial stand- point of tin- harbor of Coos Bay demands that the entrance be fortified, and WHEREAS, According to the estimates of United States engineers, four hundred square miles of the territory immediately surrounding Coos Bay is underlaid with coal, and WHEREAS, There is no port] f the Pacific Northwest that is as rich in undeveloped natural resources as the vast region tributary to Coos Bay, now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That it is the sense of this Congress that a board of skilled engineers be appointed by the Governmenl to revise the projects for the improvement of the harbor of Coos Bay. with a view of fortifying the entrance, and making the harbor a Government Coaling Station. By Vice-President Pryor: The introducer of this resolution desires three minutes to explain. I may add this is the rule under the by-laws. Other members having resolutions have the same privilege. ree Cd II tUHlv ill dim ^ ' ' iittm v, fin. i i i i .- j v t, i i i ' i i i *» ,_ i ,_ tii^ijr, nil tt torpedo boats and one torpedo boat destroyer, and they coaled. I am not here to advertise that harbor, but 1 want to tell you a few facts. Besides coal, we have other interests there. There is one mill cutting two hundred By Secretary Francis: BY CHARLES C. MOORE, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF s.\N FRANCISCO — SANITAR1 CONDITION ON PACIFIC COAST. WHEREAS, The work of the United States Public Health and Marine- Hospita] Service under the direction and command and efficient administration TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 61 of Surgeon-General Wyman has done much to improve the sanitary condition existing on the entire Pacific Coast, and WHEREAS, We believe that these labors have not only protected the commerce and health of San Francisco and the entire Pacific Slope, but also been of greatest national benefit, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress endorses the work of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service and desires to express to President Roosevelt, the Secretary of the Treasury and Surgeon-General Wyman their appreciation and thanks for these efficient services, and be it further RESOLVED, That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this Con- gress and copies thereof forwarded to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Treasury, Surgeon-General Wyman of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service and the public press. By Secretary Francis: BY MR. G. J. BRADLEY, SECRETARY OF THE CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC ASSOCIATION — GOVERNMENT-OWNED PACIFIC COAST LINE. WHEREAS, The steamship service between the Pacific Coast and Panama, during the past twenty years, has been so completely under the control of the transcontinental railroads, that there has been no effort whatever put forth to foster and build up the sea service, and WHEREAS, This explains completely why shipping service via this route has not improved, and San Francisco and other Pacific Coast merchants, both importers and exporters, have looked forward with some anxiety, to such time as these restrictions could be removed, and the great interests, built up. enlarged and protected, so that the open sea route would be a competition, and act as a regulator of rates, both by sea and land, and WHEREAS, Hon. J. L. Bristow, Special Panama Railroad Commissioner, in his report to the Secretary of War, dated January 20th, 1908, showed the necessity for better service by water, between Atlantic and Pacific ports, and as a result of his investigations on this coast, recommended the establishment of a Government-owned line; therefore RESOLVED, By this body in convention assembled, that unless the Pacific Mail Steamship Company gives assurance that it will at once improve its service between San Francisco, Central American ports, and Panama, we recom- mend, and urge the United States Government to establish its own line, betweeen all important Pacific Coast ports, and Panama, calling at Central American ports, thereby giving us a through Government-owned line, via Panama, from the Atlantic to the Pacific seaboard. By Secretary Francis: BY AY. W. GALLIARD OF LOUISIANA — BAYOU LAFOURCHE. RESOLVED, That Congress be requested to compel the opening of Bayou Lafourche, in the state of Louisiana, by the construction of locks or the removal of the dam. By Secretary Francis: DEVELOPMENT OF CLOSER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE LATIN AMERICAN REPUBLICS. By Tom Richardson, Manager Commercial Club, Portland, Ore.: WHEREAS, The Trans-Mississippi section of the United States is di concerned in the development of foreign trade, and WHEREAS, It is apparent that the twenty Latin-American Republics offer a field and opportunity worthy of the best effort of the business interests of the Trans-Mississippi country, be it RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress endorses strongly the work and propaganda of the International Bureau of American Republics, in Washington, an official institution supported by the twenty-one American Republics, including the United States, and devoted to the encouragement of Pan-American commerce, friendship, and peace; that it congratulates Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United Sta on the policy which he has initiated of fostering more intimate relations with Is not only orgar for the legitimate commei National Congress of the Lj. ship and mail facilities between the principal ports ot the United btates those of Latin America. rcial development of this field, but legislation bj United States favorable to the improvement of steam- 62 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: Mr. Richardson, you have three minutes to talk on that resolution, if you so wish. By Mr. Richardson: Those of us — A Delegate: Louder. Mr. Richardson: I am glad to speak louder. Those of us who heard the matchless address of Mr. Barrett, I do not think need anything in addition to that. 1 present the resolution with the hope that when it goes to the Committee on Resolu- tions a favorable report will emanate from that body to this Congress and that the Congress will adopt it without division. By Secretary Francis: Resolution of 1). P. MaruxD, of Oklahoma: IRRIGATION COMMISSION. In view of the fact that the United States Supreme Court in its decision in the case of Kansas vs. Colorado, the United States intervening: has said, in dismissing- the petition of intervention, that Congress of the United States has no power to make provisions for utilizing the Streams and creeks within the boundary of any state for the purpose of reclaiming arid lands, and WHEREAS, The reclamation of arid lands in the Trans-Mississippi States and Territories is more beneficent to the people of the United States than any act that Congress has passed during the past century, bowing to the decision of that great Court that rendered the decision heretofore referred to, and believing- that the work of reclamation should be continued, it is therefore, RES< iBYED, ];y the Delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress, now in session this sixth day of October, 190S, in the city of San Fran- cisco, in the state of California, that Congress by suitable enactment provide such laws, as will be necessary to provide a proper Commission, to consist of one member from each state where irrigation is necessary, for the develop- ment of its agricultural resources, and THAT said Commission be either appointed by t he President of the United States, or by the Governor of each of the states interested therein, as Congress in its wisdom shall see tit, and THAT the reclamation fund, now provided bj law to furnish irrigation in the arid regions of the United states, be turned over to said Commission for use in the states and territories of this region, whenever the Legislatures of such states and territories will confer upon the Commission heretofore referred to power, by suitable legislative enactment, to use the waters within the confines of each state as may be necessary for this purpose. By Secretary Francis: I have a telegram: Chicago, October 7, 1908. J. B. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco. California: We earnestly desire the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress to join the Conservation Beam C America. Twenty leading organizations have already joined. WALTER L. FISHER. By Vice-President Pryor: The request will be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. By Secretary Francis: Also greetings from the Postmaster-General: Washington, I >. C, October 7. 1908. Mr. J. ti. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Fran- cisco, California: I send cordial greetings to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Mr. Arthur G. Fisk, Postmaster of San Francisco, has been designated to rep- resent the Post Office Department at your convention. MEYER, Postmaster General. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 63 By Vice-President Pryor: If there is no objection the telegram will be incorporated in the official record. I want to impress on the members here the importance of the Com- mittee on Resolutions. It is the working committee. Several states have not named as yet the members to serve upon that committee. That com- mittee is organized. It has selected its chairman and elected its secretary, and will be ready to commence work at 11 o'clock in the committee room at the entrance. All states and territories not yet organized should name their members. If there are only a few from any state or territory with delegates en route those who are present should organize and not wait for a full delegation. Every resolution that is to be presented will be read here and will go to the Resolution Committee before it comes back for action. The members of that committee .have the right to cut that resolu- tion or amend it, and you want to be here to look after your interests and the interests of your section. You need to have some man from your state on that committee to look after the interest of your state. Thereupon the Secretary read the following: San Francisco, October 6, 1908. To the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in session Dreamland Pavilion, San Francisco: . Gentlemen: The "Equal Suffrage League" of the state of California takes The pleasure to invite you to the anniversary celebration of our association, to he held at the "Chutes," Saturday, October 10th. Festivities will commence at 10 a m. and will last until 12 p. m. Able speakers will rleliver addresses, and a special program will be provided. M ° T hT C^MMITTFB. By Mrs. Theodore Pinther. Secretary Francis then read the following telegram: Shreveport, Louisiana. October fi, 1908. Louisiana Delegation. Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Dreamland, San Francisco. California: Sickness prevents my attendance. Agitate National aid for public high- ways. J - S - mxoN - By Secretary Francis: It should be stated that Mr. Dixon is the vice-president for the stats of Louisiana. By Secretary Francis: By the Board of Trade, of Florence, Oregon: THE SIUSLAW HARBOR. RESOLVED. That in view of the approaching completion of ^fieh^bTa Canal every harbor of the Pacific Coast of the United States which by a reasonable expenditure can be made oracticable for ocean lommei e ^r* •» \ N JOAQUIN BIVEBS. it.\ r. .1. Barney] of California) Tin' two great valleys of California arc the Sacramento and San Joaquin. Through the fertile lands of these valleys flow the waters of the Sacramento and s.i n .Toaouin rivers in their downward course to the sea. On these Inland waterways have been transported millions of tons of grain and other products for shipment by Bea i" the markets of the world. Also on these great Inland highways have been transported millions of tons of fruit, vegetables and garden produce generally for the canneries, and for the consuming centers "(" population within the state and the East. roi.. FRED W. FLEMING, Kanaaa City, Missouri. < iiiiirin:i n Congressional Committee. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 65 Considering- the great development already accomplished in these two great valleys of California, and the wonderful opportunities afforded for a much larger increased development, the maintenance of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries as navigable waterways is a matter of great commercial importance. We therefore recommend to the National Congress, when the surveys of the river channels now being made by congressional authority, by the United States War Department, are completed, that the necessary appropriations be made by the Federal Government for the proposed deepening of the channel of the Sacramento River to a depth of fifteen feet from Suisun Ray to the city of Sacramento and nine feet from Sacramento City to the mouth of the Feather River: also for the deepening of the channel of the San Joaquin River to a depth of fifteen feet from Suisun Bay to the city of Stockton. The Sacramento Valley embraces twelve counties of the State, having a combined area of 17,500 square miles, and an acreage of twelve million acres, including hill and plain. The floor lands of this valley are prodigious in pro- ductive capacity. The Sacramento River flows through the full length of the valley a dis- tance of three hundred miles. The head of navigation is Red Bluff, three hundred and twenty-six miles by water from San Francisco. Owing to the formation of bars on the upper reaches of the river during the summer season, river steamers and barges cannot reach Red Bluff, and navigation during low water season extends only to Chico landing, fifty-four miles south of Red Bluff. While present sur- veys now being made by the Federal Government with a view of deepening the river channel extends only to a point one hundred and fifty miles above San Francisco, we urgently recommend to the National Congress that immediate action be taken for improving the channel of the upper Sacramento River so that its navigability to Red Bluff can be maintained during all seasons of the year. By Secretary Francis: That is all of the resolutions, Mr. President. By President Case: The resolutions will be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, we have with us today a member of this Congress who holds an office as the chairman of the Congressional Committee, and who has been identified with this Congress for long years, taking an interest in everything for which the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress stands. He has been very modest heretofore in addressing us. He represents one of the best insurance com- panies in the United States, perhaps not so large, but one of which we in the eastern portion of the Trans-Mississippi country are proud. The subject of life insurance is something in which I know we are all interested, not only for the purpose of carrying policies, but for the purpose also of keeping the money in the Trans-Mississippi country. Had we, during the recent financial flurry, had two or three of the large insurance com- panies in our midst, we would have had relief which we could have received from no other source. The Kansas City Life Insurance Company, of which Mr. Fleming is a representative, and of which he is the secretary, did more in our section of the country to help out the condition during the panic, than any institu- tion in our section of the country. It is with pleasure that I introduce to you a member of this Congress, my friend and your friend, Col. Fred W. Fleming, of Kansas City. INSURANCE FROM A WESTERN VIEW POINT. By Col. Fred W. Fleming, of Kansas City: Following: the highly complimentary expressions of the distinguished President or the Congress I feel somewhat embarrassed in appearing before you My experience in life and business training has not been along the fines of addressing public gatherings, and in an attempted, discussion of so Important a sub "ect'to the people of the Trans-Mississippi country as life insurance, I feel like making apology . m advance for my inability to do justice to this question of overshadowing importance. Americans are the 66 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS greatest patrons of I i f" • - Insurance among- civilized nations, yet the average policyholder is densely ignorant concerning the provisions of the insurance contract upon which tie pays premiums. In ninety-nine cases out of one hundred the average patron of insurance companies does not remember, between the premium paying dates, the amount required to be paid annually to keep his policy in force. Our i pie appreciate the tremendous benefits afforded by the institution of insurance, and are liberal patrons of the life companies without assuming the trouble Of investigating policy conditions with a view of determining which particular form of contract would best suit their individual case. When i received the Invitation from President Case to deliver an address on this subject at this veal's session of tile Con- gress. 1 felt that it was well-nigh impossible to include within a talk of thirty or forty minutes even the salient points of one phase of the subject, and in what J propose to say I expect to limit my remarks to a considera- tion of the business of life insurance as affecting the western country, and largely from a practical standpoint. Insurance on human lives is one of the most important institutions in the social economy of this advanced age. The immense number of persons affected and the magnitude of the operations of insurance, renders the sub- ject a proper one for discussion at any time and from any viewpoint. At this time, however, when the institution of life insurance, which is so con- spicuous a feature of our modern civilization, is misunderstood, and from prejudice, is being made ti bject of attack through hostile legislation, it is peculiarly the province and duty of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress to consider its present status in the great area of country represented in this body, and lend the power of its Influence in an effort not only to safe- guard its future welfare, but to elevate the business of insurance to the highest standard of efficiency. The figures representing the business of American life companies are so enormous that one's sense of proportion is lost in their consideration. Other great branches of commerce are dwarfed into insignificance when com- pared with the magnificent totals representing the business of life insurance in the United States. There is Insurance in force on the lives of citizens of the Trans-Mississippi section of country alone of more than two and a quarter billion dollars in standard form policies, and more than L'2o million dollars in industrial companies which insure all members of the family, young and old. If we add to these two amounts 2 and one-half billion dollars, represented in certificates issued by assessment associations, we have practically five billion dollars of life insurance carried by residents of the states and territories repre- sented in this Congress. Last year there was paid to life companies (exclud- ing assessmentism ) by citizens of the Trans-Mississippi States. $81,640,401. of which amount more than 74 million dollars was paid to companies located in the far east. The life comnnnies of the states west of the river, including the well established and prosperous institutions of California, Iowa, Minne- sota and other Western States, collected in premiums during the same time, $ 1 1| .::43,699. In other words, in this line of business the western companies transacted about 11 per cent of the western business, while 89 per cent of the life premiums paid by western people was sent away from home to assist in maintaining the financial supremacy of the eastern section in the commerce of the Nation. During tlie past ten years the Trans-Mississippi states have paid to non- resident life companies more than 500 million dollars, and while the insurance protection afforded was worth all that was paid for it. there would have been a double benefit to this section of country if that Immense sum of money had been available to stimulate and develop the mineral, agricultural and hor- ticultural interests of this great empire of country lying west of the Missis- sippi River. While it is true that a small portion of the 71 million dollars paid for life insurance, in greater part, to companies east of the Alleghany Moun- tains last year, was returned in settlement of death claims an.l in investments in western securities, vet how much more advantageous to the Trans-Missis- sippi country in general it would have been if every dollar of that magnifi- cent amount had remained in the west for long time investment her,-. During the nc\t ten years it is well within the bounds of conservatism to estimate tin- amount of premiums that will be paid to life insurance companies by the people Of the twenty-two western states and territories, at one and one-fourth billion dollars. or an average amount of more than ion million dollars per annum, if the practical monopoly of tin' life insurance business in the western country now exercised by companies located along the Atlantic seal. (•aid is continued, and this immense sum of money is with- drawn from active circulation in the west during each twelve-month period of the next decade, it will constitute ;i tremendous drain on the financial strength of the Tra ns-M ississippi country. The wonderful productivity of the territory lying between the great rive,- a nd the Pacific, and the variety of its sources of natural wealth. has enalded this favored Section to take the lead in the production of the primary wealth of the United states. No other portion of the world's surface with no greater population TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 67 could withstand such a drain. It is imperatively necessary to the commer- cial welfare of this great western empire that the business of insurance in every line should be deloealized. and this is particularly true of life insur- ance. I am not preaching- a sectional doctrine, but advocating a truly national policy. The West Should I ■:*! :il.lisli Great Companies. The western country should build up and develop strong and pros- perous insurance institutions just as they have established strong and solvent banking institutions, manufacturing companies and great mercantile establish- ments. This is an important economic question affecting the commercial wel- fare of the West today, but it becomes doubly important when the future is considered. The fine spirit of mutual helpfulness and practical co-operation exemplified in the institution of life insurance has been more highly developed in America than in any other country of earth, but not- withstanding its magnificent growth in the United States, so far in advance of the older nations of the world, the business of insurance upon lives is still but in its vigorous youth. The expansion of the business is apparently without limit. During the next twenty years its percentage of increase is certain to be far greater than during the past two decades, but if the life companies of the country show even an equal per- centage of growth during that time, their accumulated assets in 1930 will dwarf into comparative insignificance the combined valuation of all the savings institutions, trust companies, banks and railway companies of the United States. These calculations are staggering, and an attempt to carry the figures representing the assets of American life companies into a second, or even a third decade beyond the present, will, from their vast- ness almost cause a doubt of the accuracy of your calculations. Today in the United States there are more than thirty million life policies in force, and during the year ending June 30th last more than five million dollars was distributed among patrons of life insurance. The total number of life contracts issued by American companies is more than three million in excess of the entire population of the twenty-two Trans- Mississippi States and Territories, and the amount of insurance in force in companies which operate on scientific principles is nearly thirteen billions of dollars, and adding to this amount eight billion dollars, represented by associa- tions conducted on a more primitive plan, the combined amount reaches the enormous total of more than twenty-one billion dollars. The combined capi- tal stock and bonded indebtedness of the railroad companies owning 225 thousand miles of American railway does not exceed two-thirds of the amount of life insurance in force in this country. One American company has more policyholders than the combined population of California, Washington. Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Louisiana, North and South Dakota, including men, women and children. The resources of another company equal in amount one-half of the entire capital of the national banks. Ameriea Treads the World in Insurance. The insurance idea has been a plant of slow growth in the older nations of Europe. It may be stated that its beginning was in 1693, when a German doctor discovered from a comparison of the burial register of Breslau that every age of life had its death rate. His discovery attracted little notice at the time, but marked the foundation of a new social process and furnished the basic principle upon which was founded the modern insurance system. The first intelligent . attempt to utilize this theory was in the formation of a society in London in 1762, nearly one hundred years later. The movement made but slow progress against the superstitious prejudice of the masses of people, and it was almost one hundred years later before there was a general recognition of the fact that the discovery of the German physician had marked an important era in the social progress of mankind. The first English company, now 146 years old. was the pioneer in the insurance field among English speaking people. Its growth has been very slow, but it is claimed to its credit that the society has dispensed unusual benefits to its patrons. Its affairs have been administered with faithfulness, which, how- ever, does not seem to have been fully appreciated by the average Briton, from the fact that during the last year the total new business of the company amounted to 550 policies. What may properly be termed the modern American system of life insur- ance had its beginning after the close of the Civil War, but since that date its progress has been the marvel of insurance authorities throughout the civil- ized world. From a sociological viewpoint, the development of insurance in this country sharply emphasizes the difference between social conditiors in America and in the monarchical countries of Europe. The average American learns the old couplet at an early age: "As we journey through life let us live by the way," and when he assumes the responsibility of establishing a home, it Is 68 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS his highest ambition that his family shall have not only the necessities of life, hut enjoy some of its comforts as well. His average income in every line of human activity is greater than his counterpart in any other country. Averaging his experience with that of ten or twenty thousand other men simi- larly situated, he is able t" safeguard the future of his dependent ones by life Insurance and Is thus enabled to spend a large portion of his income in the education of his children and current living expenses. Insurance h Vital Necessity. So this Institution supplies a vital necessity in the economic life of America. It is certain that the business of our life companies will, during the next two decades, witness a growth that will tar outstrip its development during the past twenty years. If the managers of those greal organizations have been so successful in overcoming the obstacles which Impeded the growth of insurance during the past, who can, at this time, lix the limits that will accurately measure the meat achievements of the next twenty years? The pioneers in this field of human progress have, in this country, succeeded in measurably overcoming the almost unaccountable lack of a proper sense of responsibility of men in every grade of society of their natural duties and obligations to dependent members of the family. Americans Arc I nder Ensured. Admitting the certainty of the continued popularity of this form of pro- tection among the American people, it becomes a question of the greatest importance that the business should be delocalized. It is irrational, and from an economic standpoint, unwise that the domicile of so important an institu- tion should be limited to a small stretch of country along the Atlantic Coast. The estimated population of the entire country is eighty-four million persons. comprising eighteen million families, and, including women and minors employed, approximately twenty-nine million employees. A careful estimate of the earnings of each of these twenty-nine million employees is five hundred dollars per year, and their average duration of life, assuming their present ages to be thirty-five years, is thirty-two years. The net earning power of each member of this greal force of twenty-nine million persons during their expec- tation of life is $s,000 each, and the combined money value of the total number for the period of their expectation of life would exceed two hundred and tit'ty billion dollars. The total insurance in force on these twenty-nine million persons is less than five per cent of the value insured. The value of property in the United States, subject to loss by fire, is given at fifty-five billion dollars and is protected by insurance of forty-five billion dollars. In other words, property subject to loss by fire is protected by indem- nity of more than eighty per cent of its value, while the restless energy of the twenty-nine million highly trained lives, actively engaged in creating and preserving the wealth of America, is protected by insurance of less than five per cent of its productive value. The product of their disciplined and efficient activities in the form of combustible property is deemed so valuable that business prudence requires its owners to carry insurance against loss by fire of eighty per cent, while the creators of that wealth carry protection on a more valuable form of property on a basis of five per cent. While the present gigantic proportion of life insurance in America is a modern development, it is not a modern institution. The origin of the busi- ness was in the discovery of the German doctor two hundred and fifteen years ago, but it remained for the New World to demonstrate its far-reaching benefits to society. The operation of Insurance In honest and capable hands constitutes the most conspicuous example of modern Christianity — the fulfil- ment in a practical way of the command of the Holy Writ: "Hear ye one another's burdens." It requires the many to share the misfortune of the few. It relieves the state of the obligation of caring for a large number of persons who, except for Its benefits, would become public charges, it gives the children of tender age, bereft of their natural guardians, an opportunity where otherwise there would he no opportunity for them. It constitutes a grand plan of co-operation where the millions who survive make a small con- tribution to alleviate the misfortunes and possible distress of the dependent ones of those who have been caih-d away before their time, it protects society In general against an increase in the number of dependent members. It benefits the state by elevating the standard of citizenship and it sweetens life from a sense of dependence and Bafety against the unknown reverses Of the future. Foster Western Companies. The institution of Insurance ought to be fostered and encouraged by the state through friendly and just legislation. In many states of the I'nion it has been, and is still being, burdened with unjust taxes, as though the institution of Insurance were a menace to the public welfare. Ought not these societies, which are satisfactorily performing a great mission of widespread beneficence, be sustained and favored by the state the same as other agencies for the public good'. 1 Our system of public education TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 69 has always been a source of just pride to every patriotic citizen. All men admit the sound public policy of supporting the splendid system of public schools for which this country is noted among- all the nations of earth. Prop- erty used for educational purposes is wisely exempted from taxation because society in general is benefited through the spread of public intelligence. Church property in the United States, valued at more than five hundred million dollars, is not taxed for any purpose, because, as a Christian Nation, we recognize the benefit of the church influence to the state and society at large as being of value to every citizen. The unbeliever is required to pay an indirect tax, because church property, being exempt from taxation, all other property must pay a higher tax, and this inequality is justified because the influence of religion is believed by a majority of people to be a public benefit. Charitable institutions are also in many of the states exempted by law from taxation. The head of a family who is not fortunate in the possession of a com- petence, makes a wise provision for the future of his dependent ones, and voluntarily assumes a tax in the form of an insurance premium. In many cases this tax, self-imposed, requires on his part the closest economy and possibly a severe sacrifice. Manifestly his prudent forethought is also of benefit to the state and to society at large, but under the laws of many states this man, who first taxes himself for an unselfish and worthy purpose, is subject to an unjust discrimination on the part of the state by being again penalized in the form of another tax. Every argument in favor of the exemption of school and church property from taxation, applies with greater force to the voluntary contributions made by the members of insurance associ- ations. Keep Western Money in Bank. Considered from its financial aspect alone, it must be remembered that life insurance, conducted on scientific principles, requires the accumulation of large sums of money, designated as the legal reserve, to guarantee the pay- ment of future obligations that are certain to mature, and these funds, which in the operation of the business are available for long time investments, con- tributed by citizens of the Trans-Mississippi country in the enormous amount of eighty-four million dollars annually, ought to be kept in the West and in- vested in the western country by men familiar with local conditions and imbued with a spirit of western enterprise. The area of the Trans-Mississippi empire constitutes nearly two-thirds of the National domain. It is the ne*wer and growing part of the country and capital is an indispensable factor to its continued growth. In every state and territory west of the Mississippi River there are abundant opportunities for the highly profitable investment of capital, and. as a rule, the prevailing rate of interest is substantially higher than it is in the older sections of the country. This fact illustrates the fun- damental law of supply and demand, which regulates the price of commodi- ties in every market. In the older and wealthier sections there are not the same opportunities for investment that exist in the Trans-Mississippi section, where the natural resources and wealth of the country have been but par- tially developed. If all the life premiums paid by citizens of the twenty-two Western States and Territories were available for investment in the western country, it would equalize, to a great extent, the difference in the rate of interest charged in the western country to that which prevails in the eastern section. The three Coast States of California, Oregon and Washington nay every business day of the year approximately sixty thousand dollars for life insurance, or in round numbers, eighteen million dollars a year on this account. California has one of the oldest and best established life companies in the Trans-Mississippi country, and if every western state had a company of equal size, it would mean a practical solving of the financial problem as affecting the future development of the Trans-Mississippi country. . ___ Don't Repeat the Error. The most practicable method of developing insurance institutions in the West is for western people to insist that their State Legislatures shall not repeat the error that has been made in some of the older commonwealths of the Union, where laws affecting life insurance have been enacted that are restrictive and most oppressive in their operation. During the past few months four companies in the Empire State of New York have practically gone out of business in their present organization, either through purchase or reinsurance, and it has been claimed that these changes are the result of the operation of the laws referred to. It is the duty of the state to protect the citizen in the business of life insurance by requiring from the companies absolute safety to the insured and an honest administration of the business. Further than this it is not the duty of the state to go, and an attempt to restrict and limit the development ot insurance by laws which undertake to establish the form and conditions of 70 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS contracts, is irrational and unjust. It constitutes an aggravated form of pater- nalism and can only be justified upon the assumption thai the American husi- ness man— sagacious, resourceful, keen-witted and mentally powerful, as he is universally recognized to be — needs a guardian when he attempts to make a ""»" i .^.i 1 1 .> i >- zealously fostering t ■> «- development of Insurance Institutions within their states by enacting helpful mid friendly legislation. By President Case: Under the rules there are three minutes allowed for discussion upon the question of life insurance. I would like to hear from anybody that desires to say a word on the subject of life insurance. Hy Col. Ike T. Pryor, of Texas: I will say to the gentlemen of tin Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress that I have listened with a great deal of interest to the valuable and instructive talk by Colonel Fleming. I have my life insured. As a rule people who take out policies do not in- vestigate, do not understand what they are taking out. If those who have listened to the talk of Mr. Fleming will read it and ponder over it, it will give them an idea of the magnitude of the insurance business, will give them an idea of the value of that business to the prosperity of this countrv. And I tell you rierht now that I have never listened to an address that had more meat in it than that address; and I believe it is worth while for us all to read it over again after it has been printed, and 1 hope and believe It will lie printed in the proceedings of this meeting. Seventy-flve per cent of this audience have insurance on their life for the hem lit of those who are to follow them, and we must as a rule trust someone else to tell us the kind of policy we should buy. We do nol make sufficient studv of this all-impor- tant ouestion: we do not enlighten ourselves to the extent that we should. That is all I have to say. (Applause.) By Mr. J. J. Gosper, of Los Angeles: I have not arisen for the purpose of making any remarks upon the subject of life insurance, but to suggest that as it is near the noon hour, and there are two other prisons on the program, and if a motion is required, I BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, Berkeley. President l Diversity of California. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 71 will move that further discussion of life insurance be dispensed with and we call upon you as chairman to proceed in the regular manner. Shall I make a motion? By President Case: Under the rules of the Congress each one of you is allowed the short space of three minutes to talk about the question; but I presume there is little to be said just now on this subject, and I will entertain your motion. By Mr. Gosper: I move you, sir, that further discussion of this question be dispensed with and that you, the Chairman, call for the next order in the exercises. By a Delegate: I second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) By President Case: Gentlemen of the Congress, you have listened to an educational talk on life insurance, to men who have discussed South American trade and foreign trade, all of which are of educational interest. Next, we have for you now a treat on a matter of educational interest, a matter in which we are all interested, a subject of the greatest importance. There are in the Trans-Mississippi territory nineteen state universities, the largest one of which is located in the state of California, one which is second to none in the world except Harvard University. We are complimented today by the presence of the president of the University of California, and it is with pleasure that I introduce, or, rather, present to this Congress, a gentleman whom you all know, one who has more than a national reputation. I now have the pleasure and the honor to introduce to you Benjamin Ide Wheeler. WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER — WHAT DOES IT MEAN? II >• Henjainin Iile Wheeler, President University of California: I recently heard a man account for a case of stagnating pessimism by saying: "They don't get out beyond the Missouri River often enough." The man who made the remark was the President of the United States, a man who himself absorbed a good deal of his fine sense for the essential mood and manner of Americanism through his own sojourning in the upland ranges and ranches behind that self-same river. There was a time when Mason and Dixon's line made the frontier between the two constituent moods and interests of the land; nowadays it is the Missouri and the lower Mississippi which mark the boundary between the Nation's halves. I have always noticed when the train passes North Platte coming west. that men stop wiping their necks at the edge of the collar, and that they begin to ask each other for a match, without reference to present condition of bank account or previous condition of servitude. (Applause.) By the time we have passed Buffalo Bill's ranch, agriculture begins to yield to grazing, men sit on top of the horse instead of behind him, and the hat brims grow stiffer. (Laughter.) And then you begin to search for the concepts hidden in the phrase, "beyond the Missouri River." and concept there must be — otherwise what is the use of holding a Trans-Mississippi or Trans- Missouri Congress? And concept there surely is. for who has ever Shifted his life from one side of this frontier to the other without feeling he is in another world? If you look into the maps in the physical geographies, .von will see thai almost all the land beyond the river is painted brown in deepening shades; for most of it is over two thousand feet above the level of the sea. The Trans-Missourians are nearer the stars, but farther from the safe deposit vaults. (Laughter.) . . , In the Trans-Missouri region, too, the air is thinner, but the skin is thicker. It has to be — (Laughter) — a little. The sticks are bigger. And almost every- body carries one. The quality of itness is somewhat more generally distrib- uted amongst the population than over yonder. Hearts beat several times 72 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS a minute more here than over yonder, but then there is more here for hearts to do than there. Here the blood flows freer, there the perspiration. (Laughter.) But blood is thicker than water. (Laughter and applause.) Here the air Is dryer, there the hearts are dryer. (Laughter.) Hoi'.- to the u-i'st ,,r th,. Missouri is the land of elbow room. Everybody feels it, and act? it. Everyone likes to wear his arms akimbo, and put the space to some good use. 1 ><> you know that, though we have here but one-fifth of the population, we have a good half <>f the area, and surely two-thirds of the breeze. We are a breezy people in a breezy world. (Applause.) On the other side they positively jostle against each other, so thick are they set. Massachusetts has o-ln to the square mile, New York 1">0, California but 9. and Wyoming but one. Winn a man has a whole square mile all to himself, if he does jostle, he is likely to have acquired momentum in getting there. And that is what we find in fact. Detached cars on a grade unite and come to a halt with less peaceful results- than a well-coupled train. But it is glorious to be free and have room enough. The biggest men there are the biggest- hearted, and the most self-reliant come from these breezy, free square miles. (Applause.) To the east of the Missouri they are wont to accept the rainfall as dis- pensed by providence. They are like the Puritan settlers of New England, who voted to adopt the laws of Cod until they had time to make better. (Laughter). To the west of the Missouri they propose to put the water on the ground when and where they want it. It has an audacious ring, especially when there isn't any water in sight, but it is part and parcel of that whole endeavor of civilized and scienced man whereby he twists nature to his uses, and by prying on her secrets, with what he calls his science, learns to domes- ticate Iter to his yoke and rule her by means of her own habits. The uses of civilized life, and these who are forced to practice and develop it receive thereby high education both in the scientific control of nature and in the sociology of co-operation. But still there is one thing which more than dry air or dry farming, more than heartbeats or elbow room, more than grazing flocks or teeming mines of yellow ore. or orchards of golden fruit, helps to yield the ultimate concept of "beyond the Missouri," and that is the long haul. Perhaps this is only a corollary of our elbow room, but certain it is that our entire social and economic existence is conditioned by the fact that most of what we get and what we send must be carried over great spaces. In railroads we live and move, and in transportation we have our being. (Applause.) Material sub- stances, whether ore or fruit or meat, are in themselves of no value, but only as they are set down where there is need and use for them. Wealth is created not by growing anything or digging anything out of the ground, but by classifying material substances and transporting and assembling them accord- ing to human need for their use. The railroads are our great public instru- ment for accomplishing this end, and nowhere is railroad transportation so closely wrought into the very life-physiology of a community as here beyond the Missouri. It is a matter of life and death. It is not raiment or ring, but tissue and blood. Their joint interests are not separable. The prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the other. A finer consciousness of this mutual interdependence and of a mutual responsibility would be advantageous to both. (Applause. » The railroads must know they have a duty to perforin; they hold a public trusteeship, and the people must recognize that their life is tied up with the life and prosperity of the railroad. (Applause.) But there is still one more item for our Trans-Missouri concept. The early settlers of this continent occupied first a fringe of the Atlantic shore, and their faces were set toward Europe and the East. Then they pushed back into the interior, but they backed in; their faces were still set toward the Atlantic and the East. It was not until the prairie schooners had crossed the Missouri that prows and faces were set toward the West. (Applause.) And now that we have found another ocean, and begin to see that our Nation has destiny and tasks in terms thereof — a destiny and tasks that well may make its future history to be as certainly controlled by its position on the Pacific facing Asia as was its earlj history controlled by its position on the Atlantic facing Europe, portentous as these tokens are, it still remains that it is only the people of the prairie schooner and their successors who really set their faces toward the West, i Applause.) And that is the thing which unites us in a common work, as it unites us in a common destiny; thai Is the reason why you have a right to hold a Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress, and empowers you to continue therewith; but I beg you will come over to Berkeley and see me, where we are trying to maintain a university in accordance with the Trans-Missouri ideals for Trans-Missouri uses and for the good of Trans-Missouri folks. (Prolonged applause.) 1. J. C. ST1 BBS, Chicago. •2. E. II. IIAHKIMAX. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 73 By President Case: It has been the purpose of the Executive Committee to have Mr. Harri- man's representative address the meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon, but Mr. J. C. Stubbs, who represents Mr. Harriman, who speaks for Mr. Harri- man — Mr. Harriman in his telegram to me, I guess I am not going to embarrass Mr. Harriman by saying so, stated that Mr. Stubbs would represent him and that he would be responsible for what Mr. Stubbs said. In other words, they have talked the matter over together, and Mr. Harriman regrets more than anyone that he could not be present at this meeting. I want to say at this time to the delegates of this Congress that there has been no one who has taken more interest in this meeting than Mr. E. H. Harriman. (Applause.) It has been to me an inspiration. You know that the labors of this Congress sometimes are pretty hard, and that people in their busy moments forget, or rather, leave it to the Executive Com- mittee to look after everything and rightly so, perhaps. At times the president and the secretary and the members in charge sometimes feel that the proper interest is not being manifested, so that any interest taken by people generally is appreciated. We had this evidence of interest from Mr. Harriman. I met Mr. Harriman in Omaha at his request. He ac- cepted my invitation, appreciated it, as I have said. No one appreciated it more. He stated that if it were possible, and he thought it wasi, he would be at this meeting and make an address. He was anxious to meet the people of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. But im- portant business affairs, such as you and I know that he has, have pre- vented his being here. There is no reason, gentlemen of this Congress, why the railroads of this country should not take an active interest in this organization, being as they are active agencies in the development of the Western States. I deeply appreciated Mr. Harriman's personal co- operation. I understand that never before has a railroad ever taken such an active interest. Mr. Stubbs will now represent Mr. Harriman. He is familiar with the conditions, and I want the men of this Congress to greet Mr. Stubbs after the meeting. If there is anything to be discussed in the way of railroad transportation after Mr. Stubbs has finished his remark; there will be an opportunity for each member to discuss it for a period of three minutes. I hope, however, that during his address, he shall have the floor uninterruptedly. I now have the pleasure and the honor to intro- duce to you, Mr. J. C. Stubbs. (Applause.) TRANSPORTATION. By Mr. J. C. Stubbs, Personal Representative of Mr. E. H. Harriman: Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress' ' As your president has already explained, I am here as a substitute Some of us recall that during the Civil War the substitute was looked upon somewhat with disfavor by his comrades, the motives for his enlistment being regarded as mercenary. He was not happy. Not so in this case. I look upon it as a creditable distinction of which I am proud and for which I am thankful for several reasons: ... - First I regard it as distinctly flattering to be permitted to speak to a body of men such as are distinguished by appointment to this Congress — a Congress of such high aims and broad reach in the industrial progress of this Western Empire. Second— To me it is a gratifying compliment to take the place of one so able so public-spirited, so forceful and effective as I know my Chief to be. No view of Mount Shasta from the old Sisson stage station ever impressed me. I rather more admired the symmetry of Black Butte, in the foreground. But when Shasta is seen from down the Sacramento River,flfty or J*ven_seventj m th m before! W The C calmT7udi'ciarhisto"ry of our Civil War, its causes and effects, 71 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS not yel been written, nor will it be until at least another generation has passed. This man can wait. Third — it has given me an unexpected home-coming, the opportunity t<> visit, albeit only for a day, the birthplace of my manhood; the city and state in whose growth and development I have been enlisted, just as many of you are enlisted In rebuilding from the ruins of < >i our welcome. In a general way what I have said about the relations of these railroad pr rties to the public weal is known to this audience, also by those who have considerable dealings with the railroads which bring them in contact with the men who manage them. It may he said, however, that in its large significance it is not appreciated by the majority of the people who con- stantly, and more or less directly, use the railroads. A great majority of citi- zens who are served by the. railroads indirectly, hut nevertheless in a way ami measure that make for their well-being, do not apprehend the interdependence or right relations of the public and the carrier. Many of them in their atti- tude to the railroads are like the freshly arrived Immigrant, who was "agin the Government" on principle, he said. He did not know that his word "principle" was a misnomer; that he was really governed by prejudice, the product of ignorance. The publicity-compelling feature of the amended Interstate Commerce law is expected to do something towards dispelling a quite e non prejudice which arises from ignorance, but 1 think there must be a popular and wide- spread dissemination id' information on this subject. It has seemed to me that the men are too numerous who do not under- stand or who refuse to recognize that railroads are property, entitled to the protection as well as being subjeel to the restraints of the law. Under our form of government supervision ami regulation by law might be extended to any Other industrial pursuit if the people willed it. It has been applied to railroads because of their monopolistic nature, and the well proven fact that transportation iii this country is absolutely necessary to the well-being, the- industrial life, Of the people. Hence these agencies of trans- portation must be restrained and regulated lest the power they naturallj exer- cise be used to the hurt rather than the help of the people. But fundamentally the right of supervision and regulation does nol go to the extent of practical management, nor should it limit the rate of profit below that which other Investments of labor, skill and money commonly yield. I have In mind the visit of a state Railroad Commissioner to the general Offices Of a small railroad many hundreds of miles from this city. After going ,, V er the accounts of the railroad company and finding them <> K. he pointed to the balance sheet and said: "Vim are making too much money; too much money." That illustrates the kind Of supervision that I fear is becoming too popular, and the kind of regulation which seems to me may deprive railroads of protection of their common property rights. Such agencies as this Congress can, and I hope will, he effective as a means of disseminating the truth concerning the carriers' rights and needs, as well as the rights and demands of the ] pie. The territory represented by this Congress is the larger part, and daily is becoming a more Important pan of our country, its area is over two million TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 75 square miles — about sixty per cent of the area of the United States exclusive of Alaska and tne insular possessions. Its growth in wealth, in population in all the products of civilization, furnishes a remarkable chapter in history. Such conventions as this show the desire and purpose of the people of the Trans-Mississippi territory to do nothing- to retard, and to leave nothing undone that will promote, its further progress. It g-oes without saying that our endeavors must be honest. I firmly be- lieve that they must be co-operative. In using the term "co-operative" I have in mind especially the relations of the railroads with the general public the essential interdependence of which I have just spoken. That interdepend- ence does not exclude the ordinary features of exchange — of byving and selling. It should not prevent fair competition, nor should it forbid curbing by law the unjust use of power by capital or by labor, by corporations or by individuals, but it does suggest to a wise, a just and a generous public senti- ment the inexpediency of making any person or class of persons, or any busi- ness association of persons — in firms or in corporations — the football of what is called politics, and it does forbid treating any such as a sort of industrial Frankenstein. Now please do not mistake the intent or spirit of that remark. It is not a complaint; not even a protest. It is simply the thought of one whose employment, and ambition, and pride is inwrought with what is under- stood to be the object of this Congress. The several sides of a square are equal. A deal implies at least two par- ties. A "square deal" means that the deal must be fair to both, or each and every party to it. That is all you want; that is all we shall ever contend for as railroad men dealing with the public. Our Government acquired nearly three-fourths of this Trans-Mississippi country by purchase, paying therefor an aggregate of fifty-three and a quarter millions — not quite five and one-half cents per acre. The land acquired by treaty was, probably, no more and no less valuable than that which was bought. The approximate total cost then was seventy-three million dollars. Its estimated value now, according to the Bureau of the Census, is thirty-two and one-half billions, or four hundred and forty-five times its value when the United States acquired it, and six hundred times as much as the cost of that which was purchased. This increase in value is marvelous. It cannot be dupli- cated in the history of the world. It reflects the greatest credit upon the energy and enterprise of those who have come from all parts of the earth to this section to till its farms, work its mines and build its cities. The trans-continental railroad lines, or rather the one described as having been first completed, as you all know, historically at least, was built by the aid of the General Government. The United States advanced large sums of money to the companies which promoted and built these roads, but do you know* what is true, that the last dollar of those advances has been returned to the Government, with interest? You know that the Congress, in aid of the project, gave every odd section of Government land within twenty miles of the completed road. The Government's price for the land was $1.25 per acre, but do you know, what is also true, that the price of the adjoining even sections, retained by the Government, was immediately doubled? 1 >o yon know that the Government reserved the right to fix the rates to .be charged for transportation service performed for it by these land grant roads, and has exercised that right by paying only half of the going rates? That is likewise a fact. Do you also know, what is demonstrable, that the saving to the Gov- ernment in the cost of transijortation and in the cost of caring for and con- trolling the Indian tribes, by the construction and operation of these lines. will aggregate much more than the sums advanced to these companies, with interested compounded annually? These questions are asked and answered to stimulate pride in the Administration of our Government as a marvelously successful trader; to express mv gratification in the payment of the debt, which I believe will be equally gratifying to you, and to record my wondering admiration of the prescience of our forefathers, going back to the senatorial days of Thomas H. Benton. I believe that the opportunity for industrial development through these very means of transportation — the interchange by an increasingly great population, of the products of the brain and brawn of the greatest people the earth has ever known — in the next two generations will be as numberless and as fruitful as they have been from Benton's days until now. (Applause.) Shall we not cultivate the spirit, the energy, the self-restraint, essential to successful pursuit of that prospect? Perhaps you will pardon a prediction T am tempted to make, thai the Government's' investment in the Panama Canal, after forty years 01 opera- tion, will not show in whole nor in any particular, even as an engine or defense in time of war. any such profit, although I hope n shall. I hat enter- prise is no longer debatable. It is under way with promise ol success, and I shall ioin you in saying "God speed it"! (Applause.) I have little knowledge of the discussions by previous sessions oi this congress, or of their subjects. I apprehend their range was wide. My atten- 76 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS tion was called to what seemed to be the dominant note of the congress of 1907, at Muskogee, Oklahoma, that is, the improvement of the inland water- ways and harbors. Some who spoke to that question in fervent advocacy of the Improve at, founded their contention upon the great influence such im- provement would exercise in regulating rates for freight and passenger traffic charged by the railroads. One speaker said that it would be greater than the Influence many Interstate Commerce Commissions could ever hope to exercise. Another declared that what is needed is to furnish natural and inevitable compel it ion of railroads. Another speaker is quoted as saying, "the railroads will take care of themselves," but the rivers, harbors and waterways of the country need the protection of the Government." I welcome this opportunity to say that my people do not object to the improvement of the rivers, the harbors and the waterways of this country. That work belones to the general Government and should be done at what- ever cost, wherever there is a substantial need. We think they will prove to be valuable feeders to tin 1 railroads. I Applause.) I beg your further indulgence to make this statement also, that, so far as I know -and I ought to know — neither Mr. Harriman nor his associates nave antagonized the building of the Panama Canal. Personally, 1 wish it had waited on the rehabilitation of our moribund merchant marine, which I believe ought to be the next great endeavor of our people. (Applause.) But the Panama Canal was inevitable for many reasons. The more pressing necessity for the restoration of our merchant marine is not a recent opinion of mine; I urged that view upon the Association of Merchants and Travelers at Chicago in 1900. It has become a national enterprise and no one would re-ret more than I and mj associates the failure of that project. While I share the desire of many far-seeing and public spirited American citizens to see "Columbia mistress of the seas" by the efficiency of her merchant marine; while I believe with Raleigh that "he who controls the ships of the world commands the trade of the world"; while I think that a numerous fleet of domestic high-class s< a-going merchantmen will furnish a needed and tremendously effective auxiliary to our navy, I also hold the opinion that within United States territory lying west of the Mississippi River, in the forbidding soil of arid plains, in the bosom of the rock-ribbed, hard- faced mountains, and in the shade of forests of giant trees that no other country can rival, there lies an undeveloped, untouched, practically unknown wealth, aw r aiting the open sesame which a just union of labor and capital will evoke. (Applause.) This opinion is not original with me. Far seeing statesmen gave it better expression in the organization of the highly com- mendable Forest Service of the general Government and the organization and prosecution of the United States Reclamation Service. But after all has been or can be well done by the general public by legislation, there will remain the essential need for transportation, which, for by far the larger part of the country, can be supplied only by railroads. It will not be denied that the work and enterprise of the farmer, the miner, the manufacturer and the merchant would have been fruitless, if not impos- sible without the aid of artificial means of transportation. Their markets were east of the great river or across the seas, and distance was the least of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to free exchange between producer and consume]-. Railroads entered the territory, overcame these obstacles, and it may fairly be said were and will be the chief instrumentality in uncovering the wealth of this Trans-Mississippi country. By no other known means could its prosperity have been builded; by no other known agency can its possible growth be realized. Great as has been the increase of wealth in the past, there lies in your minds and mine the hope, aye the promise of a greater tut me. and I think that all will agree that to fulfil] that promise it will be necessary to improve, to enlarge and to multiply our railroads. In the year ended June 30, 1906, lor every loo square miles of its area New Jerseyhad Hi miles of railroad. .Massachusetts 26, Pennsylvania 25, Ohio 22, Illinois* 21, New Fork 18. In the same year for every 100 square miles Of its area Missouri had 12 miles Of railroad. Kansas 11, .Minnesota 10, Nebraska 2, Nevada 1. These figures show how much railroad development there musl be west of the Mississippi before the states in this section will possess as ample transportation facilities as those east of the river. n seems to me plain thai the first step towards providing this growing demand for transportation is to improve the efficiency, to increase the work- ing capacity of the roads now in use. The reason is simple. Wha1 can be done iii that way will be done with much less money than to build wholly new Lines. The building of double tracks; the reduction of curvatures; the lessening of grades; the tunneling of mountains; the enlargement of ter- minals, many of them accomplished and to be accomplished at an almost appalling com are all undertaken for the purpose of increasing the trans- portation facilities Of the country and their public usefulness. It can be done in thai «;iy at less cost than by building; new railroads, with the ad- vantage that the greater number of those who use the railroads will be benefited thereby. I know that there is a somewhat popular idea that the new and separately TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 77 managed road will be of greater public benefit by promoting competition In the minds that cherish that idea, competition usually means reducing rates without much regard for who is hurt. I shall have to confess that some in- stances of railroad wrecking and the many cases of railroad bankruptcy suggest that notion, but I do not believe that either the present or prospective conditions bearing upon that question justify or favor its retention. Railroad rates in this country, as a body, are very low — much lower than in any other country. Upon the average they have yielded smaller returns to investors than any other productive industry that may be compared fairly with the railroad service. Not only most of the states, but Congress has taken a masterful hand in regulating and restraining the charges of railroads so that manifestly the public is amply protected from extortion and other forms of injustice. The pirating of one railroad's business by newly constructed rivals that has been practiced in the past, will not be possible in the future. What may be regarded as unreasonable rates by shipper, or unjustly discriminative rates by communities, will in due course be passed upon by commissions and courts, and in the not far distant future — as measured by the life of our na- tion — we shall have a system or body of rates that will not provoke bitter contention between shippers and carriers, though the usual contention be- tween buyer and seller will not cease. But with all possible improvements in the existing railroads, the material development of our Western States will require and demand much, very much new construction. Much of this new construction as well as the improvements of existing lines is now or has been on the drafting boards. The physical problems are solved. The building waits only on an easier money market and the revival of business which is sure to come if you and those who must construct and manage these roads are co-operative in a good business sense. If we shall look forward a generation there are thousands of miles of new railroad in prospective demand. The construction of a railroad anywhere requires vast expenditures of money. In our country, bordered by two great oceans which are separated by more than three thousand miles of the most varying physical conditions of land and climate to be found on any continent, this capital expenditure with respect to the transcontinental roads in particular was not only necessarily large in the first instance, but the rapid growth of population and industry since the first rail was laid called for renewals and changes and extensions approximating the original capitalization. The cost of main- tenance has naturally increased, but the cost of operation has not been reduced in proportion to the expenditures made for the purpose of reducing it. More than one of the corporations owning a transcontinental line have experienced bankruptcy and been reorganized — some of them more than once. All have at times faced great financial distress. Dividends equal to the going rate of interest for long loans on gilt edged securities have been a recent experience to them. Thanks to the wonderful growth in population, the vastness of the hidden wealth of forest and stream, of mountain and plain, which needed only the magic touch of labor and capital to manifest itself, I think we are out of our troubles. (Applause.) The treasure is there. Our problem is to gather it without waste. _ But as you all know, or may infer from what I have said, while the problems of the past have been measurably solved, we are facing a new one that is iust as insistent in the minds of far-sighted men as was the building of the first transcontinental line in the mind of Benton and his coadjutors three generations ago. It is for more and better railroad facilities in this Western country. The answer to this demand waits on the necessary money, which in volume will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. For reasons which you all understand, many of you better than I do, capital has become chary of railroad investment. Perhaps the reason most effective in restraining the investor is the fear of unreasonable limitation by the public upon the returns from the investment. 78 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Southern Pacific in the years 1885 to 1906 was 1 per cent. The average dividend of the Union Pacific in the years 1884 to 1906 was 1.5 per cent. The average dividend of the Great Northern in the years 1890 to 1907 was 6 per cent. The highest average dividend paid by any of these roads in the periods referred to was only a little more than one-half as much as the American farmer made in 1905, and the lowest average dividend paid was only one-tenth as much. Gentlemen, we want, we need — the continuous growth and improvement (if this wonderfully promising territory deinamlN, more railroads and enlarged and improved facilities in the existing roads. The expenditures necessary to these ends are capital expenditures. The needed money will he obtainable When confidence in the productiveness of railroad investments is restored: when co-operation and good will is manifest in the relations of the people and the carrier; when it is promoted by the individual citizen; when it so pervades the public mind as to find expression through legislative bodies; when it dominates the purpose of those charged with the investment of tin- enormous sums needed for such great works, and when it energizes and illuminates the spirit of those charged with the management of the railroads. When these conditions prevail the needed money will be forthcoming, the work will be prosecuted and the wheels of industry begin to turn everywhere. Then there will be no idle laboring men on the streets, no salesmen off on long vacations, nor will there be anxious minds in the counting house. The full dinner pail will be the escutcheon on the door of cottage and palace. Some may say that I am optimistic. Well, that is true. I am looking for the substance — not the hole in the doughnut. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." That is a divine philosophy that may well be applied to human affairs, and nowhere, to my mind, more productively of the things we desire and hone for than to the western half of Uncle Sam's territory. (Prolonged applause.) By President Case: We have only about ten minutes now before adjournment. Possibly someone desires the opportunity of speaking three minutes upon the sub- ject of transportation? By Mr. Alfred Chartz, of Nevada: I came across the plains in 1863. Five of us fitted out at St. Joe, and when we landed in Oakland and crossed the bay I thought there were millions of us. I came from Carson City, Nevada, the place where the great Corbett- Fitzsimmons fistic battle took place. We have there within our wilds no candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Having now located my- self in this convention, telling who I am, I now desire to ask Mr. Stubbs this question; I would like to have it answered by him now; is it true that the merchants of San Francisco oppose the giving to Nevada of the same terminal rates that they themselves enjoy? This is the only question I desire to ask. By Mr. G. W. Burton, of Los Angeles, California: I want to express my unqualified gratification at the presence of Mr. Stubbs, perhaps the most accomplished traffic man in America, who conies before this Congress to speak to us about transportation. 1 wish to say that it is a new thing for railroad men of Mr. Harriman's caliber, and of Mr. Stubbs' caliber, to come before the public and speak to them and try to explain to them. We are ignorant — I speak for myself as one of the public; we all know too little about this great topic of transportation; and when we get publicity, when the railroad men will come and talk to us frankly as Mr. Stubbs has talked to us today, there will be less agitation about rail- roads and other corporations. There will be more harmony between the railroads and the people, and there will be more prosperity in the country for us all. As I am a newspaper man, there came to me, in my office, not long ago, two girls from the East. Their mother had died while they were together in Los Angeles, and they wanted to go back home by a more direct route than the one their ticket called for. The railroad people would not let them do so. They came to me and wanted me to "roast" the railroads. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 79 I said, "That is my business; I am a good cook; I have got the fire, and I have the spit." They said, "Here is a ticket which reads from St. Louis, to Chicago via Los Angeles, and back home via Portland, and they won't let us go back direct. Our mother is dead and we want to go home by the most direct route." I looked at the tickets and then told them that there were a dozen railroads interested in that contract between them and the rail- roads, and there was nobody there with authority to change their contract. I talked to them for about five or ten minutes and they finally went away perfectly satisfied. A business man — not a schoolteacher, a shipper of oranges — came to me two years ago over and over again and wanted me to "roast" the rail- roads because they were not giving him cars as fast as he wanted them for his shipments. I said, "They have not got cars; they will give you cars if they have them. They will no more refuse you a car if they have one, than you would refuse to sell a car of oranges if you have them." He said, "The yards are full of cars," but I told him, "They are foreign cars or they are cars routed back by way of New Orleans, or they are routed back by way of St. Paul, or some other particular way, and the Interstate Commerce laws forbid their routing them where you want to ship, and they cannot be used for your purpose." I could explain to the girls, but I could not explain to the business man — he would not have it. If the gentleman from Nevada wants to know about terminal rates — down at San Bernardino a dealer in agricul- tural implements came to see me, and he also wanted the railroads roasted because they would not give him terminal rates. I asked him what he sold, and he mentioned among other things, combined harvesters. I said, "How many combined harvesters do you sell in harvest time?" He answered, "Ten." "How long does it take you?" "Five or six weeks." I asked him, "Can you carry fifteen combined threshers and reapers on your own account; have you got warehouse room for them?" He answered, "No, I have neither the capital nor the warehouse." I said, "Where will you order them from?" "From the East, where they are made, and the farmers want them in a hurry." Instead of carrying the implements on hand, he expected the rail- road company to have cars sufficient to ship them from the East out here to San Bernardino in small lots as he wanted them, and to get the benefit of the terminal rates, and he blamed the railroads if while the farmer was waiting his crop would be ruined. I think the gentleman from Nevada does not fully understand these terminal rates. To give terminal rates to every point in the interior means to destroy every wholesale establishment in San Francisco, in Los Angeles, and all the other terminal points, and would interrupt and break up and destroy the great traffic in which we are all interested. I am not criticizing anybody. I am only expressing my gratification that men like Mr. Stubbs should be sent here by Mr. Harriman, and assist us in understanding more than we understand now. (Applause.) By President Case: Is there any further discussion? We have neard from the Pacific Coast. I see before me one of the distinguished gentlemen from Kansas City, who knows the conditions of the Central West; he is very modest— Hon. E. L. Scarrett, of Kansas City. I would like to have him give us a three-minute talk on the transportation problem. By Mr. E. L. Scarrett: I am not prepared to talk on this subject now, and I would only say that Mr Stubbs has expressed my opinions on the question of transportation, which has been augmented by the gentleman from California. I agree with what both of these gentlemen have said, relative to this transportation 80 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS question. It would take too long a time to discuss any phi.se of it, and I want to express my thanks and appreciation to the president for calling on me, and will leave the question where it is. By President Case: Gentlemen of the Congress, we will now adjourn until 2:30 P. M. I desire to say that this afternoon we will have a very interesting program, "The Conservation of Natural Resources. " which will he taken up im- mediately upon convening at 2:30. iuiin C. CUTLER, S:iit Lake City. Governor of I i»h. FIFTH SESSION Vice-President I. T. Pryor, of Texas, called the Congress to order in afternoon session at 2:30 o'clock p. m. By Vice-President Pryor: The convention will come to order. The time has now arrived when we should continue with our program of the day. In the first place, the secretary has some announcements, I believe. By Secretary Francis: Announcement is made that the name of Hon. George C. Pardee has been placed upon the Committee on Resolutions from California, instead of Mr. C. C. Moore. Governor Pardee will report to the committee at 3 o'clock. The vacancies on the Committee on Resolutions, and also the Committee on Permanent Organization, are as follows: Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. We have received word that some of these delegates are en route. If there are any delegates present from those states, we wish, they would please get busy. By Vice-President Pryor: The first thing for the afternoon session is an address on "The Conser- vation of the Natural Resources." I feel very sure that you will hear an address that will repay you for coming early. I introduce to you, and it gives me great pleasure to do so, Governor John C. Cutler, of Utah, who will speak to you upon the topic announced. CONSERVATION OF NATURAL, RESOURCES. By Hon. John C. Cutler, Governor of Utah. By Mr. Cutler, Salt Lake City: I am proud to represent a State that can claim credit for a great deal of the growth of the Trans-Mississippi region. A pioneer in the settlement of this region, Utah has been a leader in movements for its development. One of the most important of these is the formation and growth of this splendid organization, the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. I recall with pleas- ure the fact that Utah men were prominent in the establishment of this Congress, and that a Utah man, the Honorable E. P. Ferry, was its second president. I am sure you will agree with me that his work, and that of the other two presidents Utah has provided, Honorable George Q. Cannon and Honorable John Henry Smith, are a source of great pride to Utah people. Utah has furnished more presidents for this great organization than any other state except Missouri. But then, Missouri is always showing others how to do things, while demanding to be shown why she shouldn't do them. Utah has had the honor of entertaining the Congress twice, taking seem,! place only to Missouri in this respect. And we are keenly anticipating the pleasure of entertaining the Congress again just as soon as you ladies and gentlemen will make up your minds to bring it to our State. It can't be any too soon to suit us. I accepted with pleasure the invitation of your president, Honorable .7. B. Case, to address the Congress on the subject of the conservation of re- sources, because I had seen the vast importance of the policy of preserving the natural wealth of the country for the benefit of our children, I feel that there is little need for me or any other man to defend or justit.v this policy of the Government before this representative body of foremost citizens of the Trans-Mississippi region. Opposition to it is based on a lack of understanding or on short-sighted selfishness; and I can not attribute eI1 of these to the ladies and gentlemen I see before me today. Opposition based on these two principles usually descends to calling names, applying epithets, or attacking with ridicule or misrepresentation measures proposed and the men advocating them. It is therefore not a] all surprising that most of the opposition to President Roosevelt s policies looking to the conservation of the great natural resources of the country, has been 82 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS of the sort referred t". Such epithets as "autocracy," "tyranny," "grand- stand play," "Kins Lear policy," "insincerity," and many others equally final anil convincing, have been used over-time, in season anil out of season, by the opponents of this policy. Ami yet there lias been no good argument against it. unless you can apply the term i < . the statement thai we have these resources, ami if we choose to exhaust them we have a right to do so. Leaving our children and our children's children to shift fur themselves. But this appears to me the doetrine of selfishness ami tyranny, for it is equal to the claim that the power to do a wrong thing justifies the doing of it. With such a doetrine I can not agree, nor do I think any of you can entertain it. As to the "King I. ear policy," I will merely pause long enough to say that King Lear gave his kingdom to his daughters while he was still com- petent to administer it. He ought to have retained It until he became in- capacitated, and then given it. unimpaired, to his children. That is the true conservation policy. We are to use with economy and prudence and judg- ment the wonderful resources we possess. But we are to give those re- sources, not only unimpaired and undiminished, but increased and improved, to our children, to be so transmitted to coming generations. If inducing us to do this is tyranny, let its opponents make the most of it. Anything less is downright injustice to unborn generations, and a tacit acknowledg- ment that we are not the advanced and civilized people we claim to be. The policy involves just enough prudence and self-sacrifice to make coming generations secure in their heritage. As we expect them to excel us in enlightenment and achievement, we should leave to them the facilities necessary to make their advancement effective. To provide for their educa- tion and training; to increase their physical and mental efficiency, and at the same time to deprive them of the material means of applying this efficiency, is "to keep the word of promise to their ears, and break it to their hopes.' It is like placing the implements of improvement in their hands and then removing all opportunity for their proper use. It is useless for us to maintain schools and teach our children trades, and develop in them a high mental and manual skill, if at the same time we rob them of the elements on which alone this skill can be employed. It is contrary to the American spirit of fair play and equal opportunity for all, to oppose the policy of preserving and transmitting to our children increased material wealth and improved opportunities. I believe the time is at hand when we shall disprove the statement widely made and too generally justified and believed, that the American nation is the most extravagant on earth. So much by way of explanation of the nature and purpose of conserva- tion: but not by way of defense of the policy, for it needs no defense. Tn speaking on the broad subject itself, two courses are open to me. One is to speak in general terms; the other, to present some practical phases of the subject as they apply to my own State, and in similar localities. For two reasons I shall pursue the latter course. First, because there are gentlemen announced to speak who can treat the general subject more effectually through having made a specialty of it: secondly, because the statements I shall make on the practical application of conservation in Utah may lead to suggestions of value by gentlemen from other states. Broadly, the resources we wish to conserve under the policy now con- templated are the soil, the water, the forests, and the minerals. Everj state is interested in each of these subjects in its own way. I shall say some- thing of the nature and extent of Utah's interest in these objects of conserva- tion: my aim being to indicate each phase briefly rather than discuss it in full. We have not yet reached die point in I'tah where conserving the soil interests us so much as getting more of it under cultivation. The scarcity of water is still keeping millions of .ores barren ami unproductive, although rich in potential fertility. Therefore the soil and the water are of equal and similar importance as objects of conservation. Large irrigation projects, undertaken by the state and the Federal Government, are reclaiming thousands of acres each year. Arid farming, just making a commencement, bids fair to redeem the barren laud still more rapidly. But there is another plan for Increasing the acreage of irrigated lands. which I think may well receive attention. And the advantage of it lies in the fact that in carrying it out we shall also conserve our mountain streams anil utilize the immense water power thev represent. On account of the rapid fall of the mountain torrents, it is possible to build two or three power plants on each of them, before the water reaches the level plain. By means of the long-distance transmission of the electricity thus generated, pumping plants situated on the shores of lakes or- the hanks of rivers that run below the arable soil, can be operated, and the water lifted up ami poured on the land. The great inventor. Thomas A. Bdison, who was recently in Utah, advocated this Idea. lb 1 probably did not know- that this very thing is being (lone in I'tah: and 1 crave your indulgence while I speak of one instance of its practical operation. Thirty miles south of Salt Lake City lies Utah Lake, a body of fresh TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 83 water twelve miles wide and fifty miles long. At certain seasons of the year the water of the lake is too low to run into the canals that leave the lake and water the high hench lands of Salt Lake Vallev. This is remedied bv a pumping- station, located near the source of the Jordan River, which flows out of Utah Lake into Great Salt Lake. The pumps are operated with power supplied by one of the numerous streams that flow from the mountains into the lake. On this stream there are already two power plants of one thousand horsepower each, with the likelihood of still another being built Thus the water is made to do service over and over again. It operates' the power plants; then irrigates the land lying between the canyon and the lake fortv per cent of it seeping into the lake; then it is lifted from the lake bv the power it generated while tumbling down the mountains, and fertilizes the lands in the valley below. I do not know of a better illustration of the conservation of resources and the multiplication and use of the benefits of water. You must understand that the land lying along the foot of our mountain ranges is of immense value for orchards. But without water it cannot be used for fruit cultivation. By lifting the water up to this land, it mav be re- claimed from its barren state, or at least advanced from the status 'of grain land with a yearly production of $15 or $20 an acre, to the dignitv of fruit land, producing annually hundreds of dollars an acre. I stand appalled at the amount of coal it would require to furnish this power for pumping pur- poses. Thus our mountain streams become a most important element in preserving our coal supply and increasing the value and productiveness of the land. The subject of forest preservation is so closely allied with the one just spoken of that it can scarcely be treated separately. In Utah fully as much perhaps, as elsewhere, replenishing and controlling the streams must depend on the forests. The forests of our State and the source of our streams are together, in the tops of the mountains. The trees and underbrush play a most important part in the banking of the winter snow and in protecting it from the .direct rays of the spring sun, so that its melting will be gradual. Also in softening the ground so that the water soaks into the soil, to come out in springs, instead of flooding off the surface. These things make the difference between the stream which devastates the soil by cutting deep gullies in it, and washing its strength into the river or the lake, and the stream that, like the Nile in Egypt, spreads fertility and strength over the land. And yet, notwithstanding the perfectly obvious importance of these forests in the material economy of the State, I think I am safe in saying that the main reason all our forests are not destroyed is that very many of them are inaccessible. They are far away, in the heads of great canyons, four or five thousand feet above the valleys, and practically beyond the reach of any road that man can construct. I don't know but it is well that this is so; for until the strong hand of the Federal Government was laid on loggers and sawyers, they seemed to attach no sacredness to our timber, nor considered it worthy of the slightest thought, except for immediate and ruthless use. The devastating ax and saw and the still more destructive forest fire have laid bare thousands of acres of splendid timber lands in Utah. In view of the fact, however, that additional timber is needed in Utah, not only for the sake of the water supply but also for use, I am pleased to be able to say that the Government has taken in hand the re-forestizing of our mountain sides. A planting station has been installed near Salt Lake City, with a capacity of about two million trees a year. I am informed that already this year the first trees to be taken from the nursery to the planting grounds have been put in place; and that other stations will be established when possible, and the capacity of this one will be increased. In a few years these trees will be doing their share in the way of water con- servation; and in due course our grandchildren will be cutting them for lumber and incidentally calling down blessings on the heads of the men, by that time dead and gone for many years, who are now doing this work of re-forestizing. Under the present law twenty-five per cent of the grazing fees, sales of timber, etc., from the forest reserves, will be returned this year to the states to be apportioned to the counties in which the forest reserves are located, for the use of the schools and roads; last year Utah received $!).0oo, and this year it will receive $32,000. I take the liberty of suggesting for your consideration thai the law be amended so that fifty per cent instead of twenty-five per cent should be returned for said purposes. In soil conservation not much has yet been done in Utah. As I re- marked before, we have been so busy bringing new land under cultivation that but scant attention has been paid to the strengthening of the old. It has not been so necessary as in older states, for obvious reasons. Two con- ditions in Utah, besides the youth of the land, have tended to preserve the vigor of the soil. Especially in the spring, the streams that flow down into 84 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS the valleys from the tops of the mountains, carry with them a great deal of rich soil, filled with vegetable mold, and spread it over the level lands. In fact this erosion, from the lands that are too much tilted even for a western farmer, to the valleys, is almost the only erosion we have in Utah; and by it all of our fertile valleys, among the finest in the world, have been made and kept rich and loamy. This silt from the mountains is worked into the older soil, renewing its youth. In addition, the erosion so common and violent in regions with a heavy rainfall, is practically unknown in Utah when irriga- tion is carefully conducted. The water we turn on the land in the summer, our period of almost uninterrupted dryness, soaks almost entirely int ■ > the earth, dissolving and carrying with it the food materials of the soil, to be brought up later by the capillary action of the plant roots. Surface drainage, the ancient and powerful enemy of fertility is seldom needed in Utah. < if late years, under the direction of the experiment station of our Agricultural College, greater attention is being given to the use of fertilizers and* the preservation of the strength of the soil. For we realize that the youth of our State, like the youth of a man, can not last forever; and that it is better to preserve the strength of youth than bolster up the weakness of age. We shall therefore add the advantages which have come from scientific research in this direction to the advantages native to our State. The result, 1 am convinced, will be a lasting fertility unexcelled by that of any other region. We are finding that one of the best means of fertilizing the soil is by what is technically called "green-manuring." Alfalfa and other forage plants are used to excellent advantage in this system; and it is found that the tops of sugar beets, plowed under at the right time and to tin- right depth, form a valuable fertilizer. Mineral conservation has been crowding on our attention for some time, The need of ii is seen in the case of coal, more than any other mineral, for reasons which I do not need to name. I have already touched upon the phase of this subject relating to water power and its transformation into electrical energy. This is a very practical way of preserving our coal de- iM.sits. With the establishment of power plants on the mountain streams, we f 1S96 had been different, the carrying oui of the free silver policy would have had a most disastrous effect on the mineral resources of rtah. As silver would have been doubled in price, by being admitted to Unlimited coinage With gold at a ratio of sixteen to one, tens of thousands of people would have Hocked into our State to hunt for silver mines. The mines already discovered would doubtless have been worked with little consideration of expense, and with no thoughl of the economy and conserva- tion in mining and smelting which has i n necessary under present con- ditions. If the boom thus started had not burst in a short time, our mines. that should last for centuries under the present system of economy and conservation, would have been gutted at a ruinous rate. Then when tin- boom ,ii,i burst, it would have bit us with prices of real estate ami everything else inilated beyond all reason, with tens of thousands of limn out of employment. I think I am. Safe in saying that it would have taken our Stale half a century to rcc..\er from these effects, even with respect to our ordinary business prosperity; while the mines would have been forever exhausted and all coming generations impoverished. In short, it would have meant the most serious possible drain on our resources, to no good effect except the enriching of a few. Ladies and gentlemen, I have scarcely skimmed the surface of this great and vital subject. I cordially invite you to come to Utah and see these tilings TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 85 for yourselves. I want you to see our splendid resources; our great reclama ion projects, our practical conservation plans; our great beet suelr fac tones that will increase in number and supply America with suear Mf onv ™ a a , l0 r;, - U1 \ na ^ ral and ac v i 1 1 then lie offering them'.' In the meantime the rivers of the countrj are clamoring to be used for transportation pur- poses; and those expert in such matters assure us that five hundred millions of dollars <$!iUO,ono,000), one-tenth of the sum necessary to put the railroads into condition to take care of our present business, will put the rivers Into condition to handle not only the present but the future trade and commerce tributary to them. This Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress can do no TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 87 better work than to induce the Congress of the United States to improve the waterways of the country, to the end that our people may have a more certain a cheaper a more efficient means of transportation that the railroads can now or in the future offer us. It costs half a cent to transport a ton of freight a mile by railroad. It costs about one mill, one-fifth as much, to transport the same ton the same distance on a deep river. The trade and commerce and the prosperity of the people of the Trans-Mississippi States and Territories can not be better served and assured than by improving the waterways of the country. Congress wisely spends many millions of the people's money in improving our harbors. These, however, do not compete with the railroads nor do they, except indirectly, lessen the burdens of those whose needs would be better satisfied by open and easily navigable rivers of sufficient depth The harbors begin in the mountains, and the rivers are part of them. Let our National Congress save the forests and improve the rivers, and the improve- ment of our harbors will be much easier, much quicker and much more cheaply accomplished. Mr. Andrew Carnegie informs us that the end of our at present available supplies of coal and iron is in sight. He also informs us that, because of the hasty, greedy and uneconomical methods we have employed in mining our coal, two tons of that at present necessary fuel are destroyed and wasted for every ton that is put into our stoves and furnaces. We all know that, trading in coal and iron, both originally the property of the people, reckless wastes have been the custom, and that enormous private fortunes have been and are being accumulated by those exploiting them, while the people, the real owners of them, have been compelled to pay excessively high prices for the use of these necessities. Is there any reason under heaven why the people of the country should longer permit their iron and coal properties to be monopolized, wasted and used to add to their own financial burdens? This Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress is interested, from the commercial standpoint, in seeing that the coal and iron of the country shall be preserved, conserved and economically used, to the end that these natural products shall be put to better and cheaper public use, rather than monopolized for the piling up, at the expense of the public, of enormous private fortunes. In many parts of this country there are vast deposits of petroleum, which, until appropriated for private use, are the property of the public. This natural product supplements the rapidly disappearing coal supply for fuel purposes. This enormously valuable national and public asset the people of the country have allowed, as they have the coal and iron, to be used to the detriment of the public and for the purpose of accumulating enormous and threatening private fortunes. This Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, for the benefit of the millions of people whom it represents, and the many more millions who w T ill come after us, would do well to use its great influence to hold up the hands of the President in his endeavors to conserve these underground resources of the country for the benefit of present and future American citizens. Every mountain stream that dashes down the mountain side furnishes a power that can move machinery and furnish light and heat far from the source from which it is developed. A conservative estimate is that over five million (5,000,000) such horsepower can be furnished by the streams of my state of California alone. The Trans-Mississippi States and Territories abound in such streams. They are, or were, the property of the people. But, as all our other natural resources have been, these enormously valuable and necessary proper- ties have been and are being monopolized by private interests for private gain. After the coal and petroleum have been exhausted, these streams will continue to furnish light, heat and power until the end of time. In their protection, preservation and conservation, this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress is greatly interested. We should not sit idly by while this enormously valuable public asset is being grabbed and made the object of private monopoly and future as well as present, public oppression. The streams should be used for the benefit of their owners, the people. And this Congress would do well to lend the President the weight of its great influence to the end that the use of the streams shall be regulated by the Federal Government and kept for the benefit of present and future American citizens. These public properties should be leased for definite and comparatively short periods to those who wish to use them and their users should pay their owners, the whole people, for the privilege of using them, just as stockholders in private corporations pay for the use to which they put the property of the corporations in which, because they are stockholders, they have ownership. Our easilv-acquired public lands are nearly all gone into private owner- shiD Our people have been prodigal in' bestowing them upon thus,, who asked for them Fraud has been committed by wholesale in their acquirement, and todav all' that remains of the public domain lies in the arid and semi-arid por- tions of the Trans-Mississippi country. Our land laws should be amended so that a continuance of the frauds, which have sent too few people to jail, shall become ?oo dangerous to be practised. The work of the Reclamation Service 88 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS in putting water upon the arid and semi-arid lands of the Trans-Mississippi States and Territories should be continued until every irrigable acre shall have been Joined to 1 1 1 « - Irrigation ditch. The time has come when the future of the country, it' nol its present, demands that the cityward trend of our young people shall be stopped and that they shall be induced to live upon the land and raise crops of farm produce and children for their own profit and glory and the support of the American Nation and the American flag- Every irrigating dam means more schoolhouses. Every schoolhouse is a signboard fur more trade and commerce. It means more and better American citizens. This country needs more farms and more farmers. And this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress is interested, deeply interested, in seeing' them provided. Trade and commerce require people to produce and people to consume. The Trans-Mississippi States and Territories can furnish the land and the water to make farms for many millions of American farmers. Let the good work inaugurated by President Roosevelt and now being pushed onward by his National Conservation Commission go speedily on. Ladies and gentlemen, have any of you a doubt as to the common aims and desires of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress and the National Conservation Commission appointed by the President? Your Congress and the President's Commission wish to see the waters, the forests, the lands and the minerals of this Nation preserved, conserved and made to do their full duty toward the upbuilding of the country now and its prosperity in the future. Again 1 bespeak your support, aid and countenance for the National Conserva- tion Commission, and thank you, in its name, for the good work you have done toward making easier the work the commission has to do. President J. B. Case then resumed the chair. By President Case: Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: I take pleasure now in introducing to you a gentleman who has taken a great and a deep interest in the work of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, who is present upon all occasions — I do not know when he has missed a session of the Congress. He is familiar with the workings of this Congress. He lives in the Central West, upon the high mountains, in Denver. I now introduce to you Mr. Jas. F. Callbreath, Jr., of Denver, Colorado. (Applause.) MINING AND THE CONSERVATION OF MINERALS. Hy ->lr. James F. Callbreath, Jr., Secretary American Milling Congress: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I shall change the subject of my discussion, which was announced as "The Conservation of the Mineral Resources of the Trans-Mississippi Region." I desire to change this to ".Mining and the Conservation of .Min- erals." You will see that the new title is much more comprehensive, and by the time I have finished speaking, I feel satisfied that you will be convinced that it is a much more appropriate title. This title is very much like the Mother Hubbard gown, which has been said to cover everything and touch no1 hing. During the month of May, 1908, there met In Washington, one of the most Important as well as the most unique conferences ever held in the United States. This met ting was called at the suggestion of the Inland Waterways Commission, by President Theodore Roosevelt. In his opening address before this conference, the President called attention to a similar movement In the Colonial days. "Washington," said president Koosevelt, "clearly saw that the perpetuity of the states could only be secured by union, and that the only feasible basis of union was an economic one; in other words, that it must be based on the development and use of their natural resources. Accordingly, he helped to outline a scheme of commercial development, and by his intluence an interstate water- ways commission was appointed by Virginia and Maryland. It "met in Alexandria, adjourned to Mount Vernon, and took up the consideration of Interstate commerce, !>y the only means then available, thai of water. "Further conferences were arranged, first at Annapolis and then at Phila- delphia, it was at Philadelphia that the representatives of all the states met for what was in its original conception, merely a waterways conference; but when thej had closed their deliberations the outcome was the constitu- tion which made the states into a nation." The Trans-Mississippi Commercial 'Congress was first a waterways conven- tion. It, too, lias met in various places and given consideration to important public questions, and while we do not expect it to become a maker of national <..nst it in ions, we do believe thai through the movements which have been and which will be initiated as a result of these deliberations, untold benefits JAMES F\ CALLBREATH, Jr., Denver, Colo. Secretary American Mining- Congress. ' THE MIVER-Sm OF FORN^ TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 89 will be worked out for this great western empire destined some day to become an important if not a controlling- factor in the affairs of the world To this more recent conference were invited the Governors of the several states, the Judges of the Supreme Court, the members of the President's Cabinet, of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and representatives of various commercial and industrial organizations. Each Governor was authorized to invite two others to accompany him presumably, as was stated by the Governor of West Virginia to Insure that someone should be present from each of the several states who knew something of its industrial conditions. The complete success of this plan has been questioned, although no one has yet expressed doubt of the clever- ness of this scheme to prevent the exposure of gubernatorial incompetence. As far as California is concerned, I am glad to say that the plan was entirely successful, which took to that conference, as your representative, your dis- tinguished ex-Governor, George C. Pardee. At this conference 'the con- servation of coal, of gas, of oil, of waterpower, of lands from erosion of the forest, and many other things were discussed, and a National Conservation Commission was appointed, charged with the duty of investigating the waste of natural resources and the recommendation of methods for its prevention; but scarcely more than incidental reference was made to the waste of the precious metals. This same neglect is, and always has been, noticeable in our National Congress. The United States is the greatest and the most progressive country on the face of the globe in every other respect, but it has not been progressive enough to do what practically every other producing mineral country is doing for its miners. Is this an unfair statement? Let us see. The only place where the word "Mining" can be found in the Nation's Capitol is upon the doors of the rooms of the Committees on Mines and Mining of the Senate and the House of Representatives. In days gone by, to be appointed a member of either of these Committees has been more of a joke than an honor. If this is not true now, it is because of the active work by the present Congress and its Committees on Mines and Mining. But, is it not strange, gentlemen, that notwithstanding the great part filled by the mining industry in the progress of our country, not one bureau of any kind has ever been created by our National Government, entirely devoted to mining? Is it not strange that no Federal aid has been given to an industry which employs nearly 1,000,000 men; which adds nearly $2,000,000,000 annually to our permanent wealth, and which furnishes the material without which all modern forms of agriculture, manufacturing and commerce would be impossible? But, you say, that an industry which can accomplish so much by itself does not need help. As well say, that because some men have been successful, without a college education, that we should abolish our colleges. An industry of such importance is entitled to recognition, and if you find its most important production unequal to the growing demands upon it, there arises a still more important reason for lending co-operation. The importance of preventing waste and bringing about an increase in the production of the money metal seems to be lost sight of in the many discussions of the question of the conservation of natural resources. Theoretically, there are many substitutes for gold; practically, there are none. The advocates of greenbackism have faded away in blushing silence; and even Mr. Bryan has ceased to advocate the free coinage of silver at sixteen to one, or at any other ratio. The increased production of gold which was supposed to have solved the free coinage issue furnished but a temporary solution. Do you want proofs? In the fall of 1907, at a time of great industrial prosperity, when the produc- tion of the mines and the factories were the greatest; when every man desiring work was employed at the highest wages known to history; when the pro- duction of the farms was enormous; with the balance of foreign trade largely in our favor; with no war or pestilence to blight; with the amount of money per capita larger than ever before in our history; when that great empire builder, James J. Hill, was explaining the enormous cist of the additional railway facilities necessary to handle the increased business of the country; suddenly a startling financial nightmare spread over the country. Many of its factories and mines ceased operations, its railroad switches were filled with idle freight cars, the paying tellers' windows of our I. auks were closed, and the conservative, honorable businessmen of the country, with practical unanimity, approved the action of the hanks In repudiating their obligations; a course absolutely illegal and almost revolutionary Does not a condition which leads honorable business men to justily repudiation call for a solution ? Can that situation be met by intensifying the conditions which produced it ? What were those conditions ? A period of abnormally high and continually increasing prices, stimulated by an increasing credit, which recognized no limit, an effort to maintain thr price of copper at double the cost of production and much m advance of its 90 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS competitive value for Industrial purposes, called ihe attention of the financial world to tlie fact thai the structure of credit had grown top heavy; that the banks of New York City owed to their depositors more money than the whole country possessed, real money and credit money combined. Confidence changed to distrust, and those who could get possession of their money hoarded it. The banks made some of us believe they were hoarding- the balances, which we could nol get. 'Tis true that the per capita circulation had been constantly growing but the increase had not been in proportion to the growing magnitude of business transactions and wealth. The industrial nerds of the country require an Increase in the circulating medium, not in proportion to population but in proportion to the volume of business; and the value of the property which it must represent. There must be a proper ratio between the volume of basic money and the volume of credit money which it sustains. To deny this is to justify greenbackism. What is that proper ratio? The panic of 1907 indicates, if it does not prove, that the limit had been exceeded. We are told that it is the activity of money and not its volume which meets the requirements of trade. Within proper limits this is true; but that man will he difficult to find, willing to assert that the money of fifty years ago could move rapidly enough to meet the requirements of our present industrial life. Bank runs are caused by the belief that the bank has not enough money to meet the impending demands of its depositors, and, therefore, that the early comers only will be paid. Money goes into hiding, is withdrawn from circulation, ceases to move actively, whenever confidence in ultimate redemption is destroyed. During the period of the so-called panic of '97 there was one place in the United States where there was no panic. Cripple Creek, Colorado, took its monthly produc- tion of one and one-half millions to the Mint and paid its bills in gold coin. There was another place where the available money must have moved with remarkable celerity, to have met pending obligations. At that time the banks and trust companies of New York City alone were obligated to their depositors for more money than the whole country possessed. Those same banks had loaned to their customers and were earning interest upon more than twice as much money as the country possessed. The volume of gold, as compared with the current commercial transactions and the total wealth of the country, was less than ever before in our history. If the available use of one dollar in real money is to support $10.00 in credit money, and the credit shall reach a ratio of 15 to 1, disaster will surely follow, whenever the action of some financial acrobat shall reveal this condi- tion. What solution was offered for these conditions? Instead of making an effort to increase the size of the foundation which had proven too small to support the credit on which it was based, our legislators went scurrying to and fro bringing props and braces to bolster up the top-heavy structure while the banks repudiated their obligations in order to prevent entire destruction of that foundation before the props could be put in place. It was admitted by all that the Aldrich currency bill was but a make- shift, a temporary solution, and yet it was the all absorbing question before our National Congress while the bill for a Federal Bureau of Mines was looked upon as a matter of small importance. I do not mean to criticise Congress. This is the attitude of the American people and the Congress was fairly representative of that sentiment. Bill White's "What's the matter with Kansas," called the attention to ignored and important conditions. It was good for Kansas to know these things and the author, Mr. William Allen White. The American .Mining Congress is calling attention to conditions im- portant to the world and vital to the Western States. We ask the active support of every interest in the Trans-Mississippi States In bringing about such legislation, both National and State, as will induce a greater production of gold, in order that a proper foundation may be created upon which to base (he credit necessary to our industrial life. Incidentally, this will increase the production of other minerals and thus add to the material wealth and prosperity of the producing states. What is our Government doing for the mining Industry? For many years we have asked for a Department of Mining, with no result. The pos- sibility of the creation of such a department became more forlorn as the years went by. Last year we asked for a Bureau of Mining, under the Department of the Interior; not what we Want nor that to which we believe the mining industry is entitled, but the only assistance which seemed possible to obtain at this time. A bill, creating the Bureau of Mining, was passed by the Mouse of Rep- resentatives, and is now on the Senate calendar for third reading. It seems probable that this bill will be flnallj enacted in the early days of the coming session of Congress. We are under particular obligation to Congressman Knglebright of California for his active efforts in behalf of this legislation. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 91 We are grateful to Congress for its support, but we must have appropriations to make the work of this bureau effective, and it is not safe to be too thank- nmrtl!" n m SL t U t rea wVb 8 ;, ,!.- ,,l ;' n >- established, and provided with sufficient tunas to make its work effectivi'. tvt + - Is l \ ^°° much to „ ex : Dect that some co-operation shall he extended by the National Government? We do not ask and do not desire such assistance as is given by some countries, Canada, for instance, pays a bounty of three-fourths of a cent upon each pound of lead mined and smelted within her borders with a further proviso that in case the rates charged by local smelters shall be excessive, that the ore may be smelted outside the province and still receive the bounty. The Western Australia Mining Development Act of 1902 provides for- (a) Government loans at 5 per cent to aid in development work. (b) Government loans to miners to aid in prospecting. (c) The erection of public crushing, ore-dressing, cyaniding and smelting works and the subsidizing of persons or companies that will erect such works for testing or treating ores for the public. (d) The conduct of exploratory boring operations for water and min- erals, either entirely at the cost of the government or in connection with individuals. (e) The direct expenditure, or the loan of money for constructing drain- age tunnels, sinking shafts to great depths and transporting miners to un- developed regions. Under these provisions the Coolgardie water system, built to carry 5,000,000 gallons per day a distance of 351 miles to an elevation of 1 200 feet above the supply point, cost the government $18,000,000. The annual production of Western Australia stimulated bv this assistance for eight years past, has averaged from thirty to forty million dollars, in gold. Is this paternalism gone mad? If this assistance were given to stimulate the production of an ordinary article of commerce, yes. But when the pur- pose is to bring about the production of the life blood of trade, that without which all commerce and industry must revert to the barter system, which means the entire annihilation of our modern commercial life, we are forced to view it from a different standpoint. We do not ask for such assistance as this in the United States, but we do ask that such investigations shall be made as will be of general benefit to the industry without in any way trespassing upon the prerogative of state or individual. If we can succeed in bringing home to the people of the West the im- portance of a greater development of the mining industries, if we can be brought to a realization of the fact that nearly all of our progress is founded on our mineral development, we shall have made an important step. The people of the Trans-Mississippi States must awaken to the importance of this fact, if our future growth is to be at all in line with our possibilities. Are we too enthusiastic? Do we over-estimate the importance of these con- ditions? Let us see. From the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth and the settlement of Jamestown over two centuries have elapsed. The Missouri River marked the extreme western border of civilization. During this period the scarcity of money retarded trade and made modern commerce impossible. In the year 1847 the country west of the Mississippi River was a great unknown territory. Its only town of importance was Portland, then consisting of two frame houses and a few log cabins. Along the shore line a few hardy pioneers resided, mostly engaged in lumbering. An almost unbroken line of wilderness presented its front to the Pacific from Puget Sound to Lower California. A quiet was over the face of Nature, more intense than the stillness which reigned in Bethlehem prior to the ap- pearance of the Star in the East, from which dated the new, the great era of the world's history. But another era dawned. Over at Sutter's Creek Jim Marshall's discovery of gold was the lode star, which the world and all the world has always followed. It led to the peopling of California and the other Coast states. It led to the discovery of gold in Colorado, and other Rocky Mountain states. It made the Trans-M'ississippi Empire. Not only was the West peopled by the mining pioneers, but the result of the production of gold gave new life to the business of the East. The old river bed which had been unable to float a raft was now able to carry the ships of a renewed commerce. The growth of the United States as a world power began at Sutter s Creek in 1848; a growth so rapid as to astonish the world. More than that, during the dark days of the Civil War the gold of California and the silver of Nevada saved the Nation's credit and played an important part in the preservation of the Union. My purpose in pointing out the connection between mineral production, and industrial prosperity is, to show the necessity of keeping up the ratio of production, if we look for a continued prosperity. 92 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Checking waste is creating wealth. Cutting down the cost of production is more important to the producer than increasing the market price. Our national prosperit y is woven from the products of the earth. Waste in reproducible products Is a great wrong. Waste in products which once exhausted cannot be replaced, is a crime. We hope to develop through the American Mining Congress a National University of -Mining, in which productive scholarship shall be concentrated into a powerful engine of national progress. In this university practical industrial investigation would point out the highest development of the country's natural resources. State supervision and Federal exposition of better methods should go hand in hand in checking useless waste of our mineral resources. For the first we look to the promised Bureau of Mines; for the second, the active co-operation of the state legislatures, in putting in effect such supervisory measures as, after careful deliberation, shall be decided upon as best. By this method a uni- formity of legislative provisions can best be attained and each legislature have the benefit of the experience and study of others, upon which to base its action. The great importance of mineral conservation is based upon the fact that there is only a fixed and limited amount of ore in existence. That which is mined and used has served its purpose. That which is lost by wasteful methods lias served no purpose and has been so handled as to forever pre- vent its application to any beneficial use. When we realize the absolute necessity for the use of metals as a basis of modern production, we can to some extent appreciate the enormity of the offense of wasting our mineral resources. Prosperity always breeds waste, and a period of business depression always hegets greater economy in management. Josh Billings once said that the only thing tight hoots were good for was to make a man forget all his other troubles. One of the uses of a panic is that it results in the diminution of waste. Conservation does not mean hoarding. It anticipates the fullest use and at the same time the prevention of unnecessary waste; of waste which puts the wealth beyond the possibility of future recovery. The waste of our coal resources both in mining and in methods of utilization is so enormous as to be a public humiliation. Thus far in our history about seven billion tons of coal have been mined, and the best authorities tell us that at least three billion tons have been left in abandoned mines and lost beyond power of recovery. Tin- testimony given before the Mines and Mining Committee of the House of Representatives at Washington, at the hearings for the considera- tion of the establishment of a Bureau of Mines. Justifies the statement that a very large percentage of merchantable coal is thus wasted and that a much larger amount containing sulphur or other deleterious ingredients is now unmined and wasted for which scientific investigation would find a method of utilization. In the use of coal a verv great loss is sustained. It is stated that not over five per cent of the amount of coal used by our railroads is transformed into actual energy. In the production of electric light less than one-fifth of one per cent of the theoretical value is actually converted into light. The enormously increasing consumption of coal for heat, light and power is almost startling. The amount of coal consumed in this country during the year 1907 more than was consumed in linn; was greater than the total consumption in ISTt;. In his address before the President's conference on the conservation of natural resources at Washington, Dr. I. C. White, State Geologist of West Virginia, made this statement: "How long can we hope to maintain this industrial supremacy in the iron and steel business of the world? Just as long as the Appalachian coal field shall continue to furnish cheap fuel and no longer. If the wasteful methods of the past are to continue; if the (lames of 35,000 coke ovens are to continue to make the sky lurid within sight of the city of Pittsburg, consuming with frightful speed one-third of the Dower and half of the values locked up in these priceless supplies of coking coal, the present century will see the termination of the supremacy." Dr. White is one of the best authorities in the United States upon this sub- ject and his warning should be carefully heeded. Water Power. The problem of extending the life of our coal supplies merits the careful attention of every thoughtful citizen. Much progress is being made along the line of a more perfect utilization through the Technological Branch of the U. s. Geological Survey, which will be placed under the Bureau of Mines if the bill now pending in tin- U. S. Senate shall be finally passed. A careful investigation of the methods of mining and milling, made by a number of scientific men last year in the Joplin zinc lead district, led to the conclusion that from 4"> to 60 per cent of the total mineral values in that TRANS-MISSISSfPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 93 In the treatment of copper ores, the loss in mining and milling averages iirty per cent It is estimated that the tailings from one mill in \r /,?. a irry away fourteen tons of copper daily. ona thi car .J'LwL *? ll EL e "i.*!?* ot ~J°™ a"n"d">'ilver ores has -oeen decreased to The loss in the treatment of gold and silver ores, during the nast fiftv years has probably exceeded twenty-five per cent; in many clses as high as forty per cent. During recent years improved metallurgical prm- ess 's ave developed a much greater efficiency, but there is still a great loss It is not believed that all of the losses can be prevented l,v commercial methods, but it is believed that a large part may be through ' scientific in- vestigation and experiment, which the individual cannot afford to conduct for himself, and where the solution would be for the benefit of all There are two kind3 of waste: One of practical annihilation which for- ever prevents the use by anyone of the material thus wasted' the other which diverts from the real owner that to which he is entitled, and which so tar as he is concerned, is wasted. A preacher began his discourse one Sunday morning by announcing that his subject that morning was "The World, the Flesh, and the D°vil I shall deal lightly with the World, pass quickly over the Flesh, and hurry on as rapidly as possible to the Devil." This reminds me that I haven't said anything about the Standard Oil Company. Until a few years ago the reduction of refractory ores was in the hands of various smelting interests, so competing with each other as to keep the charges on a fairly satisfactory basis — but the possibilities were too great to be long neglected. The so-called "Smelter Trust," the American Smelting and Refining Com- pany, was organized, and it has been successfully operated. During the three years ending April 30th, 1908, it made a net profit of $29,304,324, upon a capitalization of one hundred millions, two-thirds of which was water, and this was during the panic. It is difficult to predict what they may be able to do in good times. I want to point out to you that the Standard Oil Company, through its most powerful agencj% the American Smelting and Refining Company, today controls seventy-five per cent of the best brains in the metallurgical world; seventy-five per cent of the facilities for ore smelt- ing, and through these and the mines which it already owns, controls seventy- five per cent of the future production of gold and silver and copper and lead in the United States. Through these agencies it is in a position to practically control the total output of these minerals. When you consider the power of the Standard Oil Company, gained through the control of oil products, for which there are many substitutes, and without which the world could wag along quite comfortably, what do you believe will be the result when this control is exercised over the metals which are absolutely essential to our industrial life? Do you see the possibility of closing the mines of the West by prohibitory treatment charges while the value of metals is increased in the markets by the stoppage of production in the West? Do you see the possibility of pur- chasing the valuable mines at a great bargain, after they have been made valueless to the owners by prohibitory transportation and treatment charges? If you see this, you will at least sympathize with the work of the American Mining Congress, which is attemptng to prevent the consummation of these conditions by creating competition. The doings of the American Smelting and Refining Company are of inter- est in this connection only so far as they place an unjust an. I Inequitable burden upon the ore producer, and thus restrict the output of minerals. If it is shown that the ore producer receives but approximately fifty per cent of the value of his ore after paying the regular charges for smelting and transportation, it must be conceded either that a more effective method of smelting should be devised, or else that the Smelting Trust should 1"' forced to quit deducting profits under the guise of penalties. A paper recently published in the Engineering and Mining Journal of New York, contributed by an engineer of high standing in his profession, shows that on shipments covering a period of eight years the miner receive. 1 fifty-four per cent of the value of his ore; the smelter charges were four per cent; while the amount unaccounted for was thirty-one per cent. 94 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS charge openly made by the smelter for treatmenl was (5.09 per ton; the amount unaccounted for was $11.4:! per ton. in other words, thirty-one per cenl "f the value of eight years' shipments was either lost or stolen. I am not readv to admit that all of this loss is waste hut upon the theory that one-half of this loss to the ore producer is wasted in tin- smelting operation, it is patent that our Governmenl should investigate the various methods witli a view to its prevention. Would this he an unusual thing for the Government? For answer, I point to the investigations made by the Department of Agriculture. Has anyone interested or otherwise adversely criticized the Department which found a remedy for the San Jose scale; which turned the rig-raising industry of California from a failure to a magnificent success; which is now seeking to prevent the destruction of the cotton crop of Texas by the boll weevils? Which, in every field of agriculture, from the culture of seeds, the creation of new varieties of plants and the destruction of pests, is seeking to increase agricultural production? It is my belief that the prevention of waste and the increase of mineral production are vitally essential to our rapidly Increasing industrial pros- perity. The people of this country do not fully realize the importance of these facts, and. in consequence, have not impressed upon the Government, which is the organized expression of the public will, the necessity of making an adequate effort either to prevent waste or to increase production. It may be that my subject does not properly include some of these topics, but from the standpoint of the miner every waste which interferes with the ultimate sum of profits from his enterprises is important. It has been my purpose to discuss the subject from tin- standpoint of the industrial progress of today, and the sentimental view of what our duty may be to future generations has thus far been ignored. I must, however, call attention to the right of future generations to expect that we shall transmit to them the bounties which we have inherited without unnecessary impair- ment. It was the discipline of our fathers, growing out of hardship and struggle and privation which transmitted to us the blessings of a fruitful land and a free government, and which developed a citizenship of the highest order. The great purpose of this life is the upbuilding of human character. It is because I believe that the greater development of the mining industry will make for a better manhood and a better womanhood that 1 urge such union of effort as will accomplish this result. Individual effort has accomplished much and will do much more. We ask that the Government shall give some attention to that industry which, beginning at Sutter Creek in 1848, opened up and developed this great Western Empire; which furnishes more than half the total tonnage handled by our railroads; which served the Nation's credit during the dark days of rebellion; which furnishes the iron from which our machinery is made; the coal which furnishes our power; the copper which transmits our thought; the gold which measures our values and those chemical forces which are revolutioniz- ing our industries, and which today can furnish the only permanent solution to the great financial problem. Gentlemen, I thank you. (Applause.) By President Case: Gentlemen of the Congress: We have with us today the Attorney- General of Colorado, who is the personal representative of the Governor, Honorable H. A. Buchtel. I desire at this time to compliment the delegation of Colorado upon its being the second largest delegation, upwards of 100 representative men, attending the Congress this year. I now have great pleasure in introducing to you Honorable W. H. Dickson, of Colorado, who will address you upon the subject of "The Irrigation and Disposition of Public Lands." (Applause.) TDK IRRIGATION AND DISPOSITION OF PUBLIC LANDS. II y Hon. \V. H. Dlekaon, Attorney-General of Colorado. Ily Mr. Dickson, of Denveri Mr. President, and Gentlemen: Speaking before this Congress is a good deal like making political speeches from the rear end of a train. You have your audience coming and going most of the time. The subject which has been submitted to me. "Phi' irrigation and Disposi- tion of Public Lands.'' is a pretty broad one. It covers a great deal. Hut 1 shall only undertake to 1 1 i t the high places this afternoon, ami occupy but a very short time. I must say at the outset that 1 am unfortunately not going TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 95 to be able to agree with some of the speakers who have preceded me, particu- larly with Governor Cutler, of Utah. No question that will be dealt with by this Congress is of nu.ro importance to the people of the vast territory lying west of the Mississippi River than the reclamation ot its and lands. The subject of irrigation is older than this country itself, and yet it has only been within the last few years that the General Government has taken any particular interest in the matter For years the arid plains of the West have been yearning for the water which haa annually gone to waste. Private individuals and a few irrigation companies have from time to time provided the means for irrigating small tracts ,,f land, yet it was considered too much of an experiment for the investment of large sums of money, but as land is the basis of all wealth and as the farms in the East have all been taken up, or the soil worn out, the attention of the farmers in such states as Illinois, Indiana. Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri has been directed toward the more fertile soil of Colorado, New Mexico! Idaho, and other far Western States. The National Government had been making experiments with reference to the irrigation of arid lands of the West for a great number of years, and finally on June 17th, 1902, Congress passed what is now known as "The Recla- mation Act," which provides that the proceeds from the sale of public lands shall be reserved and set aside and known as the "reclamation fund" for the construction and maintenance of irrigation works for the reclamation of arid and semi-arid lands in sixteen of the Western States and Territories. This work was to be done under the supervision of the Secretary of the Interior. In order to carry out these operations there has been gradually created what is known as the "Reclamation Service," not by any law, you understand, but it has been the outgrowth of what they have been doing under the Reclamation Act. Under the direction of the Reclamation Service, examinations and surveys have been made in every state brought under the provisions of the act and a great deal of actual construction work has been done and is now in progress. The passage of this act for the conservation and development of the natural resources of the country met with such general approval and at once became so popular that much more has been accomplished during the six years the act has been in force than even the most optimistic of its support- ers had hoped for, and still the progress is not rapid enough to keep up with the demands of prospective settlers, and my plea today is in behalf of larger appropriations by Congress for the purpose of extending this splendid work so well begun under the Reclamation Act. The effect of the action of the Government in these matters has greatly stimulated the investment of private capital in the construction of canals and reservoirs to conserve and utilize the flood waters of these Western States. Since it became apparent that the United States Government, after making careful examinations and surveys, was willing to appropriate millions of dollars toward the reclamation of arid lands, this immediately inspired con- fidence in private enterprises of a similar nature, so that we have been able to make wonderful strides in this direction since securing governmental approval of these enterprises. A great many of these reservoir and irrigation projects are so large and the engineering difficulties so great that it is hardly possible to expect private capital to take hold of them, and it is upon these projects in particular that we are anxious to have the aid of the federal Government. There is no more reason why these great western commonwealths should not be as liberally treated in the matter of appropriations for these purposes as the other states in the Union have been for their rivers and harbors, for it means an expansion in business as well as a growth in population, and where we profit in the West by bringing under cultivation the millions of acres of fine arable land, so do all the states of the Union profit because of the increase in production of the commodities which are essential to their pros- perity and comfort, as well as the very waterways for which so much mom > has been appropriated in the past in order to facilitate the commerce of the country. The other question which I desire to take up and which is closely allied to that of the conserving of water and the irrigation of land, is the dis- position of public lands, and by this I mean the disposition of state land as well as the disposition of Government land. In all these Western States there are millions of acres of vacant Government land. Much of it is designated as desert land, and can be taken up under the Desert Land Act, that is, by actually applying water to the land and cultivating a portion of it. I think that the terms upon which this land can be obtained from the Government should be made as easy to the actual bona fide settler as possible; that everv inducement should be held out to the actual settler to file upon this land and become a tax-paying resident of the state of his choice. At the present time a filer upon land under the Desert Land Act must make his final 96 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS proof within four years. I believe that this time should be extended to at hast seven years, so that lie may have ample opportunity to secure sufficient water supply with which to make his final proof and obtain title from the Governmenl and provide for his future needs upon the land. One small settler upon a vasl trad of arid land is absolutely helpless. He can do noth- ing except through the co-operation of many others who are also interested in reclaiming the land, and I believe that with an extension of time under the Desert Land Act to seven years that these private individuals who file upon this land will then have an opportunity to get together among themselves and devise ways and means of securing water for the irrigation of their lands. There is at the present time a large amount of splendid agricultural land within what is known as the "Forest Reserves" of the several states. I do not know what the ob.iect of the Department of the Interior is in thus extending the Forest Reserves. We have been told that it is the intention of the Forest Service to undertake the growing of trees upon this vacant agri- cultural land. That was told us this afternoon by Governor Cutler, of Utah. I do not believe thai this is either practical or wise. On the contrary I believe that every ;trr,^ of agricultural land should be taken out of these forest reserves at the very flrsl opportunity and placed at the disposal of actual settlers, and I believe that the actual settlers of these tracts will without any coercion within the next twenty years plant more trees and better tend to the conservation of the water than all the efforts which the Government of the United States has now planned or will hereafter under- take to do. We are all in favor of forest reserves; we are in favor of saving the trees that are now upon these forest reserves, and we are in favor of encouraging the planting and cultivating of new trees, but I believe that. it is more important that the people of this country who want the opportunity to take up this vacant agricultural land which is now within the forest reserve should have that privilege, so that they may become property-owning citi- zens and taxpayers upon the property which they will naturally increase the value of. There are plenty of people in this country who are not only willing but anxious to settle these lands. All they want is the opportunity and encouragement which the Government of the United States should be willing to give them. Most of these would-be settlers are people of small means who are compelled by necessity to make their start in a small way by the sweat of their brows. The argument is frequently made that conditions are already sufficiently enticing to these would-be settlers if they but choose to take advantage of them. The answer to this argument is that within the past two years thousands of people have immigrated to British Columbia from our own states because they could acquire land easier and upon more liberal terms there than they could in this country, and the lands that they have gone to British Columbia to settle upon cannot he compared to the lands in Colorado and the other semi-arid states of the West when it comes to the abundance and variety of the crops which can he produced thereon. In the state of Colorado there are now nearly four million acres of state land, of which about two and a half million acres are under lease for all purposes. For many years it was the policy of the State Board of Land Commissioners to discourage the sale of state lands and to adopt the exclusive basing system, upon the theory that whatever land was sold was robbing future generations and depriving the state and the public schools of land Which would some day become very valuable. This notion is gradually becoming dissipated and is giving way to the more sane idea of developing the state by inviting actual settlers to take up the state land, develop it, and become tax-paying citizens. The present State Land Board has always discouraged the sale and leasing of public lands to large corporations for purely speculative purposes, but in a state with such vast tracts of unoccupied land as we have in Colorado it is for the benefit both of the state and its public school system to encourage the purchase of its land at a fair value, arrived at at the time application Is made for its purchase, upon the theory that an actual bona tide settler will develop this land and pay more taxes into the school fund from year to year than the Interest would amount t i the increase in value of this property if allowed to remain in the hands of the state. The only sound policy for the handling of public lands is to place them in the hands of settlers who will reclaim the land, construct homes and pro- vide water for Irrigation. We do not want a tenantry citizenship in this country, hut communities of tax-paying citizens. In considering this question of the disposition of the state lands the matter of Irrigation plays the most important part, h is the somce of agricultural prosperity. In Colorado we have a statute which enables the State Land Hoard to sell every alternate one-half sec t i f land lying under a proposed irrigation system, and at the same time arrange for the purchase of water for the remaining alternate OF THE FB \\K II. Mimtl. Fresno, California. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 97 section so that while we are unable to get more than the actual value of one- half of the land as dry land, we are enabled to sell the other half as irrigated land, or at least land with water rights. This is not only a great financial benefit to the state, but is an encouragement to the builders oY the irrigation projects which is so necessary in the development of the state It has been suggested that this Congress can accomplish much toward securing uniform laws respecting irrigation, and also with respect to the in >f handling these public lands. I believe that this is true and that everv effort should be made in that direction, always having in mind the idea of making it easier and more inviting to the bona fide settler, as well as the Investor of capital which is so much needed in the development of these great natural resources of the West. I thank you. (Applause.) By President Case: ADout a year ago I had the pleasure, in the city of Denver, of attending the Public Lands Convention. Represented there was nearly every semi- arid state in the Trans-Mississippi section. I was designated from my State as one of the Committee on Resolutions. I think that committee consisted of sixteen members. As near as I can tell, we occupied about three days and most of three nights in service upon that important committee. We had some of the best men in the entire West upon that committee, a good representative from every state. The subjects that were presented were given a great deal of consideration. And when the resolutions were finally adopted and went before the convention, they were so good, so nearly correct, that they found they could not change them at all, and they were adopted as they came from the committee. Upon that committee I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the member from California. 1 desire to say, in the interest of this State, that the people did themselves credit when they sent to that convention, at the city of Denver, the gentle- man whom it is now my pleasure to introduce. He worked upon that com- mittee and gave to it all of his capacity — the Honorable Frank H. Short, of Fresno, California. (Applause.) THE CONSERVATION OF OUR NATURAL, RESOURCES AND THE PRESER- VATION OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL, POLITICAL CONDITIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES. By Hon. Frank H. Short, of California. B>- Mr. Short, of Fresno: Ladies and Gentlemen: I am distracted between a feeling of admiration for the durability and patience of this audience, and a desire to say a few things upon the important subject that has been assigned to me. I believe that all of the speakers this afternoon, with the exception of myself, have been officials, governors, and the like. It was therefore with some perturbation that I concluded to undertake to address this audience at all, following so distinguished an assemblage in this place of talkers. But as I sat here, I remember that, after all, the officials are merely servants, and the citizens are sovereigns, and that therefore I would be the first real sovereign to address the audience this afternoon, and for that reason perhaps you would sit and listen to one of yourselves talk to you a little while. (Applause.) I wish for a few minutes to draw your attention to the San Joaquin Valley; not in detail; not even to describe it; but for the purpose of pointing a moral. We have heard so much in these latter days of destruction and conservation that I wish 'to call your attention to a beneficial creation. From the rivers of the San Joaquin Valley we have diverted and used in irri- gation of arid lands perhaps ten or twelve thousand cubic feel of water flowing per second. By this process redeeming from the desert more than a million and a half of acres of land transformed into vineyards and orchards and farms unsurpassed in productiveness, producing crops ol the annual value of nearly eighty millions of dollars. Fresno County alone last produced fully one-third of this tremendous total. Not only have we great production and its resulting population and advancement, bu1 we nave the equivalent of that same number of acres of forest cover and a like result- ing effect on precipitation of rain and climatic conditio We I reached a point in our growth and civilization when the wasting Of pur national resources should be checked, and, as far as may be, prevented, no informed or thoughtful American can deny that those who are engaged in 98 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS the laudable cause of preventing waste of resources, encouraging- their de- velopment and bringing about improved conditions of forestry, agriculture and mining-, are rendering a valuable public service to the Nation. Wide- spread less and injury would follow if our forests — especially those lying at the sources of our rivers — were removed and destroyed, and undoubtedly Im- proved methods of lumbering, mining and farming ought to be encouraged in all Instances, and enforced where necessary, to stop avoidable destruction and the exhaustion of our natural resources. With all of these policies reasonably applied, and where radical measures are called for, vigorously enforced, I am in most thorough accord. I have sometimes thought, however, that we have gone so far afield in the denunciation of the assumed ruinous disregard of this and preceding generations for the interests of posterity, that perhaps a few words in defense, or rather what might be called a state- ment of the other view would he of value. No case is ready to go to the jury until the evidence for both sides is in, and, if necessary, the argument made. As to our forests, quite one-third of our country could never have been made habitable or productive without removing at least a portion of the forest growth. There being no market for the timber thus cleared away, it had to be destroyed. Except for the clearing of our forests millions of acres of land could not now be devoted to agriculture and the maintenance of homes, and without the use of our forests the homes scattered all over our land could never have been established, neither could manufacturing nor commerce have been carried on or our cities builded. This is an age of iron, and in the mul- tiplied uses of this metal for structural purposes, the building of railroads and in the construction of navy and merchant marine, we have made great inroads on the visible supply, but what may be as yet undeveloped we know little, and as iron is not consumed, probable ways of using it over and over again will be devised and the supply continued indefinitely. By the modern methods of working iron, manufacturing and carrying on commerce, vast quantities of coal have been consumed, but as the known quantities of coal are very great and the undeveloped sources of supply must be very exten- sive, and more especially as other and more economical and satisfactory methods of producing power, energy, and heat are coming into use, we may, I think, assume that coal will outlast its extensive usefulness. May we not, therefore, assume that if we take reasonable precautions to save the remain- ing necessary forests and prevent the erosion of the soil and its exhaustion, and all unnecessary waste of other resources, we will not have earned the severe condemnation of posterity? The American Indians were ideal conservers. If they did not create, they did not destroy. Through unknown generations they lived in forests primeval, ami hunted over fields of waving green, and fished in rivers that ran unvexed to the sea. They did not disturb, therefore did not increase the erosion of the soil. Their posterity, however, have had scant enjoyment of the tre- mendous resources thus bequeathed to them. AYe and our ancestors in the using of those natural resources have, in some degree at least, unnecessarily wasted them, and at the last analysis this is the substance of the entire charge as proven. But it may be suggested, if I am friendly to the policy of conser- vation, why oppose any of the claims made in its behalf, and I lave even heard it suggested that friends of the cause are not desired unless they are prepared to go to the limit with the most extreme policies advocated in its behalf? In reply to this I would say: First — That it is not always safe to assume that only benefits will result from the enforcement of any policy if in connection with such policy it is proposed to make important or funda- mental changes in other directions, and it may be added that it should make little difference to an American citizen whether his friendly assistance or co-operation is desired or not. Nobody owns, controls or possesses any copyright to any policy in this country, and it makes scant difference to me whether my assistance is desired or not, so long as 1 have the approval of my own conscience in the performance of my own duty and in stating my own position as an American citizen. We do not agree that only benefits can result from the advocacy of this policy in the form it is brought forward by some of its extreme advocates. It is claimed that so tremendous is the destruction already wrought and so Imminent is the danger of far-reaching disaster that the entire past policy of this Government is shown to have been a grave, if not an Irremediable mistake, and that the situation requires an immediate and complete change of policy, not merely looking to economy of use, the prevention, waste and encouragement to new-production, but to radical and important changes in the policy of our National Governmenl and in the relation of the Nation to the various states. It is claimed, that the vast agricultural and mineral resources and other property and property rights should not have gone into private ownership at all, but should have been held, leased and controlled by the Nation to prevent monopolization, destruction and wasteful use that all such remaining resources— save only, perhaps, lands taken under the homestead law— must be retained, leased, and its use regulated TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 99 by the National Government. Putting- it in the fewest words, American citizens should not have been entrusted, and can no longer be entrusted with the resources of the country; but that the Nation should have retained the title and as to what remains, should retain the title and control of all these resources for the purpose of conservation, regulation and guardianship apparently assuming that a nation incapable of honest and jusl distribution of its property resources among the people in private ownership would be entirely capable of efficiently, honestly and impartially holding and regulat- ing the use of such property. This claim has a strangely ancienl sound and resembles greatly the policy of some of the more petrified nations of this and previous generations, and nothing short of the extreme claims as ad- vanced in its support would entitle it to serious consideration. Our fathers believed that the least government was the best and founded this government upon that principle. The wise men of this generation claim thai much more government was needed and much more must immediately be had. Manifestly such a government must necessarily be principally executive in all functions; it could be legislative only in an advisory sense, and judicial in a limited sense, and judicial as between citizens only. Under such conditions a citizen could be recognized as having few rights against such governmental func- tions. And as 'for the almost forgotten "sovereign states," they could only assume to exercise such rights as did not conflict with this new order of things. For the purpose of efficiently carrying on such new functions of gov- ernment all other branches of the government would necessarily become rmre adjuncts of the executive, and the "sovereign citizen" would no longer exist, but would of necessity take off his hat to the "sovereign official." It is poss-ible that our fathers were thus profoundly mistaken and that paternalism in government is still necessary and that the people may not yet be trusted with their own. Frankly, however, I confess that I am not at all enamored of these strange new roads to old conditions. If private ownership and legis- lative-judicial government, have been execrated with respect to the de- struction of our natural resources, the denunciation has been mild, indeed, as compared with the chorus of the malcontents and the muck-rakers in de- nunciation of legislation and the administration of the law under these — our democratic conditions and our democratic form of government. Alas, again we must admit that we are human; that the government that we have given ourselves is not Utopian in its perfection; that its errors and iniquities and imperfections are manifest. We might even go so far as to admit that those who. in the absence of other authority, have elected them- selves its critics, could have done infinitely better if the people had been wise enough to have chosen them instead of others. But after all the ques- tion is, shall we take counsel of the past and with renewed faith and hope strive on to better things, or shall we turn to some convenient way of escape from the troubles of today, quite unmindful of the evils of tomorrow? Shall we endure the ills we have or shall we fly to others we know not of? We must all agree there are many things that ought to be changed. There are vices of capital and vices of labor that must be met. coped with and removed; however, met and removed only as evils, the result of the incapacity and the selfish nature of the race, and not the upgrowth or occasioned by any fault of our democratic form of government. With respect to the conditions of today, I presume I am an optimist; I do not agree that the conditions are half as bad as they are pictured, and with respect to the future, in one sense at least, I am a pessimist; I do not believe that we will be half as prosperous or happy as claimed when the children of the changing way have turned our govern- ment upside down and eliminated the Constitution, if this shall ever happen, which God forbid. I have not made these preliminary suggestions as a premise for debate or discussion, but merely as a basis for comparison. All things in human affairs are comparative: therefore, what are the comparative results of nearly one hundred and thirty years of constitutional government, "a government of law and not of men," " of sovereign citizens and official serv- ants"? We may well ask ourselves what has been destroyed? What created? What evil done? What good accomplished? We may well con- sider the evils of the trusts and of organized labor, the benefits of organiza- tions of capital and the advantages of co-operation of individuals. We destroyed extensive forests and reduced others, partially exhausted mines of coal and iron and precious metals. Where stood the primeval forest and spread the green of vast prairies are found today cities and factories and hemes, and fields and farms and churches and schools innumerable. Let me give vou one illustration of my point of view. The free institutions and opportunities of this country gave to the world and to mankind the philo- sophic and inventive mind of Benjamin Franklin. He it was \v 1 1 •; development and use of electricity, a compensating force and power toi easily equaling for the needs and uses of men every acre of forest growth destroyed and every pound of coal consumed since Columbus landed on these western shores. It is easily demonstrated, that once regulated and harnessed, 100 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS the rivers oi all of tne Trans-Mississippi country v. ill furnish a supply and Bource of energy and power sufficient to illuminate and heat all of our cities ami homes, carrj on all of our commerce ami manufacturing, pump all avail- able water for the irrigation of our arid lands, and supply all other needful uses, thus largelj reducing the destruction of our forests and their necessary use, very nearly supplanting coal altogether, all of which is being brought about With a SWifl and certain rapidity under the spur of modern inventions and modern necessities. This source of energy is unconsumed and uncon- suming, and will continue undiminished to supply the needs and wants of man so long as "flowers bloom and rivers run." These same developments of electricity were indispensable in connection with the development of the telegraph, the telephone, wireless telegraphy and the phonograph, and the almost innumerable other advances and Improvements in the modern arts and sciences. Even as a plain every-day conserver of natural resources, free institutions, the ordinary sovereign citizen is entitled to no little resped and importance. Looking- a little into the future, it is possible that we shall \ei navigate the air, and thus greatly reduce our consumption of iron, propel the ships by electricity, and do away with the problem of the regulation of rates. Under the new order of things no doubt, however, we will have the promoter who will supply the atmosphere if he can find capital to provide the ships and the electrical equipment. On the other hand, we bitterly com- plain of capital and some almost despair of organized labor. While we must all agree that cunning must not be shackled, most of us do agree, and all of us ought to, that this must be done without destroying thrift, and inasmuch as we have made extensive advances in the direction of controlling even our greatest corporations, may we not hope that a higher sense of civic virtue and the application of better principles will result in the letter and the more satisfactory control of aggregations of capital. Doubtless labor must be required to accord all others, organized or unorganized, equal rights, but co-operation must not be destroyed and the rights of men to organize de- nied, because when organized they sometimes undertake to deprive others of their rights. I therefore delight to turn from what sometimes seems to be the madness of one leader, or the extremes of another, to a contemplation of the truer brotherhood and the better conditions of working people when organized and properly led. As an example: Look at the city of San Fran- cisco. Who would have been so bold as to prophesy on the 21st of April. 1906, that in October, 1908, the rebuilded city would have assumed its present magnificent proportions, or have been in a condition to entertain a great gathering of this character? Then the greatest ruin in all recorded history is now soon to be the most magnificent commercial center of any city in America, save only, perhaps, New York. Looking back to the beginning of our national existence, the results of the intelligent industry of our people entirely exceed the imagination of the ancient world, and even the fabled accomplishments of the cities of Atlantis. Within the last century and a quarter the labor and industry of our own people have subjugated more of the wilderness, transformed it into houses and homes, and farms, and schools and churches, lias created and erected lie. re cities, and introduced more of the arts and sciences into every day existence and labor than can be claimed for any other people or any other government, although we should allow them ten times the period within which to accomplish their results. The labor of this country has driven it* relentless way into the mountains and extracted the metals, precious and use- ful, combined brain and brawn and developed inventions hitherto undreamed of and thought impossible. By the labor of our people we have builded cities on a grander scale, have bound the country together with iron bands of commerce, obliterated time and space. We can hut contemplate the tre- mendous creation, the tremendous development, the magnificent productions Of the industry of a democratic people under a free government; speech is impotent to describe and imagination to comprehend the results. Well may we place upon the brow of our own labor the laurel wreath of victory in achievement over all other races and previous generations of mankind. Dis- tribution has not been as equal as we wish it had. It is to be hoped that We can better the results in this direction in the future. But after all, is it not undeniably true that the average man. including the man who has con- tinued to earn his bread by the sweat of his face, has been better paid, better housed, better clothed, letter able to maintain a family ami educate his children, and to give himself and those dependent upon him some share of the opportunities ami joys of living than were ever before known under any other government, or in any other period of the world's history? Ad- mitting that we nave nol yet reached perfection, it is nevertheless true that in the genesis Of nations the one nation that can claim to have made some progress in the direction thai all men are recognized as being created free and equal, with the right to life, liberty and happiness, and the hope of achieving the latter, can hardly he claimed to have had even slight realization except ler "in democratic form of government. If one man's rights are TRAXS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 101 made insecure today, no man's rights will be secure tomorrow Ml of us need to protect and defend our own rights infinitely more than we need to in- vade or take away the rights of any other person. We are all vastly more in- terested in the preservation of constitutional government, with the unimpaired right to local self-government, and the Nation existing for the common de- fense and the general welfare than we are in the temporary results thai could be achieved by any fundamental readjustment of our national life or forms of government. I would put no impediment in the way of any man who seeks to vindicate the law or to discover or punish crime. More power to all those who are engaged in this laudable work. But there are others. merely unauthorized, unlicensed defamers and muck-rakers, and I should wel- come the day when there should be more of a revival of the effort to remove the beam from our own eye, rather than such a widespread and uncertain search for the mote that is supposed to be concealed in our brother's eye. I have had many occasions to need and search for an honest man — always needed and useful and never too plentiful. I am still, however, of the old- fashioned idea that a man may be honest and too modest to tell about him- self, and I am not much attracted by the noise of the individual who is from day to day proclaiming his own honesty. Give me rather the man who makes good and who gives a square deal, and who by his life illustrates his devo- tion to civic righteousness. I left San Francisco for Washington the day after the Atlantic fleet came in through the Golden Gate. When I arrived in Washington and once more looked up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the east I was reminded that even the Father of His Country could not foreordain the growth of its Capital City any more than he could foresee its great de- velopment as a nation. The Capitol was builded to face the east and fronts the rising sun; but the progress of events and the growth of the city have wrought such a change that today the western side of the building is recog- nized as the front and we always hear of "the west side of the Capitol." As with our Capital City, so with our Nation. In the beginning it fronted only the Atlantic Ocean, and I thought of what it really meant when the Atlantic fleet sailed out of the harbor of New York on that long journey to this port. I thought of the tremendous and portentous power of that great armament. Any one of those battleships could have sailed into the Mediterranean and destroyed the fleets of Pompeii in a day and wiped from the earth the then supreme power of Rome. Any one of those battleships could have entered the contests with the Armada, coupled with the fleet of Nelson, and could have utterly destroyed them all. Any one of those great battleships, if pos- sessed by the North or the South during the Civil War, could have turned the scales of that dreadful cQnflict and caused victory to have perched upon either side. What a tribute to the honor, the industry and the intelligence of our Nation! How perfectly they were builded. how beautifully they were navigated, how majestically they journeyed all the distance of the Atlantic Ocean and through the Straits of Terra del Fuego into the world's greatest and most beautiful ocean, and the thought came to me as they came on and on, with never a loss or mishap, or a disaster, that even the waves love our ships on the sea as the loyal winds love the flag of the free, and I thought as they came on into the Golden Gate that they were not coming to the back door of the Nation to say good-bye, but up to the great western front door of the Nation to say good-morning. Good-morning to the world's scene of future greatest activity; good-morning — I hope — to mankind's best and great- est advancement; good-morning, I hope, to long years of constitutional gov- ernment, of equal citizenship and of continued prosperity, and I trust that the members of this Conference will return to their respective homes ready to devote their lives and their energies to the up-building of the great West, to the conservation, protection and development of our national resources, but above all for the preservation of our equal laws and equal opportunities, the heritage that our fathers bequeathed to us, and the greatest resource that we can possibly conserve and bequeath to our children. (Prolonged applause.) By President Case: Is there any one who desires to take the time for three minutes to discuss the matters involved in the eloquent address of Mr. Short and those of the other distinguished gentlemen who have spoken upon this subject of conservation of our natural resources? Mr. Alfred Chartz (Nevada): I desire, Mr. Chairman, to say a few words upon this subject. I stand up for every word spoken by Mr. Short, the gentleman who preceded me — every word. President Roosevelt has sent us word, as dele- gates to this convention and Congress, that he did not want all the (lowers 102 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS ami bouquets, he wanted an expression of the public will, an expression of the Ideas of the delegates from the several states and territories of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. We have that message from our President, one of the greatest we have ever had. Mr. Short has shown to us not only flowers, but a few thistles, and thistles are something that we need. That was the spirit of the message ot the President of the United states as sent to us. So 1 stand by each and every one of the ideas as expressed by Mr. Short, and I do not need to say any more exeept that Mr. Short has expressed my views more clearly than has any other gentleman who has spoken upon the various subjects that have come before this Congress. Mr. Arthur R. Briggs, of California: Mr. Chairman, I desire to make a motion with reference to adjourn- ment — not to adjourn now, but I move you, sir, that when we adjourn today we adjourn to meet at 1:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The purpose of the motion, if I may be permitted to say so, is that members of the Congress, delegates present here and their wives and daughters, may take the bay trip which has been planned by the Excursion Committee, to start from the ferry at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, and to go about the bay tomorrow forenoon. I desire to make that motion upon that account. (The motion was duly seconded by two or three delegates.) A Delegate: At what time does the excursion return? Mr. Briggs: The motion is that we convene at 1:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The Delegate: But will the excursion be back by that time? Mr. Briggs: It will be back by 1:30. President Case: To the gentlemen of the Congress, I desire to say that this is a little unusual. It is a little out of order, perhaps, but I am going to put this question, and if I get an almost unanimous vote, I am going to concur in it. I do not want to set this as a precedent that will be followed, or as an indication that we shall ordinarily adjourn this Congress for the pleasures of ourselves and families. Probably not again during the session will we do it. But I realize that our wives are here, and a great many people who would like to take that trip. In fact, 1 would like to do so myself. I am going to submit the matter to your vote. Are you ready for the question? A Delegate: Mr. Chairman: 1 move as an amendment, as I half agree with you and half do not, to make the time at which we next meet an earlier hour. Let me ask if two hours would be sufficient time in which to make the trip that has been tendered us? If so, my amendment would be to the effect that we adjourn until 11 o'clock tomorrow. Mr. Briggs: Two hours will not make it. I desire it understood by the Congress that this is not my own plan, but that I make this suggestion on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, which is endeavoring to give entertainment to the delegates and their friends while they are here. There is no use of their saying, or of my saying, thai you can make that trip in two hours, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 103 because it can not be done. If we start at 9 o'clock promptly, and that is the hour scheduled, from the Clay Street wharf, we will get back at about 12:30 o'clock, and then we can meet here at 1:30 in the afternoon. The motion unanimously prevailed. President Case: I understand that this simply means that we take a recess from the time that we finish our session this evening until 1:30 o'clock tomorrow. Mr. Briggs: The start will be made from the Clay Street wharf, and any of the delegates or their friends who want badges, because that will be the insignia that will carry them onto the ship, will find them here at the Secretary's office before they leave today. President Case: Has the Secretary anything further to be said to the Congress? The Secretary: I think not, Mr. President. We have an evening session. President Case: Yes. We promised the people of San Francisco last evening that Hon- orable C. J. Blanchard, the statistician of the National Government, would reproduce in the evening, upon canvas, the different projects of the Govern- ment, including irrigation plants, tunnels, canals, etc., being projected and those that have been completed. This will be shown in stereopticon views this evening. It will be an education to everybody. Something of that same character was exhibited last year by Chief Engineer, Mr. Newell, at. Muskogee, and a house about as large as this would not hold the people who were there to listen to it. I promise you that you will feel well repaid for attending. If there is no other business, the chair will now entertain a motion to adjourn. And do not forget the meeting of the Committee on Permanent Organization at the St. Francis Hotel. On motion, duly seconded, the Congress at this point took a recess until 8 o'clock p. m. SIXTH SESSION Wednesday Evening, October 7, 1908. By President Case: Ladies and Gentlemen: The hour of eight having arrived the Congress will be in order. Mr. Sam. F. Dutton, secretary of the Organization Com- mittee, desires to make a report. Mr. Dutton, of Colorado. PERMANENT ORGANIZATION. By Mr. Dutton, of Colorado: Mr. President, Members of the Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: At a meeting of the Committee on Permanent Organization this afternoon, in the St. Francis Hotel, we made a list of officers for this organization and included for the coming year, and we beg to submit this list to you for your approval: For President, Hon. Thomas F. Walsh, Denver, Colorado. First Vice-President, N. G. Larimore, Larimore, North Dakota. Second Vice-President, Chas. A. Fellows, Los Angeles, California. Third Vice-President, A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee. Oklahoma. Fourth Vice-President, Herbert Strain, Great Falls, Montana. Secretary, Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Treasurer, Fred Moffatt, Denver, Colorado. Suggestions for the Executive Committee were made as follows: For Chairman of the Executive Committee, Col. Ike T. Pryor, San Antonio, Texas. Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee, Sam F. Dutton, Denver, Colorado. Chairman of Advisory Board, Mr. Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco, California. Vice-Chairman, James H. Brady, Pocatello, Idaho. For Members of Advisory Committee, Mr. W. O. Hart, New Orleans; Mr. John Henry Smith, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Mr. Tom Richardson. Portland. Oregon. We also wish to submit to the Congress for their approval the names of a committee to wait upon the President-elect of the United States im- mediately after election, and secure his attendance at next year's meeting; and we suggest the following names to serve on that committee: The President of the Organization, the retiring President, the Chairman of the Executive Committee, the Chairman of the Congressional Committee, the Chairman of the Advisory Board, and Hon. John Barrett, of Portland, Oregon. By President Case: You have heard the report, gentlemen. Is there anything to be said on the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization? By Mr. N. D. Crane: I move that the report be accepted and be made special order for 10 o'clock a. m. the last day of the session as provided by the by-laws. A Delegate: I second the motion. The motion was put to the Congress and adopted. By President Case: Ladies and Gentlemen, and Members of the Congress: We will listen to an address this evening by Colonel \Y. I<\ Baker, of Iowa. The state of Iowa is largely indebted to Colonel Baker for its splendid system of good roads. Mr. Baker has been connected with this Congress for many years. He takes a strong interest in the organization and is one of the general vice-presidents. He will speak to you tonight for a short time on "Inland Waterways." I have the pleasure and the honor to introduce to you Colonel \V. F. Baker, of Iowa. (Applause.) COL. \v. p. BAKER, l>e.s Moines, Iowa. Third Vice-President. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 105 '•INLAND WATERWAYS," BY COL. W. F. BAKER, OF IOW \. By Mr. Baker, of Council IS I tills: Mr. President, Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Ladies and Gentlemen: The subject of our inland waterways and their Improvement for com- mercial purposes is of national importance, as there is no locality in the United States that is not vitally interested in it. We do not believe however that the people, as a general thing-, realize the benefits that would come to them through the improvement of our great rivers for commercial pur- poses, nor do we believe they realize the great necessity for this Con- sequently, they should learn as soon as possible the true situation and when they do so, rest assured the remedy will be forthcoming and effectual. The canals now used at the present time throughout the world as a general thing, are of comparatively modern construction, and when I mention canals, I include rivers that have been canalized. In fact, there has 1 n more accomplished in the last 25 years in this direction than In all previous history. In order to better understand my subject, it will be necessary for me to mention what others have done and are doing, in order to understand what we will be compelled to do to meet the situation that is unavoidable in the near future — a battle, not with battleships, but with the exercise of out- best judgment, ingenuity and perseverance. The Chinese, ages ago, constructed an admirable system of rather shallow canals reaching from the sea to every 'part of that* vast empire, which is one-sixth larger than the United States, with 400,000,000 of people. This accessibility by water has prevented, no doubt, the depopulation of vast territories in that empire from famine and other causes. They nave lately improved the Shanghai River for more than 500 miles to its junction with the Yangtse, which they have improved for 700 miles, up to where there are immense iron and coal mines. They are now manufacturing pig iron, supplying Japan with 5,000 tons per month, and are shipping some to this coast, in fact, to San Francisco itself, as the steamer "Seneca" was loaded three months ago with 3,000 tons of pig-iron, and consigned to a steel com- pany in this locality. They have immense steel mills in proximity to their mines, where they are manufacturing steel rails at the rate of from 5.000 to 8,000 tons per month, of a much superior quality than can be found in Europe. They are prepared to make steel passenger coaches, steel freight cars, steel bridges and locomotive engines, in fact, everything that goes to make a first-class railroad. Their steam power amounts to 17,500 actual horsepower, and their electric plant of 5,000 horsepower. It is owned en- tirely by the Chinese, as no one is allowed to invest with foreign capital. It is conducted and managed by Chinese who have been educated in the United States and in Europe. The above rivers for 1,200 miles have a capacity for the largest of ocean going vessels, and with the cheap labor they have in that country, no one can compete with them for this com- modity in the Orient. Japan has been specially favored by Nature, as the sea reaches into all parts of that empire and very few artificial canals are required. This has enabled Japan to suddenly assume an aggressive world-powership. Russia has a splendid system of canals through her European posses- sions, connecting her great seas and gulfs with all her large cities, including St. Petersburg and Moscow, with the Baltic and White Seas. But what is of more interest to us and our agriculturists especially, as the Russians are not a manufacturing people, is the ship channel they are now building over the low Ural Mountains, connecting with the great Obi River that reaches for 3,000 miles into the heart of the Siberian wheat helds. a vast area of country that is as well adapted to the raising ot wheat and other cereals as our great Northwest, as it is in the same latitude as the Dakotas and Montana. We can realize what this means when we remember tin- cheapness of land in that territory, compared to ours, and the Labor (or the production of their wheat costing not more than a quarter of what we are compelled to pay. A ship can be loaded with wheat, sail down the Obi River across the Ural Mountains, connecting with canals already completed through the l.altn- and North Seas to Liverpool, in competition with our wheat, at a cost in transportation of comparatively a few cents per ton, while we are coi died to pay several dollars per ton before we reach water transportation. would not lower the price of labor in this country, God forbid, but I would create a condition that will immensely aid production and labor as well. We have always supposed that the Spanish-Americans would be too lazv and indolent ever to aspire to command of the world s i markets, but we find in the Argentine Republic that they have improved the Parana River ?o more than iToOO miles into the interior of that fertile country, o a depth of 21 feet, and the Uruguay River for more than 600 miles to the same depth. 106 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS and in the harbor of Ftosario, 100 miles from the sea, they have expended more than $15.oon. They can raise in that country all the crops that we can raise, as it is about between the same parallels as the United States, and Rosario is in the same latitude south of the Equator that Cairo is north of it. They have cheap land, cheap labor and cheap transportation to the markets of the world. Belgium, just one-fourteenth the size of the state of California, has 1,400 miles of splendid canals and in the harbor of Antwerp, 30 miles from the sea. they can accommodate 2,000 ocean going vessels at her docks at the same time. Their canals reach every city and manufacturing - center within that midget kingdom, and they can bring the raw material to their manufactories, 1,000 miles for $1.00 or less per ton. The manufactures of Belgium last year amounted to more than $500,000,000. Holland is but one-thirteenth the size of the state of California and they have 2,000 miles of the best canals in the world and have expended upon these canals more than $2,O00,0Oii. LANDS," B\ Il<»\. C. J. BLANCHARD, STATIS- TICIAN OF THE RECLAMATION SERVICE, WASHINGTON, I). C. My Mr. Blanchard: Mr. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen, and |)elegates to the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress: I regard it as a great privilege to be per- mitted to come here tonight to give you in a picture talk some idea of the great work the Govern nt has been carrying forward during the past six years. Tli is work has grown to such proportions that it is almost impossible for one to carrj it In mind, so as to be able to repeat it offhand, and 1 am going to ask .sour indulgence for just a few moments before I put the pictures on, while I read a little to you about the work that has gone forward, and what is proposed to be done after these works are completed. 1 am not going i" detain you with any address, but just a little brief recital of the plans of the Government, and then 1 will take you, if you will go with me THOMAS F. WALSH, Denver ( YVolhurst), Colorado. Chairman Executive Committee. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 113 WSS^ftt^ffi^ »*T. in which .Mar. '^SSS? ^^^ hic *°o f ^se_xnany of the delegates are 000 acres now desert and uninhabited will be converted into small farms before this national work is concluded. You will remember that that is Quite 74 d nn°n P nonTn^ e 1* 1 i rea that w , ere . fir ?t Siyen you, which as [ rememb were 74,000,000 acres; but we are beginning to find out that while we liave a large amount of desert land, the water supply is restricted and our most conservative engineers today claim that 75,000,000 acres is about the limit of National reclamation. This vast area, capable of supporting millions of people will be brought into cultivation without entailing the loss of a single dollar to the National treasury, and that is something I find quite a number of people have never understood, especially our friends in the East who have regarded with suspicion this movement of National development think- ing it is going to be a tax upon the Eastern farms. The cost of reclamation of all the land in the West by National irrigation is assessed to the land and the home builder who acquires this land must return to the treasury the money expended by the Government in its reclamation. The full importance of National reclamation is obtainable only by com parison. The twenty-seven projects upon which the Government is now engaged, when developed to their full extent, will add 3.198,000 acres to the crop producing area of the United States. Add to these thirteen other projects which are held in abeyance, pending the completion of the first- mentioned, and which will reclaim 3,270,000 acres, and we have a grand total of 6,468,000 acres. This enormous area today is practically worthless. It returns revenues neither to the states in which it is located, nor to the Nation to which it largely belongs. It is utilized only a short period in each year for grazing nomadic herds, that are driven over it. Potentially it is the richest, the most fertile and productive land in the world, and is capable of supporting in comfort an agricultural population as dense as can be found in any of the older settled parts of our country. By expending $60,000,000 on the twenty-seven engineering works now in process of con- struction, the reclamation service will reclaim 3,198.000 acres, or a cultivated area equal to the total acreage in crops in the four states of Connecticut, Massachusetts. New Hampshire and Florida. The diversified crops, enormous yields from irrigated lands, and the excellent prices for all farm products in the West, warrant the assumption that this land will return annually an income larger than the farmers receive in the four states named. For comparison, let us say that the revenues per acre will be the same. It is apparent then that this area reclaimed will each year increase the value of farm crops by $60,000,000, and that $60,000,000 which is to he expended in Government work will be returned in a single crop. This work will also add $232,000,000 to the taxable property of the people; it will furnish homes, as the president of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress has said, to 100,000 families or 400,000 people on farms alone. The settlement of the desert will be followed, and in some instances pie- ceded, by the construction of hundreds of miles of railroads, of electric lines, by the development of power for manufacturing and for municipal and domestic use, by a great building movement, and by innumerable Investments which accompany the creation of commonwealths. All these will ag| gate millions of dollars, assuring employment for thousands of skilled and unskilled laborers, and furnishing a home market for the bulk of the products of the new farms. This immense development of agriculture in the West does not menace the prosperity of the Eastern and Middle Western farmer. Our statistics show that nearly 80 per cent of the desert crops are forage and consumed at home. The products exported are special crops, which are in no sense competitive with Eastern grown. The desert's cereal crops do not come East The Orient has opened wide its various forest products, and for the output of Western coal mines. Western development menus 114 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS additional markets for Eastern manufactured products — cotton, woolens, steel and hardware, boots and shoes, and the high-grade household com- modities. With the enormous increase in the demand for such articles, the manufacturers will be compelled to enlarge their plants and add to the number of their employees. Such increase will add to the demand for home-grown crops and assures the continued prosperity of the Eastern farmers. Thus we see that the Eastern farmer and manufacturer are both directly concerned in the work of reclaiming- the great American desert. Aside from the fact that the limitless West is the safety valve against the threatened overcrowding of the East, it is also the treasure chest from which the East may draw for revenue for all the years to come. Just to sum up briefly, I want to give you just a few figures of the work which has been done. A summation of the work of the Reclamation Service to date shows that it has dug 2,370 miles of canals, or more than the distance from Chicago to San Francisco. Some of these canals carry whole rivers, like the Truckee River in Nevada, and the North Platte in Wyoming. The tunnels excavated are 57 in number and have an aggregate length of 15% miles. The Service has erected 312 large structures, including two great dams in Nevada, the Minidoka dam in Idaho, and the Granite Reefs dam in Arizona. It has completed 4,800 headworks, flumes, etc. It has built 374 miles of wagon road in mountainous country and into heretofore inaccessible regions. It has erected and in operation 874 miles of telephones. It has manufactured and purchased 638,000 barrels of cement. The surveying parties of the Service have completed topographic surveys covering 10,970 square miles, or greater than the combined area of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The transit lines have a length of 18,900 linear miles, while the level lines run are more than sufficient to go around the earth. The diamond drillings for dam sites and canals amount to 65,000 feet, or more than 12 miles. Today the Service owns and has at work 1,500 horses and mules; it operates 9 locomotives, 611 cars and 23 miles of road; 84 gasoline engines and 70 steam engines. It has constructed and is operating five electric light plants. Its work has been carried on with the following force: Classified service, including the Washington office 1,126 Laborers employed directly by the Government 4,448 Laborers employed by contractors 10,789 Total of all forces 16,383 The expenditures equal a total of $1,000,000 per month. The excavations of earth and rock on canal and tunnel work involve mov- ing more than 52,667,978 cubic yards, or more than one-third of the estimated total yardage of the Panama Canal. The canal systems watered 363,050 acres this year and cover 978,365 acres, most of which will be supplied as soon as the reservoirs are built. The total area under ditch is equal to a strip of land a mile wide and extending from Albuquerque to Chicago. As a result of the operations of the Reclamation Service eighteen new towns have been established, 116 miles of branch railroad have been con- structed, and 50,000 people have taken up their homes in the desert, i Applause.) The foregoing remarks of Mr. Blanchard were then followed by stere- opticon illustrations, and after prolonged applause proceedings were resumed as follows: By Secretary Francis: We wish to announce that there will be another illustrated lecture tomorrow evening upon the aqueduct at Los Angeles. The Congress is invited by the local committee to take a trip upon the bay at 9:30 o'clock tomorrow morning. Those who wish to take it can get tickets here at the stand, and we have also some badges for the delegates who wish the yellow badges. I am requested to announce the program for the bay trip as follows: ENTERTAINMENT OK DEIJBGATKS. The Sehome will leave Clay Street wharf at the north end of the Ferry depot at 9-30 a. m., and will proceed first to the 1'nited States Cruiser Colo- rado After leaving the Colorado, the Sehome will visit the following points of Interest in the order named: Mission Hock, China Basin, Union Iron Works, Risdon Iron Works. Western Sugar Refinery. I'olrero Point. Hunter's Point Dry Dock Alameda Mole, entrance to Oakland Harbor, Oakland Mole, Key TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 115 Route Mole, United States Naval Training Station, United States Lighthouse Station, Yerba Buena Island, Richmond, Winehaven, Twin Brothers Light- house, Red Rock, United States Naval Coaling- Station at California City, United States Quarantine Fumigation Station, United States Immigration Sta- tion, in course of construction, United States Quarantine Station at Hospital Cove, United States Army Post at Angel Island, Tiburon, Belvedere, Sausalito, Port Baker, Lime Point Fog Signal Station, Golden Gate, Point Bonita Lighthouse, Mile Rock Lighthouse, Fort Miley, Fort Winfield Scott, Fori Mason, Presidio. Alcatraz Island, and Telegraph Hill. The committee which has arranged this and other entertainments for the delegates to the Congress, is composed of James Rolph Jr.. chairman; C. W. Burks, secretary; Henry M. Abrams, A. R. Briggs, Charles W. Conlisk. J, Parker Currier, Charles H. Crocker, W. J. Dutton, Burt L. Davis. Zoeth S. Eldredge, W. L. Gerstle, Rudolph Herold Jr., Livingston Jenks. A. J. le Breton. F. W. Marvin, Frederick H. Meyer, E. J. Molera, Edgar Painter. Henry Payot, George H. Pippy, Robert A. Ross, Max L. Rosenfeld, Charles F. Runyon, Julian Sonntag, Chauncey M. St. John, R. J. Taussig, Henry R. Williar, and R. P. Jennings. The trip of the Sehome will be in charge of the following sub -committee named for that purpose: Chauncey M. St. John, chairman; Zoeth S. Eldredge, William L. Gerstle, Rudolph Herold Jr., and Julian Sonntag. October 9 — Automobile trip, seeing San Francisco, Autos will leave St. Francis Hotel at 9 a. m., returning at 11 a. m. October 9 — Observation car will leave Second and Market Streets at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m., for a trip round San Francisco. October 10 — Reception, Fairmont Hotel. 8:30 p. m. until 11 p. m. October 10 — Observation car will leave Second and Market Streets at 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. for a trip around San Francisco. October 11 — Exercises in Greek Theater, University of California. Berkeley, at 2 p. m. October 11 — Music, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 2 to 5 p. m. Delegates and their families will not require tickets to participate in any of these trips, exercises or reception. Their badges will entitle them to every courtesy. (An adjournment was here taken until 1:30 o'clock Thursday after- noon, October 8th, 1908.) SEVENTH SESSION Thursday, October 8, 1908. In the absence of the President or any of the Vice-Presidents of the Congress, the house was called to order by Secretary Francis at 2:50 o'clock p. m. Secretary Francis: This is resolution hour, gentlemen, and inasmuch as our presiding officer is not here, we will dispose of these resolutions. RIVERS. HARBORS AND CANALS. By W. O. Hart, of New Orleans): We emphatically reaffirm the clear and comprehensive resolutions passed at former sessions of this Congress in regard to the improvement of the waterways and harbors of our entire country. Speaking more especially for the Trans-Mississippi region, which is far more than half of the United States, we recognize that within the last year our transportation necessities have greatly increased. The time has come when we should pusli with all possible expedition the perfect improvement, ample extension and efficient maintenance of these natural facilities, by which alone can we get the cheapest transpor- tation and adequate outlets for our products; hence we again most earnestly commend to our members the movement more especially represented by the National Rivers and Harbors Congress, and adopt as ours its slogan — an annual appropriation of at least $50.000.000 — to be expended in the further- ance of this pressing and indispensable work. We again endorse the project of deep water from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, so that the sea shall virtually be carried to Chicago, so that our teeming products shall find water transportation at convenient ports all through the (enter of our great country, instead of being subjected to long and expensive hauls over congested railroads to the coast. The freight con- dition of the past year or more shows practically and conclusively that all of our facilities, both by rail and water, will be taxed to the utmost to meet the present and future wants of our commerce. We favor the perfect and permanent improvement to the highest points of navigation of such channels of travel as the Missouri River, reaching to the far Northwest; the Arkansas and Red, penetrating to the heart of the great Middle Southwest, and affording outlet to the new and prosperous state of Oklahoma, and to an even larger area of adjacent and populous territory. "We find that even our most extensive works are soon inadequate both In depth and space for the wants of commerce. A new era in our trade develop- ment has come upon us. Already we are badly congested in the movement of our commodities. The older nations, though of small area and with pro- ductions near to the sea, have long since found it indispensable to avail them- selves of the most perfect capacity of all classes of transportation. What was indispensable for them is now even more vital to us with our greater territory and far more productive population. Hence we urge that improve- ment keep pace with and anticipate our commercial wants. We endorse the proposed inter-coastal canal from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande, as a needed and most beneficial waterway improvement, and we respectfully urge the Senators and Representatives of the Trans- Mississippi States in Congress to favor a canal of not less than nine feet in depth and not less than one hundred feet in width. We hail with satisfaction the progressive, statesmanlike and patri 'tic- utterances and actions of the President of the United States in regard to these great measures. We call upon our Senators and Representatives in Congress, regardless of party, to support him in this policy, which we wish advanced to the very first rank of our public policies. If necessary, in the construction and maintenance of the great system of works of which our whole country now stands in most urgent need, we favor the creation of a department of public works; and. so far as requisite, an increase of the public debt. We wish no waste, nor do we wish to antagonize any other proper public interest; but we demand prompt and efficient attention to these commercial needs. By Secretary Francis: RESTORATION OF WITHDRAWN LANDS. Bj \\ . II. Dickson, <>i' Colorado! KKS< il.YI'M >. That it is the sense of this Congress that wherever any proposed reclamation project has been abandoned by the Government, any TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 1!7 and all lands withdrawn by the Government fnr tv,^ ,,„^„ =w.j such proposed project, should be forthwith restored to en rv u . 1 ' '^' V i '.' "; T "/ and any and all water rights affected by the Govern" ■< » its 1 ' V. r / of such project should be restored to the same Son In which they^ at the time of the commencement of such investigations By Secretary Francis: IMPROVEMENT OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER. By D. P. Hall, of Muskogee: WHEREAS It has been demonstrated that the Arkansas River is navie- able as far as Muskogee, Oklahoma, where the Grand and Verdigris Ivefs flow into the Arkansas, and L UIfcIls liners WHEREAS The fullest development of the new state of Oklahoma de- mands satisfactory freight rates and all benefits that may acer 11 r i the use of its navigable waters, therefore be it tt ■ t R F S ^ L '7 E ' D A That U is the sense and desire of this Congress that the United States Government appropriate sufficient funds for the taprovemen of the Arkansas River from the city of Muskogee to the mouth of the river. By Secretary Francis: THE EXTENSION OP THE COASTWISE NAVIGATION LAWS TO THE PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO. By AV. H. Marston, of San Francisco: WHEREAS, It was the declared intention of Congress in nassin"- the act of February 24th. .1902. and subsequent acts, suspending the^pufation of the Coastwise Navigation Laws of the United States to the Philippine Islands until April 11 1909, to raise revenue for the government and benefil of the Philippine Archipelago, and WHEREAS, It was argued that the United States alone could not take care of the shipping of the islands with vessels of American register and WHEREAS, The treaty obligation with Spain, granting special privileges to its vessels ends on April 11th, 1909, and WHEREAS, It is apparent to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress and others familiar with the Pacific trade conditions that it is unnecessary to continue this "emergency" policy for the reasons that the islands have become self-supporting, and American ship owners can. with the assistance of the ship subsidy bill, most likely to be passed by Congress at the coming session, take care of the commerce of the islands, it is heieby RESOLVED, That the time has come when the people of the United States should be given the benefits that they are entitled to by the purchase of the Philippine Islands, and the commercial interests of the Nation, especially of the Pacific Coast, demand that the coming Congress pass such legislation as will extend the Coastwise Navigation Laws to the Philippine Archipelago and give relief from the present tariff tolls. By Secretary Francis: WATER RIGHTS AND ELECTRIC POWER. By Hon. Frank H. Short, of Fresno, Cal.: The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress recognizing the great and general importance of the subject, ratifies and adopts the following resolu- tion adopted by the Sixteenth National Irrigation Congress at Albuquerque to wit: "This congress recognizes the growing importance of the development of electric power, not only for the purposes of lighting, manufacturing commerce, but also in aid of irrigation by pumping from snM crra uea n sources. Developments already accomplished in this direction warrant the assumption that, in the not far distant future, the lands irrigated by water pumped from such sources will equal, if they do not exceed, lands irrigated from thi aatural flow of streams. The development and use of our streams for the generation of electric power not only aids and increases irrigation directly, bul is b< ficial in manv other ways. First, it renders possible and profitable tl on- struction of reservoirs in the high mountains withholding excessive Hoods, thus aiding reclamation and also conserving this injurious How which is later added to the beneficial flow of water available for irrigation. Second, it Is the one great source of supply immediately available for lighting, heal and power as a substitute for other fuels, thus limiting the rapid destruction of our forests and also conserving and saving our supplies ol coal and other fuels. Third, the use of electricity for pumping renders ii possible perma- nently to reclaim and irrigate vast sections of our arid land otherwise impossible of reclamation or irrigation. Fourth, its extensive development 118 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS will cheapen ami extend manufacturing ami commerce, thus affording an immediate home market for the products of our irrigated farms, and also cheaper transportation to other markets: therefore, be It "RESOLVED, That the necessary rights of way and rights for the con- struction of reservoirs, and other uses of the public lands, for the develop- ment of electric power, should be aided and encouraged in every reasonable way, and all such rights and uses should be granted and allowed upon equal terms with similar rights granted for the direct purpose of irrigation. Such uses, being public uses subject to the control of the state, should continue as long as the right to the beneficial use of the water and the duty to supply the power continues under state laws. And no burdensome charges or dis- criminations should be exacted or imposed, as a result of which such beneficial developments may be delayed and the investment of capital therein prevented and the cost increased to the consumer." By Secretary Francis: We have a resolution from the California Equal Suffrage Association, by Mrs. Mary McHenry Keith. I believe she is in attendance, and if she will step forward, she will be permitted to read her own resolution and take the usual three minutes in the discussion of it. Gentlemen, I have the pleasure of introducing to you, Mrs. Keith, of California. (Applause.) By Mary M. Keith, of California: Gentlemen, I come before you as a member of the Chamber of Com- merce of Berkeley, but I represent as well the California Equal Suffrage Association. I am grateful for the opportunity of presenting these resolu- tions, which I shall read to you, and also of having the opportunity to speak to the resolution for three minutes. This is the resolution which has been prepared by the convention's Resolutions Committee of the Cali- fornia Equal Suffrage Association, of which I have the honor to be chairman, to come before your body. WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE. Believing in the conservation of our natural resources, and that our country's most valuable resources are the men and women in it; believing, moreover, that women should be protected equally with men In their labor and property rights, and that they are justly entitled to all the rights and privileges of American citizenship, especially the right to the ballot, there- fore, be it RESOLVED, That we call upon the United States to immediately declare the enfranchisement of its women, and we urge the several sister states to speedily follow the commendable example of the four free states, namely, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho. I was just notified to wear the badge of the New Orleans delegation, signifying that my choice for the next convention of the Congress should be New Orleans. But I prefer Denver, as the state of Colorado is one of our free states. There are, however, hopes for New Orleans, as the New Orleans women have the right, that is, the tax-paying women of New Orleans, have the right to vote on certain questions. We hear a great deal of opposition, a great many canards, as to the working of woman's suffrage in our free states. But we prefer to take the testimony of such public-spirited citizens as Governor Adams, of Colorado, Governor Peabody, Mrs. Sarah Piatt Decker, or of Judge Bindsey, of the Juvenile Court, who declares himself to be unqualifiedly in favor of it. The women of our country are the natural conservators of its material resources. This evening your wives and daughters are being entertained at a reception given by one of the most prominent women's clubs of Cali- fornia, namely, the California Club, which has spent time and money, it has sent delegates to Washington in that behalf, in an effort to save the Big Trees of California. Think of the shame of it, that the men cannot step forward and prevent that terrible destruction, and prevent one of the great natural wonders of California from being forever swept away — keep TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 119 those beautiful and magnificent trees from the woodman's axe' If the women had a vote, we should be able to do much more in such respect than that. Women are for good roads. They are starting improvement clubs all over the country, and today, because of our interest in all civic matters because of the fact that we are of right entitled to it, we beg of you to give us the right to the ballot. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: Mrs. Keith might have added that in 1894, the Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress adopted a resolution on suffrage, and was the first organization of any note to extend that courtesy. (Applause.) It was for this reason that this organization was held in such high esteem by Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone and other prominent suffragists. (Applause.) If there are no other resolutions to be presented at this time, I will declare a short recess. Past President John Henry Smith, of Utah, in the chair. President Smith: The convention will again come to order. I have a resolution from the chairman of the Philippine delegation, Mr. Max L. McCollough, who desires to say a few words in connection with it. I will ask the Secretary to read the resolution. Secretary Francis: The resolution is as follows: REVISION OF TARIFF LAWS FOR THE PHILIPPINES. By Max L. McCollough, of Manila: RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in further- ance of the present attitude of the United States toward the Philippine people, and in view of the many far-reaching improvements in their form of gov. ment under American administration, emphasizes at this time the importance of the natural resources of the Philippine Islands as a field of profitable investments for American capital and enterprise; that this Congress in ses- sion assembled recommends to the American people a more thorough study of the opportunities for utilizing the vast forest, mineral, commercial ami agricultural resources of the Philippine Islands; that the Federal Government be urged to facilitate in every possible way legislation for such a revision "f the insular public land and tariff laws as will be conducive to the economic prosperity of the Philippines and to their constant and stable development along the lines of peace and civilization. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. President Smith: Is Mr. M. L. McCollough, from the Philippines, here, and does he desire to speak on the subject? Mr. Max Li. McCollough: Mr. Chairman: I have been asked to say a few words this afternoon in behalf of the Philippine Islands, in behalf of the territory in the Philippine Archipelago which may be termed America's farthest frontier. I will limit what I have to say to the economic phase of the Philippine question. You probably know a great deal about the Philippine people, of the efforts of the Government to give them a liberal and a just administration, and of what has been done by such eminent men as Secretarj Tali ami others who have been our governors. I want to say a few words regarding the economic importance of the Philippines. For the past eight years I have been connected with the Philippine ernment, and for the last three and a half or four years in the administrative" department of the Moro province, which is the most importanl pari of the Philippines, as far as agriculture, as far as the economic side of their develop- ment goes in its relation to American capital and enterprise. The Moro province is situated in the southern part oi the Philippine Archipelago. It includes many islands, including all of the Jolo >„. operating with the Geological Survey in the carrying on .of this worl this State. Many of the Pacific States contemplate s Ion In ti . ne.fr Xture PerWs ^^Sn^TS^ SStiS ■' trees' of tS^ited^atS'u ^ettirely necessary before ^ at any importance" can be carried out, that an immense amount oi data relate 126 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS to the many features of our country must be gathered before anything can be done. This work is being done by the United States Geological Survey, and it is being done well and accurately. The time will come when this work will be of much more value than it is at the present time, although it is now almost indispensable. I thank you. (Applause.) President Smith: I have now the pleasure of introducing to you Honorable Fletcher E. Cutler, of Eureka, California, who will speak to you upon "The Future Greatness of California." (Applause.) THE FUTURE GREATNESS OF CALIFORNIA. By Judge Fletcher E. Cutler. By .Turtle Cutler, Eureka: Mr. President, and Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: I am commissioned by my people of the North Coast Counties to extend to you their hearty greetings with assurances that they are in full accord with your Congress, and they wish you a successful and profitable session. With pardonable pride and the modesty for which the native Californian is renowned, I deem it a privilege to address you on a subject fraught with great import to my fellow-citizens. You are standing today on historic ground. Within sight and sound are the waters in which Balboa baptized the royal flag of Spain as he claimed its hordering land for his Sovereign Crown. To the northward, beneath the cliffs of Point Reyes, Sir Francis Drake dreamed of England's sway as he furled his sails in a haven of refuge. Within a league beyond stands the remnants of a Russian settlement, colonized, flourished and passed away. Scattered through Southern valleys and plains, adobe haciendas tell of the day when the Mexican dreamed his life away with no thought of the Gringo's coming. Here in the very center of our City today, the then Yerba Buena. nestling down amid towering structures, the haunts of busy men, stand the crumbling walls of the Mission Dolores, a silent reminder of the time when the holy chant of the devoted Padres called the red man to the foot of the cross. Turning to the south, on the shores of old Monterey, is the mast head where Sloat signalized the passing of the old and the coming of the new California, typified and crystalized in the enduring folds of the American Flag. In sight of our State Capitol is the spot where Marshall, examining the glittering substance which he held in his hand, pronounced it gold. The echo of his words was borne on the winds to the four quarters of the globe, bringing into our State a sweeping tide of immigration unparal- leled in the history of the world. High up in the Sierras, surrounded by pine fringed ridges, is Donner Lake, where children died, women wept and men suffered, typical of the hardships endured 'by the pioneers in their onward rush to the new El Dorado. (Applause.) In the older states, marble shaft and studied story serve as reminders of historic places and patriotic deeds. We examine each event crowned with historical fame. We hallow each battlefield consecrated with the blood of freemen, who fought and died in liberty's cause. We revere each statesman and patriot whose lives typified in the highest degree the lofty ideals of American citizenship. We are again with the Pilgrim at Plymouth Rock as he religously dedicates the virgin soil to Christian enterprise. We see set- tlements appear and become merged into colonies, colonies into states and states into a union. In reading any part of the history of our country every patriotic impulse quickens at the recital of its ever increasing growth and expansion, but no part awakens a greater interest than that dealing with the reclamation of the country west of the Mississippi. In its transition from the wilderness to the habitation of man. from the territory to the state, with the consequent blessings bestowed upon the human family, it reveals a period of time replete with courageous deeds performed by a race of men whose like will never come again. Cavalier and Puritan, Quaker and Knickerbocker, have each appeared and disappeared and left the imprint of his character within the environments of his time, but the Argonauts who journeyed on toward the setting sun pioneered a pathway which today is covered by cities, states and commonwealths that stand as monuments to their deathless fame and dauntless courage. There are characters that stand out in the history of our country that invoke and merit the applause of a grateful people, but partly because one whose name I bear lived, suffered and died in the upbuilding of this great West, I seek my inspiration in the ideals of the lives of the r.oones, of Kentucky; the Houston s, of Texas; Lewis and Clark, of Oregon; the Fremonts, Sutters and great pathfinders of the Rockies. (Applause.) These men, in their lives and in their deeds, ex- FLETCHER E. CUTLER, Eureka, California. V ■^ff_Ai*ir OF THE unwept* of TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 127 emplified the spirit, courage and progress that have ever characterized the people of the great West. There is a freedom in the boundless prairies a reverence in the mountains, an inspiration in the valleys that makes a people independent, resolute and strong in their vigorous life rearing a high type of manhood whose every effort is for the communitv. the state and the Nation. It is such a people who have gathered here today to discuss and deliberate upon great questions which affect the present and shape the future. In the past you have dealt with many problems which, while local to a certain extent, yet were far reaching in their results. So it Is with the subject assigned to me today — "The Future Greatness of California." While it may appear to be a question of local concern, yet in view of recent stir- ring events that have occurred to the westward, inextricably wedded to its future greatness is the destiny of the Pacific States. It has been aptly said of California that were she suddenly rent from the mainland and made an isle of the sea, yet there would be found within her confines everything needful to make a people great, either fully developed or a living germ in her sustaining breast. On her mountain tops are stored aerial treasures of snow, the source of ever-living streams threading their way through valleys and plains, fructifying the earth with the flowers and fruit of every zone. Out of the great southland comes the fragrance of groves where the olive, lemon and orange hang thick and ripen in the mellow sulight. Its Los Angeles, modern, great and populous, reclaimed from the arid wastes, a tribute to the genius of man. Santa Clara, with its orchards, where the downy peach nods to the rosy apple, a veritable valley of the Nile. The vine clad hills of Sonoma and Napa, where the juicy grape fills the wineries to overflowing. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. where the waving plumes of the golden grain await the annual harvest. Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte, those gems of the north, with their matchless forests of giant redwood nourished by the abundant rains and blanketing fogs of that region, forming a heritage of lumber products un- rivaled on the globe, adding an ever increasing stream to the swelling current of commerce on the Pacific; with their hills and valleys constantly greened by the same beneficent moisture from Nature's own system, and covered with the countless flocks and herds of the dairymen and the stock farmer. Prom the mother lode, teeming with precious metals, comes the echo of the ceaseless stamps of the quartz mill mingling with the ring <>f the woodsman's axe in the forest. Electricity, generated in the waterfalls of the Sierras, transmitting motor power, light and heat to village. hamlet and city. Gushing oil wells, displacing coal and feeding glowing furnaces in factory, mill and shop. With industry encouraged, labor gen- erously rewarded, capital safeguarded, we behold a people dwelling in the Biblical description of the Land of Promise: "A land of brooks, of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the vallevs and hills: a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees; a land of oil and honey wherein they should eat bread without scarceness and should not lack any good thing." In comparison with the thickly settled portions of Europe and the Atlantic States in this country, it must be admitted that the Trans-Missis- sippi States suffer in point of great manufacturing enterprises. This may be readily ascribed, firstly, to the wide intervals of undeveloped country, secondly to the great natural resources of this world-wide, wonderful region, and which has tempted the settler and investor to pursue agricultural, horticultural, stock and mining pursuits. The localization of manufactures has always been due to the availability of raw material, the accessibility of markets, the utilization of power, favorable climate, the supply of labor. All of these exist to a marked degree within the limits of the state of (aliform.. With her copper, grain, oil, minerals, lumber, hides, wool, vegetables, fruit. and vinous liquor, her water-power streams rushing forth from every mountain side, her fuel drawn from unlimited oil fields, her health-giving equable climate, attracting alike the laborer and the home seeker, with the markets of the world brought within easy reach by rail and water — all of these conditions cannot fail in time to cause California to be numbered as one of the leading manufacturing states of the Union. (Applause.) A land thus favored cannot remain provincial. Its surplus products must needs find markets beyond its confines, administering to the eve, ncreasing demands and necessities of people of other climes. California .is i essentially a commercial and manufacturing state, made so by the laws of Nature, and whether it be "manifest destiny" or "providential decree, she will t me statistician ana me rauiu ui mc i..^.-. • --— • „ *,- "j„, \\ He.. In and quick means of transportation the railroads have afforded We .live .in an age when speed becomes the essence of our being. We are demanding 128 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS today more extensions, greater facilities ami quicker returns than ever before. The great trans-continental systems that have annihilated space and time; that have welded state to slate; that have brought each com- munity in touch with the country's development and advancement, must be recognized as one of the material forces engaged in upbuilding the interests we represent and broadening our sphere of action. For many years our people, in season and out of season, petitioned, resolved and implored for a waterway connecting the Pacific with the Atlantic. To reach the great ports of the Southern and Eastern States by means of quick and cheap water transportation was the object in view. Today, in common with their fellow countrymen, they have cause to rejoice, for the Panama Canal is an assured fact. The work that is now being done in the Canal Zone is only indicative of the progressive spirit and genius of the American people when once united and aroused. However much the pessimist grieved and the fatalist prophesied, this work has progressed with a faithfulness and a rapidity that has challenged the admiration of the world. Quietly, swiftly and without ostentation, our engineers have accomplished that Which the French were unable to cope with and are now willing to concede that the Canal will be finished within the time of the original estimates. On the occasion of its completion there will ascend from these shores an anthem of praise from a people who realize the immeasurable benefits that will flow to them from the success of this undertaking in es- tablishing closer communication with the central markets of the country; in adding stimulus to an ever-expanding domestic trade; in gaining an in- creased and permanent population; in developing magnificent resources; in quickening the pulse of our common life: in uniting all sections of our country in fraternal and commercial bonds. But even as successful as has been the exploitation of home markets by California, yet by reason of the commanding position she occupies geograph- ically, greater triumphs await her in foreign markets across the waters. Amid swiftly changing scenes the theater of events has been transferred. Yesterday it was a question of the annexation of Hawaii, followed by that of the retention of the Philippines. The dismemberment of China and the open door policy have been forgotten in the all-absorbing question of today whether or not the Mongolian race shall triumph over the Caucasian in tin- Far East. Threading its way amid isles of the sea. now buffeting the waves, now riding in the ports of friendly nations bearing tidings of peace on earth, good will to men, the great navy of our country, freighted with human hopes and human prayers, and manned by willing hands and loyal hearts, spreading the gospel of our flag and all it represents, is opening a pathway of com- merce pregnant with possibilities far beyond the power of human mind to comprehend. (Applause.) The people of our State are conscious of this new-horn opportunity and are now resolutely engaged in preparing to enter the competitive lists where every producing nation on earth will be a rival for the alluring commercial prizes. The great harbors that Providence has so generously strewn along our coast line, San Diego, San Pedro. Monterey, Santa Cruz. San Francisco and Humboldt, were in the very nature of things designed to accommodate the commerce that now knocks at our door. (Ap- plause.) At the threshold of our endeavors, however, we are again con- fronted with the ever-present question of transportation. A great and growing merchant marine that should be the pride and glory of the American people exists only in the dream of the American manufacturers, producers and exporters. (Applause.) While other nations are legislating favorably toward the support of direct means of communication by steamship and sailing lines to distant countries, we are laggards in the procession and depend entirely upon foreign bottoms to cultivate and attend our com- menial interests. Even as I speak, three great ocean going steamers, built and owned by Californians, lie idly anchored in our harbor, compelled to retreat from the world's race for trade in the Orient by reason of the with- drawal of Government aid. There must be a change in our policy towards merchant marine. There must be a more liberal spirit manifested in encouraging those who only ask a fail' field and equal chance in competing for a share of foreign trade. (Applause.) Our flag (lies in the skies of the Orient, and if the ( 'oust it ut ion follows the flag, it .necessarily includes the proposition that trade should also follow the flag] for without trade the Constitution would not have an opportunitj to confer its benefits ami bless- ings u|. on its own people. Today the Pacific • ' oast is bereft of carriers built, owned and manned by Americans, if California is to forge to the front and assume a position making lor the nucleus of the bordering states in importing ami exporting greal cargoes, then give to us the legislation that will cause these Pacific waters to be filled with ocean greyhounds enrolled at our Custom Houses, filled with California fruits, flour, cereals, machinery, canned goods, breads tuffs, lumber and manufactured products, and there is ei gh Yankee blood in our veins to out-trade any people on earth. (Ap- plause) TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 129 _ Because I have faith in the American people I believe that this and similiar problems will be met and solved in the spirit which has ever animated them in keeping- pace with the worlds forward movements. Then will the future greatness of California be revealed in the commanding position she will occupy as the arbiter of affairs in the Western Hemisphere. I think a wondrous vision of surpassing splendor passes before inc. I see a land golden in tradition, resources and opportunities, draining the wealth of all countries into her industries and treasuries; her broad domain pulsating With the energetic life of myriads of people; glowing furnaces; whirling mills; cities veritable hives of industry; manufacturers emptying their prod ucts into the channels of trade; commerce stimulated by resources in every stage Of development; her harbors the open gateways through whirl] pass and repass messengers of the sea laden with precious stores; her glistening streams caught up and serving the use of the artisan, are again directed over mother earth to enrich and nurture the soil; churches teaching every faith; her universities the center of the world's thought and learning; her sons and daughters walking hand and hand down the pathway of life dower- ing the State with a citizenship worthy of the pioneers of old. From the silver tinted veins of the Sierras over which softly falls the lingering sunset's glow to the restless sea beyond, crimsoned with its golden hues there is exposed to view a land blessed with the munificent gifts of a generous Creator and loved and cherished by a grateful people. (Prolonged applause.) President Smith: I have now the pleasure, gentlemen, of introducing to you Honorable Robert T. Devlin, attorney of the Sacramento Drainage Commission, and United States District Attorney for the Northern District of the state of California. (Applause.) "DRAINAGE," BY HON. ROBERT T. DEVLIN, IT. S. DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. By Mr. Devlin, Sacramento: Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: I desire to have a few moments of your attention in laying before you some of the conditions that confront those who live in the Sacramento Valley, and of the plans we have in view for the reclamation of vast quantities of land now inundated, and for the purpose of preserving the lands that now are fertile and adapted to cultivation. Prior to the acquisition of California by the American people, when it was a part of Mexico, the Sacramento River and its tributaries ran in well defined channels, beneath high banks, and scarcely, or only at rare intervals, did the rivers overflow their banks. Owing to many causes which I shall not at this time mention or attempt to enumerate, this great region is subject to annual overflows, and at times, at constantly recurring periods, the overflows become so fast that large quantities of land are destroyed, and for the time being, and sometimes for eternity, rendered completely valueless. The Sacramento River is navigable for four months in the year for a distance of 326 miles, and during the balance of the year for 217 miles. In 1904, one of those great floods occurred, and thousands and thousands of acres of land were flooded, men who had worked from their infancy for the privilege of acquiring a competence saw* themselves facing bankruptcy, banks and money-loaning institutions that had mortgages saw themselves in danger, and whole communities that prior to that disastrous flood were prosperous, saw themselves in danger. Then it was that the whole state of California recognized that some steps must be taken for the purpose of averting- these dangers forever. These floods occurred in March and April of 1904, and In the month following, the month of May, a convention of over four hundred delegates met in San Francisco for the purpose of considering the situation then con- fronting them. Out of that association was formed the River improvement and Drainage Association of California. They met, they realized the dangers that beset them, and determined to adopt such means as lay in their power to prevent their recurrence in the future. They called to their aid three of the most eminent engineers in the United States. Major Dabney, of .Missis- sippi who had charge of the work in the Yazoo basin in .Mississippi. Henry G Richardson of Louisiana, and very lately chief engineer of that State, and Major Chittenden of the Corps of Engineers of the Tinted States Army. Those gentlemen made an exhaustive study of the conditions peculiar to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, they made an elaborate report to the Commissioner of Public Works, recommending certain work to be done that I shall not take the time to describe in detail now. but it was then contem- plated that three parties in interest should join in a common plan, to wit. 130 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS t bo United States Government as one party, the state of California as a second party, and the body of land owners as the third party. As you are all aware, it is the duty of the Federal Government, the function of the Federal Government, to preserve and promote the naviga- bility of its streams. In the early days of California, immense vessels thai came around the Horn passed up through the bay of San Francisco and laud. .1 at Sacramento. At the present time, such a thing is not practicable. The United States Government lias not given to the streams of California that attention that their importance deserves. There is a duty resting on the State, because it is a function of the State and a duty of the State to permit drainage and to help in a work when it goes beyond the ability of those directly affected to cope with it. Then there is a duty resting on the land owners, because they are going to receive from the prosecution and completion of this work a direct benefit. Therefore, by common consent of all interested, the United States authorities recognizing their obligations, the state of California recognizing its obligations, and the land holders recognizing their obligations, and being willing to bear their portion of the burden, steps were taken for the purpose of bringing this plan to a fruition. The first step taken was to secure from California the passage of a bill providing for what is known as the Sacramento Drainage Commission. authorizing this commission to act in co-operation with the Federal Govern- ment. Unfortunately, for us. nothing has yet been done by the Federal Government. We hope, however, that you members of this Congress will see the justice of our cause and will recognize that where we ourselves are willing to bear one-third of the expense, where the state of California is willing to bear another one-third of the expense, that the Nation ought to be able to contribute the other third, as we here are putting up two against one. ( Applause.) There is a bill now pending in Congress, providing for the appropriation of $400,000 to aid in dredging out these rivers and taking out some of the detritus and debris deposited there in ages past. This bill carries with it the con- dition that it shall not become effective unless a like appropriation is made by the state of California. So we in the Sacramento Valley and in the San Joaquin Valley as well, because I speak more particularly of the Sacramento as I am more familiar with it, are proceeding upon the theory that we expect ourselves to bear a large portion of the burden, we do not expect the National Government to come to our relief and to take us out of our swamp, so to speak, of dismay and trouble; we are willing to help ourselves. But we feel the task before us is too great to be borne by us alone, and we place our case, not upon the basis of charity, but upon the basis of justice, asking the National Government to contribute what may be a fair proportion of the total expense. In 11108, a body of United States engineers visited the Sacramento River and the Sacramento Valley, and made an examination, resulting in their report to their Chief engineer, and by him transmitted to Congress, that a more perfeel and a more detailed report should be made of the Sacramento River for the purpose of determining what it would cost to have at Sacramento City an average depth of 9 feet or 12 feet or 15 feet of water. I know in the limited time at my disposal, I cannot expect to take up this subject in detail. But I may say, as you are familiar, undoubtedly, with the general subject, that the best regulator of railroad transportation ever imagined or ever conceived, is a river that runs parallel with the railroad. For instance, there are thirty-four counties in California that are influenced, so far as rates of transportation are concerned, by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and those thirty-tour counties embrace 78,000 square miles, or more than 50,000,000 acres of land, the assessed valuation of which is $sio.ooo,ooo. within the zone of the influence of those rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, there is an annual product of over $200,000,000. The amount of tonnage in 1906 upon the Sacramento and San Joaquin and Napa rivers was 1,684,596 tons. I think it is fair to say that there Is at least a dif- ference of one dollar a ton in the freight rates, owing to the fad that these rivers afford rapid and easy transportation for the products in their zones. So you can see the great dividend that at the present time they pay to the farmers and producers of California. If they are still further improved, thej will pay a larger dividend, not only in regulating transportation charges, but also by bringing into existence thousands and thousands of acres of land as fertile as any on the globe, yei now covered with water and practically 1 •• tiden d valueless and unprofitable. There has been a time in our history when those in charge of our gov- ernment thought every dollar wasted that did not bring in an immediate return. Hut we have passed beyond that period. We have now grown so great, so strong, we have passed the primary period of American life, and we now recogniz.- that it is our duty, not only as a matter of patriot. sm. hut TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 131 as a matter of business, to encourage all of our enterprises to develop our resources and make two blades of grass grow where one grew before. We recognize that the work the Government has done in reclaiming thousands of acres of arid land has been of vast benefit, not only to the stairs where thai land is situated, but also to all the people of the United state.-. We recognize that you cannot benefit California without benefiting New York or Maine. We recognize that you cannot benefit any portion of this great West without at the same time benefiting the whole of it. And therefore we who live in the Sacramento Valley and have our interests there, appeal to this Congress, asking your aid and your assistance in securing the reclamation of those lands, in securing the reclamation and improvement of our rivers, and in restoring to the cultivated domain of the United States this vast territory now covered, for the greater portion of the year, witli water. I understand that you have now another order of business, and I purposely have been brief. But if I have done anything to call your attention to the importance of this subject, to the difficulties that we are battling with, and to convince you that we are ourselves trying with all our might and all our purpose to do what we can, willing to pay our share of the expenses, willing: to put our shoulders to the wheel, and that all we ask the United States to do, and all we ask you as representatives of the great West to do, is to give us your moral support, your aid, and your assistance in securing from the Federal Government that degree of attention to the subject that its importance demands. (Applause.) President Smith: Before proceeding to the special order, I desire to ask the various dele- gates, as they can find the time, to bring their funds as permanent members and put them in the hands of the Secretary. I also announce that the mem- bers of the Resolutions Committee are requested to be here to take part in the special order. Will somebody please go for them? SELECTION OF CITY FOR NEXT SESSION OF THE CONGRESS. We will now proceed to the special order, which is the selection of a place for holding the next session of this Congress. The Secretary will call the roll, to receive nominations for that purpose. The Secretary: Alaska. Arkansas. Arizona. California. Colorado. Denver Is Named. Sam F. Dutton, of Denver, Colorado: Mr. Chairman: Colorado presents the name of Denver for the conven- tion of 1909. The Secretary has the official invitations, and Mr. Callbreath will speak for the city of Denver. The Secretary: I have the following communications upon the subject: LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR. Denver, September 29. 1908. To the Officers and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, In convention assembled at San Francisco. California. Greeting- I write to invite you to hold your session toi isms in U inn. It is i now -admitted that Denver is the most delightful convention city In America Wi "our great auditorium we are equipped to care for conventions nf m fvprv varietv You will receive here a hearty Colorado welcome. I hat means eveivthing It mea s the intellectual alertness of the Easl and he gentle" luavitv of' the South, associated with the breezy g nature oi the w oot ' Very sincerely, West. . HENRY A. BUCHTEL Governor of I Jolorado. LETTER FROM THE MAYOR. Denver, September 29, 19 To the Officers and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congresi &nTeS!° n i ampK^ff in'X Citation to 5 ■ Associati 132 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS hold your 1909 session in this city. Denver Is rapidly becoming Hie conven- tion city "i" the United States, owing to her rare ami numerous attractions. She is now become famous as one of the cleanesl and most beautiful « > i" cities, with the finest climate in the world and mountain scenery unsurpassed. We are of easy access, over scenic railways, to the famous mining camps which have contributed so much wealth to the world. Besides. Denver is peopled with men and women noted for their hospitality, and they will heartily join with the city administration and the commercial organiza- tions in making your visit here one never to 1m- forgotten. Wo have just completed a splendid auditorium and our facilities for accommodating conventions are as gemd as any city in the country. Earnestly trusting- that you will accept our invitation, and will give us the pleasure of entertaining you in Denver, I am. Yours very truly, R. W. SPEER, Mayor. LETTER FROM THE CONTENTION LEAGUE. Denver, Colorado, Sept. l's. L908. Officers and Members of the Trans>-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in con- vention assembled. San Francisco, California. Dear Friends: The Denver Convention League, composed of the fore- most business men of our city, most heartily joins in the invitation to you to hold your 1909 session in the City of Hospitality — Denver. We can assure you of a royal welcome, such a one as will make your stay with us memorable in the annals of your Association. Denver is situated in the center of the richest mining region in the world. Colorado is known generally as a mining state, yet the value of our agricultural and horticultural products far exceeds the value of our mineral products. Should you conclude to accept our invitation, you will see a section of our country, every feature of which is replete with the greatest interest. Our cli- mate is famous the world over and our s'cenery unequaled. We trust that you will favorably consider our invitation. Very truly yours, Till-] DENVER CONVENTION LEAGUE, W. F. U. .Mills, Secretary. LETTER FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I >em . i , Col.. September 2S, llios. Officers and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in con- vention assembled, San Francisco, Cal. i leiil lemen : The Denver Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade desire to co-oper- ate with the other civic bodies in extending- to your organization a most cordial invitation to hold your 1909 session in Denver. Denver has enter- tained many conventions, and all Of them have expressed their gratification of the entertainment and hospitality of our city. We are a growing community, and this we believe should be a most potent factor in your determination of the next meeting place. In the matter of mem- bership we believe that the enthusiasm of a convention held here will add very materially to your number. In many ways we are the most unique state in the Union. Our varied resources, our picturesque scenery, our wonderfully prolific soil, all has its charm for the visitor. You may be assured of a hearty welcome and a mosi gi nerous hospitality, and we trust thai you will favorably consider the invitation of Denver to hold your next convention in our city. Very truly yours, THE DENVEU OHAMI'.El; OK COMMERCE, By w. E. R. Mills, Secretary. LETTER FROM THE HOTEL MEN'S ASSOCIATION. I icnver. i 'olo.. September 80, i 908. To the Officers and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in convention assembled, San Francisco, Cal. Co • n I I e m e n : The Rocky .Mountain Hotel Men's Association joins in the request that your 1909 convention be held in Denver, the Queen City of the Plains. The fame of Denver as a convention city Is known full well from coast to coast, as well as in the North and South, and we are proud Of our record in pleasing all who have ever been entertained by us. Denver is a city of over 200,000 population, and in addition to the beauties of the City itself there are many trips to be taken from the city, placing one in the heart of the mountains in but a few hours' time. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 133 Trusting we will^ be honored with the 1909 session, and assuring you of a genuine heart and soul welcome, we beg to remain Most cordially yours, THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOTEL MEN'S ASSOCIATION, By Sam F. Dutton, President. LETTER FROM THE STATE COMMERCIAL, ASSOCIATION. Denver, Colo., September 29, 1908. Mr. Sam F. Dutton, City. Dear Sir: On behalf of the Colorado State Commercial Association you are requested and authorized to invite the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress to hold its next annual meeting in the city of Denver, Colorado. In consideration of the same we promise the hearty co-operation of our officers and members toward making the meeting the most successful in the history of the Congress, and a credit to the enviable record achieved by our metropolis as a convention city. Situated in the center of the populous district embraced in the Trans- Mississippi territory, with facilities unsurpassed, witn experience in the hand- ling and caring for large conventions unexcelled, and with hospitality and good fellowship unequaled, Denver should attract a gathering sufficient in numbers and importance for the maximum of achievement and results. Yours sincerely, THE COLORADO STATE COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION. W. E. Skinner, President. J. C. Craig, Secretary. Mr. J. F. Callbreath Jr.: Mr. President, Ladies, Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress, and Gentlemen: It gives me great pleasure to present to you the invita- tion of Denver to accept her hospitality on the occasion of your next annual session. It gives me particular pleasure because of the magnificent enter- tainment and the genuine spirit of hospitality which has been accorded us in the city of San Francisco, and because of that hospitality it is a particular pleasure to me to invite you to come to Denver, that we may reciprocate, as far as we may be able to do so, the many courtesies which we have received at the hands of the people of the city of San Francisco. I listened with great pleasure to the beautiful description of this State given by Judge Cutler from this platform, and it may be that, having listened to that description, you may think that there is nothing outside of California which would give interest and attraction to you. But we are always pleased with contrasts. The traveler who visited Lake George in New York was entranced with its beauties, as we have been entranced with the beauties of this magnificent State. But when the traveler was escorted up the heights of Mont Blanc, his first exclamation was "Beautiful," and then "Grand." and "Sublime," and from that to "Awful," and 'Terrible." and then words failed, and he said "Oh! oh! oh! oh! oh!" We ask you to come to Colorado, to the roof of the continent, and we feel that your exclamations will be like those of the traveler who journeyed from Lake George to the awful heights of Mont Blanc. We extend to you the hospitality of a state which has no i i in the continent in many respects. A friend of mine said to me upon the boat today, "What would you give, Callbreath, if you had this beautiful bay In Denver?" I said "This bay belongs to San Francisco. It is one of San Fran- cisco's beauties, as well as being that which enables her to entertain and to care for the commerce of the world. We of Denver have other things which we could not have if we had this bay. Let us be content with those attractions which are ours." And it is to those attractions that we ask you to come. When you come to that city, we will show you as beautiful streets as any in the Union, upon which automobile rides may be taken; we Will entertain you in first class hotels and many of them as well: put yon upon a railroad and take you to a point and back again the same day that is over 13 000 feet in the air, by railroad. We will furnish you more beautiful excursions than can be found from any similar point. 1 believe, in tins country, and we will entertain you in an auditorium which is said to be the finest in its appointments and in its acoustic properties of any that has ever been constructed. ca I want to give vou, for fear that you may think that I am overstating the ise, and it is very possible that that may be — I know at one time I was aking a talk before a political audience, and after I had gotten through, an Irishman in the rear of the hall seemed much interested, and I "aid to him "Pat, what did vou think of it?" And he Baid, "I 11 tell you what l thoughl about it I believe 'that you and I can tell more lies than any two men in Colorado, and I wouldn t sly a word." (Laughter ) But we have one authority that I want to quote to you. After the entertainment ol the Grand Armj 134 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS convention in Denver a few years ago, a convention wl^ich brought to our city 125,000 people, and to justify that statement I want to say to you thai 80,00(1 tickets were deposited with the general ticket agent in the city of Denver upon the occasion — a convention with 125,000 people, when our pop- ulation was about 200,000, and every man entertained and well cared for. At the banquet given at the Chamber of Commerce to the leading spirits of the Grand Army, Corporal Tanner, whom you know very well, if not personal- ly, by reputation, made this statement at that meeting: "Denver's word is her bond for the utmost." We want to say to you that Denver's word will be her bond to the utmost, and we offer to you, if you accept her hospitality. as I hope you will, everything that can be given to you by our people, and whatever is necessary for the carrying on of this work will be provided, and everything possible for us to do for you will be clone. I trust, gentlemen, that you will honor Denver by making her your next meeting place. (Applause.) Mr. John McDonough: I want to extend to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, on behalf of the Real Estate Exchange of Denver, an invitation to come over to our fair city. And when you come to Denver, you will like everything in our fair State. You will see upon one side Pike's Peak, with a height of 14,400 miles, and a distance of eighty miles — that is to the south. To the north you will see Long's Peak, with a height of 14,500 miles. To the west of us, you will see McClellan Peak, with a height of 15,000 and some odd miles. A Voice: Feet, you mean. (Laughter.) Mr. McDonough: I want you all to understand that we never quote "feet" in Colorado. It is always miles. (Laughter.) I will say also that, representing the Real Estate Exchange, every mem- ber of which owns an automobile, that we will be able to take you around the most beautiful city in the world. I want you all to come on there, every one of you. On behalf of the city of Denver, I thank you. The Secretary: I will proceed with the calling of the roll. Idaho. Kansas. Louisiana — W. O. Hart, of New Orleans: Mr. President : President Smith: Mr. W. O. Hart, of New Orleans, Louisiana. INVITATION FROM NEW Oltf.EAXS. Mr. W. O. Hart! "Where are you going, my pretty maid'.''' "1 am going to New Orleans, sir." she said. That is what we want you to do. We want you to come to New Orleans, to hold the Congress of 1909. No one can say anything against Denver; no one can say anything against the hospitality of Denver; no one can say that Den- ver is not a proper place to hold a convention, except perhaps the bankers, who weni there and resolved thai they were against the Democratic platform, and resolved that they were against the Republican platform. I'.ut those of us who attended the Democratic convention at Denver, and I see some of them before me, know what Denver can do. Hut, gentlemen. Denver has been honored. She has been given the presi- dency of this Congress. Do nol put all your eggs in one basket. Divide the honors of this Congress, and go somewhere else rather than to Denver for the me, -ting of 1909. Lei me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen, about New Orleans, Louisiana, thai probably you do nol know. Of the twenty states and territories represented in this Congress, thirteen of them, a majority, were carved out of the Louisiana Purchase, that great ad of Thomas Jefferson. They were pre- served to the United States i>\ the victory of Andrew Jackson on the battlefield TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 135 of Chalmette, on January 15, 1815. But in a greater sense, in a broader view, every part of the Trans-Mississippi territory is a part of Louisiana. There were thirteen states carved out of Louisiana, just as there were thirteen original states of these United States, and all the balance of this Mis- sissippi country belonged to Louisiana in a sense, as I say. Without the pur- chase of Louisiana, we would never have had the Oregon country, there would have been no Lewis and Clark expedition, no Oregon, no Washington and no Idaho. Without the Louisiana Purchase, the annexation of Texas would have been an impossibility. Without the annexation of Texas, there would have been no Mexican War, and there would have been no California, no Utah, no New Mexico, and no Arizona. And without the Pacific Slope there would have been no Hawaii and no Philippines. So the Trans-Mississippi of these United States all belongs to Louisiana, all originated with Louisiana, and without Louisiana it would have had no being. (Applause.) There is something about the Trans-Mississippi part of Louisiana that per- haps you do not know. Louisiana is the only state of the Mississippi Valley. except Minnesota, which is penetrated by the Mississippi River. All the other states border upon the river, on one side or the other, but the river does not run through them; New Orleans is the only city on the Mississippi River which is on the two sides. We have a Trans-Mississippi side or part of the city of New Orleans, and we have the Atlantic section, so to speak. The present Mayor of the city of New Orleans is from the Trans-Mississippi part, and so good a Mayor has he been that as he is now about completing his four-year term, he will next month be unanimously re-elected Mayor of the city, something that never happened before in the history of this government, so far as I am aware, a man to be unanimously nominated and elected Mayor of a great city. From the Trans-Mississippi side of the state of Louisiana comes our Governor, and came his three predecessors, and our two United States Senators and each of their predecessors is from the Trans-Mississippi part of the State. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State is from the Trans-Mississippi side of the State. Out of seven Congressmen, four are from the Trans-Mississippi side, and in the next Congress there will be five, because one of those who had heretofore been from the eastern part of the State has been defeated, and his successor comes from across the river. So you see the Trans-Mississippi part of Louisiana is a very important part of it Why do you know, gentlemen, that New Orleans is the greatest cotton market in 'the world, the greatest foreign fruit market in the world? In the last week there have come to the city of New Orleans two ships bringing in 69 000 and 71.000 bunches of bananas, respectively, enough to give every man. woman and child in the state of California a banana and have some left over— and when vou come down there, we will see that you each get one. There are lots of other good things, too. A gentleman the other day said to me, "I won t come to New Orleans, until I know whether a certain place is there. I being a Prohibitionist could not say whether he would find it there or not, but I can tell you confidentially that everything you want is there, whether you have seen 'it. or not. (Laughter.) the other will get a promise lgress, wher- ever i may' be! ""wT will dol « S^*^™ *Jj ion and camp in Lincoln, so that on the night of election, you will g from the President-elect to come to the next session of this.Con areVoTpresent^- 'thev^are'attending that convention at this time. Waterways Convention at Memphis last year was the greates eon ven in,, this country ever saw. . We had there .the President of the ^ United States and twenty governors wit h Mm Were are the twenty governors here? I under sTand there is only one governor at this convention, outside of the Governo of California It is because it is too far away. Not that we do not en.,,, C ° m M^ B^rrVn^-spSk^^e misters of the Central American Republic, to San Francisco, nearly a week. 136 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS So, gentlemen, In speaking of the Trans-Mississippi part of Louisiana again, you will remember that it was in that part of Louisiana t hat the Presi- dent of the United Stati-s himself went bear hunting last year. (Laughter.) So that part of the United States is really quite important. Speaking of the President of the United States, it seems to me, I want to say I hope when you come to Louisiana for your next Congress, that you will bring those two flags that are there upon the wall with you. and I will tell you why. The man who made those flags must have been in the confidence of the President of the United States, because in his Utter to the Irrigation Congress he said: "Before my term expires, I want to sign two bills, making Arizona and New Mexico states of the Union." On those two flags you will notice yot* have forty-eight stars instead of our present forty-six, so that you have already anticipated the President. But bring those w r ith you when you come to New Orleans, and then they will probably speak the truth. Now, gentlemen, why should you not come to New Orleans? — come back and see mother. Just come back and have a home-coming week. You are all children of New Orleans. Year after next, you will reach your twenty-first year. Come in and see mother before the home ties are off forever. This Congress met many years ago, when it was an infant, at New Orleans, and now that it is a sturdy youth we want it to come and see mother before it attains its majority. Come down there and get your coffee, the kind that mother used to make — that is one of the good things we will give you, and yet there are lots of other good things that we will give you. I am not here, I repeat, saying anything against Denver. I thoroughly enjoyed my visits to Denver, and I have been there many times. Talk about their auditorium. What would you do in there? Why, gentlemen, you would be lost. Just think of it — it holds 15,000 people, and what would our Congress of one or two thousand or three thousand people do there? So don't be carried away by the fact that it has a big auditorium. It is very good for a Democratic or a Republican convention, where everybody goes, but for a com- pact organization of this kind, it is really of no consequence at all. Now, my friends, in no spirit of antagonism to my friends from Denver, but, on the contrary, I want to say to you that I hope when I get through, and when those who follow me have finished, that with one acclaim you will all shout that his next Convention shall go to New Orleans, Louisiana. (Applause.) Immediately following the address of Mr. Hart, Miss Maude F. Williams, of San Francisco, sang "Louisiana." Land of the brave, aye, the gallant and bold, Louisiana. Home of the lads with hearts good as gold, Louisiana. Unequaled in beauty the great wide world o'er; The names of thy sons reach from shore to shore; Yea, the names of thy sons reach from shore to shore; Louisiana. Blest are the mortals whose feet touch thy strand, Louisiana. Home of my childhood, imperial land, Louisiana. Thy rich, fertile soil is forever renown'd; Thy forests in numerous trees still abound; Thy melodious songs, unsurpassed, aye, in sound; Louisiana. Mild are the winters that visit thy shore, Louisiana. Beautiful birds through thy balmy air soar. Louisiana. Leader of all, bright and glorious land, Pray, tell me the country which writh thee can stand. For surely thy fields have been touched by God's hand, Louisiana. Miss Williams then sang "Dixie," in which the audience joined, and three rousing cheers were given for Louisiana. The Secretary: I will proceed with the calling of the roll. Minnesota. Montana. Mis- souri. Nebraska. Nevada. New Mexico. North Dakota. Oklahoma. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 137 OKLAHOMA SECONDS NEW ORLEANS. Mr. D. P. Marum, of Oklahoma: Oklahoma thinks it will be easier to carry her fleet down to New Orleans than to carry it up the Arkansas, and we will second the nomination of New Orleans. The Secretary: (Continuing with the roll) Oregon. South Dakota. Texas. TEXAS SECONDS DENVER. Mr. Ike T. Pryor, of Texas: We will withdraw and not present the name of any town in Texas, but second the nomination of Denver. The Secretary: Utah. Washington. WASHINGTON SECONDS DENVER. Mr. George C. Congdon, of Seattle: On behalf of Washington, and of the city of Seattle, which has extended an invitation to this convention to attend there during the exposition year, which is next year, I at this time wish to thank the many friends who have promised their aid. After having seen the situation, however, and without any reflection whatever upon any of the Congress, the delegation has unanimously decided to cast our vote as a unit for Denver. The Secretary: The Philippines. Hawaii. That completes, Mr. President, the call of states. President Smith: What is the pleasure of the convention? Mr. J. J. Gosper, of Los Angeles: I suggest that the Secretary call the list of States and Territories, and, as the same are called, let the chairman of the State called present the vote of that State or Territory as to the place for holding the next convention. It seems to me that would be the quickest way. Mr. J. W. Howell, of Washington: I make that as a motion. President Smith: If there is no objection, the Secretary will now proceed to the calling of the roll. The Secretary: Alaska. Mr. Boyce: Alaska asks to be passed, Mr. Chairman. The Secretary: Arkansas. Arizona. Mr. W. T. F. Donald: Arizona votes for Denver. 138 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS President Smith: Every state is entitled to at least ten votes, and to thirty votes if they have that number of delegates. No state has more than thirty votes. Mr. John J. Boyce: Alaska now casts its vote for New Orleans. The Secretary: Arkansas is passed. California. Mr. Arthur R. Briggs: California does not forget the generous treatment it received from the lower portion of the United States when we were at Muskogee. Their vote, I think, settled the question of having the Congress held in San Francisco this year. We have caucused on the matter, and have decided to cast twenty votes for New Orleans. The Secretary: Have you thirty? Mr. Briggs: If we have thirty, we will give New Orleans thirty. The Secretary: California has a delegation of 247, with 42 present, and she is entitled to thirty votes. Mr. Briggs: Very well. California casts thirty votes for New Orleans. The Secretary: Colorado. Mr. Callbreath: Thirty votes for Denver. The Secretary: Hawaii. President Smith: How many representatives have you here from Hawaii? Mr. L. E. Pinkham: We have eleven. President Smith: Then you are entitled to eleven votes. Mr. Pinkham: We cast those eleven votes for Denver. The Secretary: Idaho. Iowa. Kansas. Mr. Fred Harger: Kansas casts thirty votes for Denver. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 139 The Secretary: Louisiana. Mr. Hart: I ask that Louisiana be passed temporarily. The Secretary: Minnesota. Montana. Mr. Herbert Strain: Montana thinks a great deal of her mother, but she thinks she will vole for her sister, Denver — ten votes. The Secretary: Missouri. Col. Fred W. Fleming: Missouri casts ten votes for Denver. Secretary Francis: Nevada. Alfred Chartz: Nevada casts ten votes for New Orleans. Secretary Francis: New Mexico. North Dakota. Oklahoma. Oregon. H. E. Albert: Oregon casts ten votes for New Orleans. Secretary Francis: South Dakota. Texas. Mr. Ike T. Pryor: Texas casts ten votes for Denver. Secretary Francis: Utah. Mr. George M. Cannon: Utah casts twelve voles for New Orleans. Secretary Francis: Washington. Captain J. W. Howell: Washington casts ten votes for Denver. Secretary Francis: Wyoming. Philippines. Mr. M. A. Clark: The Philippines cast ten votes for Denver. Secretary Francis: The Travelers' Protective Association. 140 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Mr. H. L. Judell: Five for Denver and five for New Orleans. Secretary Francis: United Commercial Travelers. Mr. Emmett Dunn: Five for Denver and five for New Orleans. Secretary Francis: Louisiana. Mr. Hart: Mr. President, Louisiana, thanking the friends who have so generously given the vote to New Orleans, casts her thirty votes for Denver, and I ask that it be made unanimous. Secretary Francis: The vote by states results as follows: Alaska Denver. Arizona 10 California Colorado 30 I la waii 11 Kansas 30 Montana 1° Missouri 10 Nevada Oregon Texas 1*1 Utah Washington 10 Philippines 10 Travelers' Protective Association 5 t'nited Commercial Travelers 5 Louisiana 30 New Orleans. 10 30 10 10 12 171 si' Mr. Briggs: California desires to change its vote from New Orleans to Denver — thirty votes. Mr. D. P. Marum: Oklahoma desires to change its vote to read ten votes for Denver. Mr. Cannon: Utah asks that her vote be changed from New Orleans to Denver. The motion that the nomination of Denver be made unanimous received several seconds, and unanimously prevailed. Mr. Callbreath: Permit me to return the sincere thanks of the Denver delegation for the compliment you have paid our city. And I desire to say to you that if any- thing we have said here today in connection with your entertainment there do.s not hold true next year, you may hold me responsible. Come, and you will have the best time of your life. President Smith: The next in order is an address by Mr. George W. Dickie, of California. ,i±^*< V UN wE* srrY OF FO«£ \t> <;eok<;k w. dickie, s» n i >:,,,.- i. s «. . TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS I II Mr. Gosper: that^lm fl^At" PerS ° nS PreSent> before the order is P^eeded with, that >ou will find the evening program most excellent. One of the best engineers in America, Mr. Lippincott, will give an illustrated lectur, upon waterways. ' President Smith: I now introduce to you Mr. George W. Dickie, who will deliver an address upon the subject, "Pacific Ocean Commerce." (Applause.) "PACIFIC OCEAN COMMERCE." By Mr. George YV. Dickie, of California. By Mr. Dickie of San Franeisco: Mr Chairman, Gentlewomen, and Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress: For more than thirty years I have taken every oppor- tunity to address the people of San Francisco on the possibilities of a gnat commerce that would make their front door, not only a golden gate in name, but a gate of gold in fact. It has always been my object to bring to their attention the important geographical position of their citv. whose Golden Gate stands in the center of the United States front elevation facing the Pa> Ocean, and to remind them as occasion offered of the part they ought to take in the development of that ocean's commerce — a commerce that is destined to ex- pand to proportions as yet undreamed of by the most optimistic believers in the future of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific. A glance at the commercial history of great cities both ancient and modern will show that their prosperity depended upon the skill with which they took advantage of their positions relative to water borne commerce and made the countries and peoples behind them dependent upon them for the facilities which they controlled. It is true that in ancient times as well as modern, great cities arose and nourished as the centers of inland commerce. The ancient city of Palmyra was built in the midst of a great desert because, there, great lines of travel met. Such locations are artificial — accidents of commerce; they are born of the necessities of trade. Our case is different; magnificent as our position is, we are not necessary to commerce, for we see it pass by us, but commerce is absolutely necessary to us; for the upbuilding and developing power of commerce has always been a potent factor in the history of the great centers of population and civilization. The earliest seats of population, therefore, we find upon the banks of the Euphrates, the Nile and Ganges, and the great rivers of China; and on the shores and islands of the Mediterranean Sea. that cradle of ancient maritime commerce, and we find the seat of ancient culture and civilization in many re- spects unsurpassed. No history affords a better example of the enormous influence of an ex- tensive commerce than does that of ancient Phoenicia, and I will ask you to listen to a few brief extracts from Fenelon's Telemachus, which touch on the shipping of that famous maritime power. When Telemachus landed at Tyre, that city seemed to him to float upon the waters, the sovereign of the deep, a city crowded with traders of every nation, her own people the most eminent merchants in the world, and the vessels in the harbor so numerous as almost to hide the water in which they floated. He gazed with insatiable curiosity upon this great city in which all was motion and energy, men busy loading vessels, despatching or selling their merchandise, putting their warehouses in order, or keeping an account of the sums due them from foreign merchants. Turning to Narbal, the captain of the Phoenician vessel that had brought him to Tyre, Telemachus asks by what means the Phoenicians had monopolized the commerce of the world, and enriched themselves at the expense of every other nation. "You see the means." answered Narbal. "for th< posit ion of Tyre renders it more fit for commerce than any other place, and the Invention of navigation is the peculiar glory of our country, for we have reduced the theories of Egyptian and Babylonian science to practice, regulating our courses at night when we can see no land marks, by the stars; thus we bring together innumerable nations, which the seas have separated. Such are tin- means, by which we have subjected the seas to our dominion, and Included everj nation in our commerce. But if jealousj ami faction should break In among us, if we should be seduced by pleasures or by indolence, If the great should come to regard labor and economy with contempt, and the manual arts should no longer be deemed honorable, if public faith should nol be kept with the stranger, and the laws of commerce violated; if the shipbuilding art should bi neglected, and those sums withheld that are necessary to make the instru- 142 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS ments of navigation perfect of their kind, that power which is now the object of your admiration would soon be at an end." Telemachus, not willing to be ignorant of any of the arts of government, inquire,! of Xarhal by what means the Tyreans had become so powerful at sea. To this query the captain answered, "We have the forests of Lebanon, which furnish sufficient timber for building ships; and we are careful to reserve it all for that purpose, never suffering a single tree to be felled but for the advancement of commerce; and we have a great number of our people very skilled in ship architecture — these are the gradual product of our own country. When those who excel in such arts are constantly and liberally re- warded, they will soon be practiced in the greatest possible perfection; for persons of the highest abilities will always apply themselves to those arts by which great rewards are to be obtained. Our kings have bestowed rewards and honors upon whomsoever excels in any art or science upon which navigation depends, and skilful shipbuilders are not only well paid, but treated with deference by all the people, as on their work depends the welfare of our nation." 1 think the Great Teacher, whom so many of us accept as Lord and Saviour of the race, must have known how good the king of Tyre was to the ship- builder when he said, "It would be better for Tyre in the day of judgment than for the men id" this generation," and for the same reason might we not say, that in the day of judgment it will be better for the lawmakers of ancient Tyre than for the gentlemen who sit for us in Washington and do nothing for the upbuilding of our oversea commerce. Nothing in the history of nations is more marked than the struggles ot commerce to establish and maintain conditions of stability in the practical means of communcation with distant parts. Driven from the land by imposts and restrictions it sought freedom and safety on the sea. Rome, all powerful on the land, yielded to Carthage the empire of the sea; the strength of Rome was in her army, the strength of Carthage in her ships, which, sailing beyond the march of the Roman legions, carried her commerce out of the Mediterranean into the broad Atlantic and founded the port of Cadiz beyond the mystic Pillars of Hercules. Later the adventurous Venetian refugees, stretching their hands over the sea, found in its fish and salt and the rich commerce it opened up to them, more than compensation for the fat lands and inland towns from which they had been driven; and in the course of time, from the security of her position and the enterprise of her merchants, Venice became the foremost maritime power and mistress of the seas. There the first public bank was organized, there bills of exchange were first negotiated and funded debt be- came transferable, there finance became a science and bookkeeping became an art. Coming to modern communities, we find the same conditions existing that an open door to the ocean, the common highway of nations, and the enterprise to use it are the requirements indispensable to commercial success. It is her doorway to the ocean that makes London the commercial head of Great Britain; greatness and wealth have come to Liverpool through her door by the Mersey; Manchester has spent many millions to make use of that same door, and although the wise railroad people blamed her at the time for spending her money so foolishly, results have proved that there was no folly, but much wis- dom in that costly front door for Manchester. Glasgow has made an imposing front entrance out of that little river, making the Clyde famous all the world over. France and Germany have expended fabulous sums to make gateways for ocean borne commerce. In the new world the same conditions will produce the same results, hut the natural circumstances have been altered in this country by the artificial arrangement of values rendering ocean commerc* impossible to our citizens. Only by wise legislation that will enable us to build and operate the modern Instruments of commerce can a great Trans-Pacific commerce he huilt uii and managed by the citizens of this great commonwealth, resulting in new life and enhanced prosperity to all the Pacific Coast States. Forgetting that every other Industry throughout this great country is subsidized by a pro- tective tariff that enables them to be operated with profit because of the arti- ficial values tints created, and that this same subsidy that makes prosperity possible on every inch of land in these United States is the very thing that makes a successful ocean commerce Impossible, unless the highly subsidized in- dustries on shore are willing to have that same help given to those who do business on the sea. The interior population of this country, who do not feel the Influence of the great sea. and have no sympathj with those who go there on ships "anil do business in the great waters." have always opposed and blocked the passage of any remedial legislation. To them subsidy means thievery and their voice raised high in the assemblage of our lawmakers has compelled this great country to lei her ocean commerce die without extending a helping hand to those who have vainly struggled to keep it alive. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS L43 In 1891 there was a great deal of agitation among the merchants of San Francisco in regard to rail transportation to and from the city, and a vigorous traffic association was formed to devise means of relief. 1 prepared and pub lished at that time an address to the merchants, the shippers and the pro- ducers of San Francisco and California, recommending the establishment ol B high class freight steamship line to run between the Atlantic am! Pacific ports and giving the character of ships required for this service, and my estimate oi the cost of operating them. This address created a great deal of Interest and was extensively commented on by the press of that day. While a greal deal of this comment was of a favorable character, much of it could only Bee sell- interest in the work I did, and although I stated that it was entirely that of an individual and for no other purpose than to give those interested the hem tit ..i my knowledge relative to the best means of freight carrying by sea. these writers claimed that my position then as manager of the Union iron Works accounted for my interest in the transportation business. 1 will quote from a San Francisco daily of December 21st. 1891, as follows: "The newspapers which say that the traffic association is going into the steamship business are misinformed. Mr. Dickie published an interesting pamphlet setting forth the advantages of such a steamship line. The connection id' .Mr. Dickie's interests and those of the Union Iron Works, was, of course, evident to all and no one could blame the Union Iron Works for supporting a project through which it would acquire a large amount of shipbuilding. According to Mr. Dickie's pamphlet the building would mean ten ships of J6S0.000 each, or $6,800,000 in all. The pamphlet was interesting and therefore was read. It is interesting to note that Southern Pacific Company individuals control the stock of the Union Iron Works. This reduces the proposition to this: The Southern Pacific Company will receive $6S0,000 for each steamer and will actually own a heavy interest in what pretends to be a competing steamship line." I think it is safe to say here that the Southern Pacific individuals or the company itself never had any interest in the Union Iron Works, nor had the directors of the Union Iron Works any knowledge of the pamphlet re- ferred to before it was published. This article went on to say that. "A good line of steamships, business men say, would be of some value in the transporta- tion of freight, and accordingly many of the merchants about the city li;i\r said they would subscribe to stock. When they are subscribing $6,800,000 for a steamship line they are removing themselves just $6,80o.ui]i> farther away from real competition than they are now. For less than that sum a railroad could be built into the San Joaquin Valley, and then it could issue bonds and build with the money thus raised to a connection with the Santa Fe at Mojave." Most of my San Francisco hearers today will recall the history of the Valley Railroad and how its connection was made with the Santa Fe, and those who do not like to hear of subsidizing steamship lines may remember what became of the magnificent subsidy of land and harbor facilities granted by this State to the Valley Railroad. This article said further that, "A railway line would he paying for itself all the time it was being built from the day it was out fifty miles into the country, and there would be no danger of wreck or marine loss. If any of the steamships would sink, and it is within the range of possibility they all might, there would be at once a dead loss. The railway line would not sink." Yet the Valley Railway did sink and was a dead loss as far as competition was concerned, while practically the line 1 had outlined was realized some seven years later in the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, their steamships being as much better than I had advocated as the advance in the shipbuilding art between 1891 and 1S97 made possible. The splendid man- agement and merited success of this line with its most modern equipment of ships, should inspire with hope those who cherish in their hearts the Interest of American shipping. Were it but possible to operate ocean steamships in foreign commerce as the American-Hawaiian ships are operated between our domestic ports on the Atlantic and Pacific, we would now be doing something else than talking about it. When we think of what the Trans-Pacific trade must become In the first half of this century, we cannot but hope that some way will be devised whereby the United States of America can secure her fair share of this trade. No one can claim that the American shipowner has not made greal efforts !«> obtain and hold as far as he could the Trans-Paei tie carrying trade. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company, first in the field, still holds on to what it can of this trade- the reward, however, is more a question ol expectation than realization That company has done much to develop San Francisco's ti with 4sia 'and we trust that something may be done to make some satisfactory return no'ssible The exhaustive evidence presented by the able manager of letUin posbiuie. J-"<= nr.TiB-TOKslnnn.1 Merehant Aaine f!nm. 144 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS shipbuilders of the United States, who was also a large shipowner (a com- bination not possihle in the present hard times for the shipbuilder), brought out to the Pacific two of the largest and best steamers he had. and started a line between San Francisco and Australia: Mr. W. H. Webb, 1 understand, did this relying on a promise that Congress would provide some way by which this service could be maintained without loss. No Government aid was forth- coming, and after a manly struggle against adverse circumstances, Mr. Webb abandoned this service and retired a poorer and wiser man, to devote his old age and decreased fortune to the founding of an institution for the support of decayed shipbuilders, to which institution 1 have been thinking lately of applying for admission. When Mr. Webb was here struggling with his Aus- tralian steamship line. I got up a set of plans for him for a screw steamer, suited for the service and the best thing we could design at that time. Two of these were to be built if the Government help should come, but, as it did no1 come, 1 finished up these for exhibition and sent them to the Mechanics' Fair, then being held in the pavilion in Union Square. The committee in charge of exhibits, very foolishly I thought at the time, but prophetically wise as 1 think now, placed these plans for a Trans-Pacific steamship amongst the Japanese curiosities. These plans were destroyed in the great fire of 1906, just about the time that the hardest struggle for the maintenance of an Australian line by the Oceanic Steamship Company had to be abandoned. The first quartz mill that went into the African gold fields was built in San Fran- cisco and a sailing ship chartered for its delivery. Had there been any means of ocean transportation between this port and the east coast of Africa, a great business might have been built up, in this class of machinery; but while the mine owners there liked our work there was no communication wherebj additions and renewals could be supplied when wanted, and this business went to England, to which they have a weekly service of fast freight and passenger steamships. Today we can go out to the beach and look out on the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean, but under present conditions we can do no busi- ness on that great highway with the peoples that live beyond it. while a nation whose dominion is not greater than the state of California, and whose wealth is less than that of our State in natural resources, in stretching her hands over the great sea and sending her ships in all directions on its surface. Shipowning in Japan for ocean commerce is a matter of very modern development. Whatever that country may have attempted to do in its earlier history-, the year 1639 marked a complete stoppage of foreign trade, for about that time the size of home-built ships was limited by law in order to prevent the people from venturing too far from home; foreign trade was thus pre- vented for a period of fully two hundred and twenty- years. The opening of Japan, in 1853, required a change of policy, hut this was not easily effected; the need, however, of foreign commerce for the development of Japan was emphatically declared by the Shogun's government in 1861. In lsi'.s. just after the formation of the present form of government, there existed forty-six mer- chant vessels aggregating 17,000 tons, some of which were built in Japan, the rest purchased abroad. Professor Terano, before the International Engineering Congress, 1904, gave an interesting account of the beginning of the ship- building industry in Japan in "foreign" style. "A Russian war vessel, the 'Diana.' lying at anchor in the port of Shimoda, and demanding a treaty with Japan, was washed ashore and sunk by tidal waves following the great earthquake of November 4th, 1864. Captain Putiatin, commanding the expedition, having decided to build new ships to take his men home, selected a place on Heda Pay. not very far from Shimoda, and started the construction of two wooden schooners, with timber grown in that district. He employed many Japanese ship-carpenters to assist his crew in the building of these ships. Thus they became acquainted with the construction Of ships of foreign type, and after the completion of the Russian schooners, they built many of similar type in different places of Japan. These vessels were known for some time as the Kimisawa type, after the place where the first schooners were built." In L870 the first large steamship company was formed In Japan, under the nan f the Kwaiso Kwaisha, the English name being the transport company; ii was under government auspices and underwent various changes, in time becoming the Japan Mail Steamship Company, in isti another com- pany was formed, the Three Diamonds Company, so called from the crest and adopted by the company. This company did such excellent work for the Government, during the military expedition to Formosa in 1873-1874, that it was d.emed advisable by the authorities to lean largely- upon it for support, wind up the affairs of the officially directed company, and close the keen competition that had sprung up between the two. The com- bined fleet of this company then consisted of forty-two ships, six of them sailing vessels, the remainder steamers, twelve exceeding 1,000 tons. In 1882 this company further strengthened Itself and added steamers capable of per- forming the functions of both transports and cruisers, a stipulation being made bj the Government, In return for privileges conceded, that it was to TRAMS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS L45 have the use of the ships, in case of need, on payment of Ave yen per ton per month. In 1882 the gross tonnage owned by the Mitsu Bishi (The Three Diamonds Company) was 22,000. In the same year, will, ti„. object of Increas- ing the mercantile marine, government supporl was afforded to a new com- pany, the Kyodo Unyu (Union Transportation Company) so thai two com- panies were again in the field, both obtaining large subsidies from the state funds. This lasted until 1885, when an amalgamation was mad.' ami the now powerful Nippon Yusen Kwaisha (Japan Mail Steamship Company) formed bv the combination of the two. To the newly formed Nippon Yusen Company a dividend of eighl per cent was guaranteed by the state; but this was commuted in issT to an annual subsidy of 800,000 yen. In the years previous to the war with China this enterprising company made steady progress, established a line to Bombay in 1892. also gave service to Australia in one direction and to Hawaii in the other. In the Chinese war of 1894, the large steamers of this company were all requi- sitioned by the Government, and many more were purchased 'by the company both for government needs and to maintain its own trade; these services were efficiently rendered, and the company became, in consequence, stronger, < >n the conclusion of this war, and encouraged by new and liberal bounties, the Nippon Yusen resolved on a larger expansion of its work, raised its capital to 22,000,000 yen, and established regular services to Australia, Kumpe and America. Large steamers, twelve of them exceeding 6,000 tons, were ordered, mostly from the Clyde and Tyne, reserving a number for Japanese construc- tion, to develop and advance the art of shipbuilding at home. Since that date the company has frequently added to its fleet, the new ships being in recent years all built in Japan, although these have been supplemented by the shins purchased during the war with Russia, and the captured ships taken over from the Government after the war. Among those recently built for this company in Japan I might mention the "Hitachi" Maru, 6,715 tons, for tin- European service; the Nikko Maru, 5,539 tons, for the Australian service; the Kenyo Maru, 7,463 tons, for the American service; and the six ships of the Karao class, each 8,770 tons, now completing and to be employed as general Pacific traders. This company now owns and operates seventy-nine steam- ships aggregating 261,427 tons register, and six building, aggregating 5i'.2iii» tons register. In the Formosa, Korea and Hong Kong trade, the Osaka Shosen Kwaisha (Osaka Mercantile Steamship Company), established in 1884, has one hundred and seven ships in service, having a gross tonnage of about 107. into tons. The Toyo Kabusniki (Oriental Steamship Company) was established in 1896; its first three steamers were built in England, and created a Japanese service with San Francisco. This company now has in operation eight steam- ers, with a tonnage aggregating 53,000 tons. The two great strides that this company is now making are the intro- duction of turbine engines, and the use of oil fuel. The 'Tenyo" Maru (now running), the "Chiyo Maru (near completion), and another building, are each of 13,500 tons, fitted with turbines for nineteen-knot speed, ami are equipped for oil fuel; they have also purchased three-tank steamers, and are building two more of 9,320 tons each at Nagasaki, for the transportation of Oil. These three large Japanese companies I have referred to receive each year definite subsidies for prescribed services which they undertake: and they are undertaking a Trans-Pacific service that the United States shipowner. unaided, cannot touch. It may be said that the Japanese Government will not be able to continue the payment of so large bounties to the ships that are thus developing the trade of the Pacific, but I think we will And out when it is too late that Japan can better afford to pay what is necessary to secure this trade than to be without it. The Australian Government has jusl con- cluded a contract with the Orient line for a fortnightly service for ten years at £170 000 per annum, as compared with f 120,000 they are paying now. in order to reduce the ocean time from 696 hours to 650 hours. This will require the Orient line to build six new steamships of 12,000 tons with a trial Bp I of eighteen knots. If we stop to think about that $850,000 thai the Australian Gc six in the form of a subsidy eight and one-halt per cent per annum on the total cost of the new ships they have to build to carry on the business. I he All red route traversing the length of the Pacific with twenty-two-knot ships between l gl- oom - placently satisfied to take soundings oi n.» u^i,, ^. ...v, other Part Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, l talked enough on the need of foreign commerce for this country, when we met In Portland 146 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS three years ago. I tried at that time to tell you what was taking place on the Pacific; tilings have developed even faster than I dared to predict. There is no other new ocean to be discovered on this world of ours, for which we might wait another half century. We must make the most of the oceans that lie outside our doors, inviting us to share in the prosperity their water-borne commerce offers. To secure this prize, such laws will have to be enacted to foster and en- courage the enterprise of our merchants and shipowners, as will place them at least on an equal footing with any other nation seeking the same business. Whatever others may do to secure the trade of the Pacific, we must meet with something as effective. When our ships are thus encouraged they will carry our products and manufactures to the farthest corners of tin- world and our trade will flourish where our flag flies. (Applause.) I have been asked by one of the California delegation to mention three other things, that is, the period set for the termination of the shipping laws as affecting the Philippine Islands drawing to a close, as the first of them. Strong efforts will be made, in order to have the conditions prevailing at pres- ent continue. It has been promised from time to time that the laws regulating coastwise commerce on our own coast should apply to the Philippine Islands. I do not know whether our shipowners are ready for such a thing yet, or not. I think, however, they would like to make an effort to take hold of it, if they get the opportunity, and Congress should give them the opportunity by putting the Philippine Islands on the same footing as regards coastwise trade as our own coast is upon, so that American ships and only American ships can do that coast trade. It is pretty hard to think that there are on the Philippine Coast today English and German steamers of small class, from four hundred to eight hundred tons, doing the coasting trade for the Philippines. There are over four hundred of those steamers, and. we have probably fifty or sixty such steamers around our harbor in San Francisco bay today on the mud flats and nothing for them to do. Another point that I was asked to bring before you was the Canal Zone. That is supposed to be United States territory, and the same thing should apply there between the ports of the United States and the Canal Zone. United States ships, and United States ships only, should be allowed to trade. That would bring a considerable amount of the carrying trade necessary for the develop- ment of that new region, the prosecution of the great work that is going on there, to our own shipowners, and enable the shipowners to do this work which they cannot very well do now in competition with ships that are manned and operated so much cheaper than their ships are. Still another point I was asked to bring before you was, that the Govern- ment lately has chartered a great many foreign vessels, probably had to do so because we had no ships to offer them — that the Government had to charter these vessels to bring coal around to this Coast to supply the fleet on its journey around the world, and these vessels which had received the freight, supposed to be sufficient to pay for -the vessels getting back home again after they discharged their cargo, discharged their cargoes here and laid at our wharves and took freight to other ports away from our ships, because they could afford to do it, seeing that they have already been compensated by our Government for the work both ways, and they have been taking this freight at half rates. These are things that should receive the attention of Congress. These are things that this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress should bring to the attention of our lawmakers, so that they can devise some wav bv which relief can be brought to the shipowners of the United Slates, so that the shipowning business may become possible, may become profitable, ami out of it may grow the industries that cluster around successful foreign commerce. (Applause.) President Smith: We have now three minutes for discussion of this paper; that is, three minutes will be allowed anyone who desires to discuss the question. Mr. I. N. Hibberd, of San Francisco: I would like to ask Mr. Dickie if he will not include in his recommen- dations to Congress the right of this Coast to supply the warships with coal on this Coast while they are on this Coast and only cruising for practice purposes. Mr. Dickie: I did not quite catch the question. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 147 Mr. Hibberd: I want to know why the coal of this Coast will not do for warship pur- poses on practice cruises, when it is used on merchant ships for Trans-Pacific trade. Mr. Dickie: That is a pertinent question, and a question that the Pacific Coast might with good grace ask our Navy Department. I have often asked the Navy Department why, for cruising purposes, the coals here on our Coast were not suitable. One reason given, and I think it is probably the strongest reason, is the very large amount of ash resulting from the burning of our coals. You take the coals such as are being consumed, we will say, on the Pacific Coast Steamship Company's vessels, and they have from twenty to thirty per cent of ashes after their burning, and you know they have had to be fitted with special ash hoisting arrangements, and they could not get ready, on any of the warships, with the present appliances on board, to get the ashes away after consumption of the coal, as to many of our Coast coals. Now, those coals, notwithstanding the fact that they produce a large amount of ash, are very effective coals. I can tell you this, that in the trials that we had of the two ships, the President and the Governor, with New River coal, the best coal that could be got on the Eastern side, we could not get any better results with that coal than we do with the coal that they are using on the steamships on this Coast — not a bit better. But we did not use so much of it, did not burn so much of it. The coal here burns very much more rapidly, and it requires more labor to handle it, and that is another objection of the Government, made at the times when I have pre- sented the question to the proper authorities. But I think that if those inter- ested in the coals of the Pacific Coast made the proper representations at Washington, they might command a hearing that might result in a fair effort being made to use those coals. Mr. Hibberd: I understand that Alaska has a coal that meets every requirement the Government asks. If they did not bring the Eastern coals to this Coast for warship purposes, would it not tend to develop the natural resources of Alaska in that respect? Mr. Dickie: Most certainly, and I think that is a great point for those interested, in fact, for the whole community here, to bring before the Navy Depart- ment. We have a California man as Secretary of the Navy, and I do not see why he could not be forced into making a right and proper use of any materials that can be used here for the ships that are stationed on the Pacific Coast, at least. President Smith: Are there any further questions? If not, the Congress will be adjourned until 8 o'clock this evening, at which time we will listen to an illustrated lecture of some moment, and there will be a speech by Mr. Eddy on "Good Roads." EIGHTH SESSION Thursday Evening, October 8, 1908. Past President John Henry Smith, of Utah: Mr. J. M. Eddy, of the California Good Roads Association, will now address the Congress. "GOOD ROADS." Il> >lr. J. >1. Eddy, of California, Secrclarj California Good Itoiul.s Axsociii- 1 1 '• n : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I do not wish to lose a single minute of this Congress in making an apology, or in explanation or even complaint, but inasmuch as one of the speakers has classed the men that came to the platform as "common liars, damned liars, and statisticians." if the secretary will entertain it, I venture the request that 1 he put among statisticians. It is almost impossible to present what I have to submit to- night without reference to statistics, and really statistics formed a logic of the subject and consequently we must have them. Allow me to state further that from the viewpoint of the community which I have the honor to represent, up at Stockton, where for fifty years we have had the use of God-forsaken and Government-neglected waterways, we have transported on them products at a minimum cost of five mills per ton while during that fifty years; and where we have followed the public high- ways, according to the statistics of the United States, the cheapest farm products that are transported over roadways, namely, barley, are hauled at a cost of twelve cents per ton per mile, twenty-four times what it costs by waterways. And I think it is time for all the other kinds of liars to sit up and take notice of the statistician. THK HIGHWAYS PROBLEM. In the' United States we have three services that may be classed as types of public ownership of utilities. With these three utilities the people of all the states come into daily contact, and they affect most powerfully and continuously American civilization and contentment. From the founda- tion of the Government these utilities have been owned and managed by the people through the instrumentality of Federal, state or municipal law. The Federal Constitution reserved to Congress entire control of the postal system. It started with, and has continued under a centralized system directed by a responsible head. It has an army of trained employees, operat- ing under civil service provisions, and not subject to removal for partisan reasons. The result has been not only a satisfactory service to our own people, but a universal verdict among intelligent men that it is the cheapest, safest and best postal service as a whole ever established anywhere in the world. The Federal Government has no direct voice in the management of the public schools, but it has contributed most liberally for their support. It has made grants of lands to the several states, the proceeds from which were to be used exclusively for the support of public schools. The permanent school funds of most of the states have been derived from the sale of these lands. Thus we have "National Aid" to free public schools. Within the states are organized systems of school administration under responsible and generally efficient heads. But the real basis for efficiency rests in the law, where there are provisions for licensed corps of teachers, for revenue i state aid), for local or municipal co-operation, and for supervision and administration independenl of political Influence. The free school system of the United States, though varying in details In the different states, is conceded to he the most satisfactory and successful known in the world. So it is apparent thai efficiencj and success of a public utility do not depend wholly on federal control and management. Here we have a wonderful institution reaching into every locality, benefiting every family, in the support of which the Nation, the state, the county and the city co-operate, hut for which the state law provides the system of organizaion while local authorities actually administer the service. The public highways of the United states, outside of Incorporated cities and towns, amount to 2,E ,000 miles of passagt ways for transportation and travel, and embrace an actual area of land exceeding the combined area of the Important states of Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and Dela- ware 20, ,000 acres In roads. These four states sustain a population of 6, ,000 Inhabitants, and as common highways traverse more frequently the best parts of our country, it would not be an extravagant estimate to state that, if the 20,000.000 acres of land embraced In roads were devoted to TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 149 agricultural purposes, the market value of the area would be $1,000,000,000 and it would sustain in prosperity six million inhabitants. We have no uniform system, no organized administration, no trained force of roadmakers, no protecting wall to keep out politicians, no adequate system of accounting, no public conception of the fact that in an age of specialization, so intricate a problem as the improvement and up-keep of a plant which has cost us a billion dollars, which is used every day century in and centurv out, which has more to do with the prosperity and the comfort of all the people than any other factor except weather and on which we expend annually $80,000,000 just to keep it running — that this great public interest is left the prey to chance, to incompetency, to abuse, and often to graft. The public highway system of the United States lias been a complete failure and is more than two generations behind the highway systems of the progressive nations of Europe. It is a failure, not because of public ownership, but because it has never been systematized, organized, adminis- tered, specialized, properly accounted for, and made uniform. Higrhwavs carry the commerce of the country. They carry annually 250,000,000 tons of agricul- tural products. They carry fully fifty million people back and forth to their trading centers and daily avocations. They constitute the primary and most important avenues of transportation. As such they merit the best thought and best efforts of all the people all the time. Transportation on the public highways to be efficient and economical must, like transportation on a waterway or a railroad, have three elemental factors favorable, namely, application of proper power, an easily worked vehicle adjusted to the load and the road, and a smooth and uniform road- way. With our improved vehicles and our superior roadsters, the American producers should be enabled to move the 250.000,000 tons of agricultural products to the shipping points at a less figure than it could be done in Europe. But owing to the wretched condition of rural roadways it costs us annually $125,000,000 more to move our farm crops to the shipping points than it would cost in France, England or Germany, to move the same number of tons the same distance. To save that annual burden of $125,000,000 extra cost would warrant us in expending two billion and a half dollars in road improvements. This is an age of speed, comfort, convenience. Contests of speed are the most interesting and exhilarating today just as they were in the days of "Ben Hur." The speed of the train, the auto-car, the vessel, the horse, the dog, even the community, is the one quality which carries us all off our feet and lifts our civilization out of and beyond the stagnation which plunged the world into the dark ages. We are living a faster and a better life than did our ancestors in the years agone, and we are entitled to the equipment that will enable us to keep the pace. We are getting across the Atlantic quicker. We are traveling by rail at the rate of a mile a minute. Our electric lines are whisking us away from the turmoil and crowds of the city to quiet rural homes, miles distant, in as many minutes. And now has come the motor car — a perfect vehicle with ample power — capable of carry- ing us safelv over a proper highway in competition with the speed of the locomotive or the electric car. It finds that while railroads and electricity have been developed, while steamships have displaced sailing vessels, while typewriters have done away with handwriting, and linotypes with printers, that public roads of America are just what they were a century ago, and all attempts to improve them are met by obstacles and confusion. The West is not alone in the wretchedness of its public highways and the waste of highway funds. Excepting a few isolated instances, here and there over the country, American highways are merely tolerable at one or all seasons of the vear. We expend annually $80,000,000 for road construc- tion and maintenance and three times as much for the difficult transporta- tion of our products over the roads. The $S0,000,000 expended is. of course, not entirely wasted, as large sums are really required to put the roads in usable condition for certain seasons, but a large proportion of the $80,000,000 is needlessly expended because we do not expend more and perform our work better. I am thoroughlv convinced that the deplorable condition of the roads delayed the conclusion of the great Civil War for two years and thus cost the Nation $2,500,000,000 in useless expenditure, besides the waste of life. The real art of war consists in quick movements of troop bodies, and the utility of improved roadways to facilitate such movements was demon- strated in the Franco-Prussian conflict, which ended in a few months. But the details of every advance or retreat, every campaign, of the Civil War in America are filled with accounts of the deplorable roads, abandoned ordnance, mired and delayed trains, the stalled horses and mules, lost arms ammunition and food. Thus, we are today encumbered with a debt of nearly $1,000,000,000 which is due to the lack of improved highways nearly half a century ago. 150 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS It would seem to be easy to gather from the experience of other coun- tries, or the experience of our own country in other avenges of effort, some lesson thai Will lead to a better system of road building and administration, and eventuate in satisfactory conditions with respect to highway transporta- tion. It is probably out of the question for ,,s at this late day to put the highways of the country under national control and management, as has been so successfully done in the case of a postal system, but there is no reason why the National Government should not make substantial contributions for the maintenance of good roadways in all the states of the Union, and with respect to this branch of the subject. I think the most feasible plan would be some such arrangement as has been followed by Federal legislation with respect to the public schools. In thai case. Federal aid was extended by grants id' land, which have built up permanent school funds in the various slates, and thus helped to main- tain the schools for years and generations after the grants were made. Neither the Federal nor state governments, in aiding the public schools, go a SChOOlhOUSe and equip it for the accommodation of rather, they leave to local communities the task of then they supply a portion of the funds which helps restrictions, efficient schools. In short, they con- the maintenance of the schools and make it compul- into the district to build teachers and pupils, but putting in the plant and maintain, under proper tribute largely towards sory on the local community to provide the schoolhouse and equip it with proper school facilities. And, while I think state aid for the public highways where state aid has been granted in the various states of the East, has been very useful in secur- ing some improved roadways, I feel that the policy was begun in the wrong way. and the real interest of both state and national authority should be in providing a fund for the maintenance of suitable roadways after the local communities have seen tit to construct them in a proper manner after methods, rules, and supervision provided by the state or the Nation. I think such a policy would solve, in large measure, our public highway problem. In America we cannot rely on measures that may prove successful under the more arbitrary governments of Europe. This is especially true in regard to the control and management of public highways where the people have had an experience of a hundred or more years of local control and mismanagement. Our people are jealous of their local convictions and while it is necessary to remove the supervision from local inlluence, that supervision can be better through a penalty of loss of state and national aid than by coercive measures under the general laws. In fact, I would adopt the same policy for the building and upkeep of public highways that has been successful in founding and maintaining a system of public schools. West of the Mississippi are over 1,050,000 miles of public roads, nearly half of the highway mileage of the entire country. This mileage is increasing at a rapid rate and will soon exceed the mileage of the region east of the Mississippi. Yet we expend only about $23,500,000 annually on Trans-Missis- sippi roadways, while the eastern region expends $56,000,000. Our expenditures for construction and maintenance per mile average less than $25 annually, while east of the river the average is over $50 per mile. The acreage em- braced in Trans-Mississippi highways exceeds 8, 400,000 acres. At the minimum price for Government land, that would mean an investment of $10,500,000 at least in the land for roadways, and at $20 an acre an investment of $168,000,000. This is the people's franchise for transportation and deserves better attention. Were 1 permitted to draft a plan for the administration of a state system of highways for the state of California, or for any of our states in the extreme West, where we have vast stretches of territory holding a sparse population, diversity of soil and climate, many objects of natural scenery to tempt the sightseer, anil innumerable resorts for pleasure and health. I would frame the laws to contain the following provisions: First— A generous appropriation for state aid. with a provision for the devotion of the major part of such fund to the maintenance of thoroughfares once suitably Improved and embracing exactions for an annual increase. Second A state commission of three, one of whom should be the state engineer, in states where such office exists, the commission to be appointed by the governor for a term of six years, the term of one commissioner expiring every second year. These commissioners should draw a liberal salary to attract able men, and to enable them to devote their entire time to highway matters. This commission 1 would give almost plenary powers in distributing and expending the state highway fund, except that expenditures for main- tenance should be according to a fixed rule. The supervision of ail stale high- ways should he in the hands of this commission. Third — The state commission should certificate or license special highway engineers just as the stale Hoard of Education Licenses teachers. There should be not only certificates for specialized engineers, but all employees of the state on the highways, in positions of any responsibility, should be chosen by civil TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 151 service rules after examination to test their fitness for road construction, maintenance, and care. The employees should only be removed for cause, after charges have been made and established in an open hearing. Fourth — The State University should be required to prepare engineers for special higuway work, who may be graduated directly into the state's service, as naval cadets are graduated into the naval service, provided that a proba- tion period to test their fitness and give them practical experience be exacted under the commission. And a regular system of promotion for merit should be required by law. Fifth — The law should require a system of exact accounting of highway expenditures so that the records may conveniently show at any time the complete history of every mile of improved highway, the character of soil, topography, materials used in construction, methods employed in their appli- cation, character and volume of traffic, season and weather conditions when road was constructed, and the construction cost, repair cost, and protection cost of each mile. That is something that is not obtainable, I think, in any state or county of the United States, so far as I know, and I know of only two or three cities in the United States where they exact such information. I know that it is not obtainable in any county in California. Sixth — The county system of highways should be required by law to sup- plement and fit in with the state system and supervision. The main county roadways should be indirectly under the supervision of the state commission and directly under the administration of a county superintendent of highways, who must be equipped with a license under the civil service provisions of the state commission, and whether or not he be a trained highway engineer, his executive ability, efficiency in handling men should in some way be tested. He should be paid a sufficient salary to enable him to devote all his time to the road work and should not be removed without cause. Seventh — Under the county superintendent should be a number of road foremen, chosen for special fitness by civil service rules, whose employment should be continuous, and under such foreman should be a road crew, numerous enough to care for the highways in the district over which the foreman has jurisdiction at all seaspns. These should be trained men and their employ- ment should be as nearly continuous as possible. The superintendent should have the privilege of drafting from these crews to transfer to other districts, or for special work. The practice of promotion for fitness and merit should prevail. Eighth — In regard to the various byroads and local highways not serving a general county purpose, there should be some check on their multiplication and extension. If public highways are promoted by some operator merely to further a real estate deal, then those requesting the road should be made to supply the right of way and contribute toward its grading, improvement and maintenance. In fact, a frontage tax might justly be exacted for partly sus- taining local highways. The results in highway construction and improvement, which may be anticipated from state aid to be applied in maintenance, is foretold by the experience of California cities operating under the Vrooman act. That law provides that the cost of original improvements be charged against the front- age holders, but when the improvements have been accepted by the city authorities, the cost of maintenance and reconstruction must be borne by the city as a whole. In every city operating under this plan, improvement has outrun maintenance. The care of the highways has been the weakest factor, hence the safest policy is to put the maintenance of all the chief highways in the strong hands of the state. In conclusion, let me say that the public highways are the primal avenues of commerce. They affect the prosperity and convenience of all the people. They test our capacity and our civilization. With the enormous investment which our people have made and retain in roadways, it is a mark of business incapacity to permit their neglect. Their condition is a reflection on the average intelligence of American citizens, and consequently an impeachment of our capacity for republican government. In our great West, whence has emanated the initiative and the vigor to divert the tide of the world's com- merce, whence came the inventive genius to teach the whole world how to mine, how to reclaim deserts, how to conquer the ice fields of Alaska — in our great West should be found the vigor, the determination, the knowledge, and the unity of purpose to wrench our 1,050,000 miles of highways from the dominion and abuse of politics and inefficiency, and to install them as a co-agency with the public schools in the regard and pride of the people. The trend of empire is still westward, and no efforts on our part can con- tribute more to development and contentment, in our western commonwealths, than to make our highways hard, smooth and enduring. Let us of the West join hands to set a pace for the East to follow. Every pound of produce shipped by rail or water must first be transported over the public roads by wheeled vehicles. We have only to perfect our state highway systems, sell 152 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS our bonds for good roads to Easterners, and then entire the hondholders here to enjoy the roads and help us pay themselves back. I thank you. (Applause.) By President Smith: Three minutes will be allowed to any gentleman who wishes to discuss this question of good roads. Mr. Eddy will answer any questions. By L. E. Blochman, of Santa Maria, Cal.: I just want to ask a question, whether the State Legislature is going to entertain the proposition of public roads. Someone in California can probably answer the question. Will the state of California entertain a prop- osition this year of legislation in regard to State highways or not? There are several counties in the State interested in building public highways, and in opposition to that those who are opposed to it claim that the State legislators are to take into their hands this year the matter of public high- ways and possibly bond the State for eighteen or twenty million dollars for public highways. Does anyone here know that that is so or not? The reason I am asking that question is that in my own county of Santa Barbara they are agitating for public highways, and those opposed to it say the State will take the matter up. By Mr. Eddy: My idea is that the State will improve the highways to the extent of 3,000 miles; we have 15,000 miles in this State. Providing they are able to pass the bond issue proposed, there would be less than one -fifth of the road mileage of the State improved. So there is not likely to be any conflict in that regard. The idea of building three highways the length of the State where every one wants them is preposterous. By Mr. Blochman: The question at issue is upon the main highways; that is, does the State propose to build them or will they be left to the counties? By Mr. Eddy: You cannot predict what the Legislature will do. There is a proposition before the State Legislature to build what they call the Camino Real, that is, a highway from the southern boundary of the State to Siskiyou. We have some California people that ought to be able to answer that. I think Mr. Briggs could probably do so. By Mr. Briggs: I do not understand that it is the purpose of the State to interfere at all with the counties bonding themselves for the building of roads within the counties. The proposition of State roads, under the suggestion of Gov- ernor Gillett, is for the bonding of the State for eighteen millions of dollars, merely for the purpose of constructing two great highways from the north- ern boundary of the State to the southern boundary, and likewise two highways from the eastern boundary to the western, those highways to be State roads, maintained by the State; but that does not in anywise interfere with the counties. The counties are to build their own roads. By Mr. Blochman: They will pass through the counties. By Mr. Briggs: Yes, but the county roads would only intersect the State roads. By Mr. Blochman: But if the State builds that road, the counties do not have to build that same road. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 153 By Mr. J. J. Gosper, of Los Angeles, Cal.: I want to say to the people all over the Coast that Los Angeles County has set an example for the West to follow. As Mr. Briggs has just said, the State proposes to build roads through the State. In Los Angeles County recently $2,500,000 of bonds were voted for the improvement of our roads. There will be three hundred and some odd miles of road constructed because of the bonds that were voted. The counties up and down this Coast should make that their plan of road-building. That is all I wanted to say. By President Smith: Mr. J. B. Lippincott, of Los Angeles, California, will speak upon "Munici- pal Water Development in Los Angeles and Its Aqueduct," being an illus- trated lecture. "LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT." By Mr. J. B. Lippincott of California. By Mr. Lippincott, Assistant Chief Engineer of Los Angeles: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: Central and northern California are particularly blest by great natural opportunities. I know of no section of arid America or of any portion of the country west of the Mississippi where such great opportunities are to be found for development along- manufacturing, commercial and agricultural lines as the great central valleys of California. The Sacramento Valley contains 2,600,000 acres of land and is capable of pro- ducing well any crop practically that is grown within the United States. The Sacramento Valley in my judgment is the greatest undeveloped opportunity in the United States today. Enough water annually passes down this valley in an average year to cover it to a depth of nine feet, and more than enough to completely irrigate all agricultural lands within that district. The character of the problem in the Sacramento Valley requires a combined study of river improvement, prevention of overflow from flood waters, forestation and irriga- tion. It calls for co-operation between the Federal and State Governments and local institutions. A great deal of work has been done in promoting the development of some method of reclaiming this great valley. The San Joaquin Valley lying immediately south, contains 3,700,000 acres of land, equally fertile in its character and capable of producing crops of a similar nature. In this region, however, the water supply is less abundant than in the Sacramento Valley. The opportunities for water power develop- ment, however, in the San Joaquin Valley, are very great. The steams flow- ing off the western face of the Sierras fall from elevations of over 10,000 feet to practically sea level in a distance of approximately forty miles. The normal flow of the streams from these mountains is now practically all diverted, except in flood stages, for irrigation; and in my judgment the great expansion and development in the San Joaquin Valley will be by means of utilizing these water powers along the western face of the Sierras and pump- ing from great bodies of underground waters which spread pretty much over the length of the entire San Joaquin Valley. These underground water supplies are re-charged by the flood waters passing over the delta cones, where these streams issue from their mountains. In addition to that there are large bodies of water which percolate into the soil from the irrigation of the higher areas. The purpose of speaking of this possible development in the San Joaquin Valley, which is really in your immediate neighborhood, and the population of which necessarily supports your city, is this: When I was in the Reclamation Service, a study was made under my direction of the water power oppor- tunities in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, and we found then, in October, 1905, that seventy-five per cent out of all the commercially feasible water power propositions, in the San Joaquin drainage basin, had already been given away to applicants under the Federal laws for rights of way; seventy-five per cent of the natural power opportunities on public domains in the forest reservation in the drainage basin of the San Joaquin Valley had been given away, and only two and one-half per cent of these rights that had been issued had actually been utilized by power plant construction. The reason of my speaking of that is this: That there is a tendency to create a public opinion or a feeling to the effect that the Federal Government is putting undue restriction on the power companies in their requirements concerning the prompt construction of plants, and in reference to other taxation features which they are alleged to be imposing upon these corporations; and resolu- 154 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS tiims will be introduced. I believe, or have been introduced hefe, favoring a more liberal policy on the part of the Government in that regard. I want to say that the Government has been more extravagant in giving away the natural opportunities for the development of power in the arid regions, than in giving away any other natural resources with which I am acquainted. And 1 want to say that I believe that you people in California, particularly those interested in the San Joaquin Valley, should be most alert to the possibilities of awakening-, and yon have almost arrived at that point now, to the fact that your great power opportunities that are in that region are exhausted, or at least have been granted away in such a way that the public cannot receive the benefit of them. Tlie Reclamation Service, or. rather, the Department of the Interior, was following up a policy. I know, for years, of trying to hold the drainage basin of the Tuolumne River, both with reference to its reservoir sites and with reference to the opportunities for power development, for the benefit of this region. I cannot say absolutely now that these power rights on the Tuolumne have been given away, but two years ago they had not been; and I should think the people of San Francisco ought to watch that stream with great diligence. In southern California now practically every natural opportunity of devel- oping power on the public domain has already been given away; we have none left — that is, along streams that are natural streams, streams in forest reserves flowing into those southern valleys. The local water supply in southern California has been utilized or. as they express it down there, devel- oped in the most remarkable way. We not only have diverted the surface streams, but we have put in dams across the mouths of mountain canyons and brought up the underflow; and we now have gone down into the valleys and pumped water from these plains on which these streams in flood spread not until we have now got to the point in and around the city of Los Angelt s. at ieast, where we are getting the surface and the underflow water and are lowering the permanent water level of what we call the ground water. We are lowering the ground plane of the water throughout tl c. country, because we are, as it were, drawing on our bank account so far as the water resources are concerned. Realizing this situation and also the rapid growth of our city — and T.os Angeles has trebled in population in eight years and has Quadrupled in assessed valuation in that time — realizing that we were uo to the point of com- plete consumption of our parent supply, we resolved, or those in authority re- solved to seek new supplies for the city, an adequate new supply. The question was thoroughly debated whether we should endeavor to take by con- demnation streams that were already being used for the cultivation of the highest priced fruits in our back country or in our neighborhood — used any- way where small towns were rapidly developing, where lands were worth a thousand dollars an acre; or whether we should endeavor to go to some remote region where the waters were not of such great value and bring in a great, new supply that would be adequate and which would aid not only in the development of the city itself, but which could also be used for the de- velopment of the entire surrounding country. After a very exhaustive dis- cussion and study- of the subject the people of Los Angeles voted by a ratio of fully ten to one to issue bonds to the extent of twenty-four and a half million dollars to go to the remote Sierra Nevada Range for a water supply and bring it down into that southern country in an amount sufficient for our city and for future generations. A bond issue for twenty-four and a half millions was passed, as I say. I think the total expenditures of the Reclamation Service up to the present time, as illustrated by the slides i hat we had last night, do not yet exceed that sum. We were encouraged in this great undertaking by- the fact that we have already there a municipal water plant owned by the city, operated by the city, in a businesslike manner. The Los Angeles City Water Works during the last Coin- and a half years that the city has administered it. has earned $3,700,000. which it has put into betterments at no expense, as far as bond issues or general taxation is concerned, to the rest of the city. During the year 1907 the water works earned a net income id" over $soo,ooo for the city of Los Angehs. it did that with a water rate of nine cents a thousand gallons as compared to your water rate in San Francisco of twenty-five cents a thousand gallons and your rate across the lay of over thirty cents a thousand gallons. ( Appla use.) In bringing down this water supply, we are not going to bring in only enough water- to diink. but we are going to bring in that supply in such a manner that we will have enough electrical energj developed thereby to light our town, if we so desire, and to run all the manufacturing industries of our town, if we so desire. (Applause.) There are today used in and around Los Angeles, I believe, about 60,000 horse power. Within forty miles of the city of TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 155 Los Angeles we will have 86.000 horse power available from this aqueduct. The men who have been put in charge of this great work are men of tried public ability and integrity. Lieutenant-General Chaffee of the United States Army, retired, is practically the acting executive head of the aqueduct organi- zation. Mr. William Mulholland is the chief engineer, and he is the man who has brought the domestic water system up to its present state of perfection, and of financial success. Mr. W. B. Matthews, who is the advisory counsel for the aqueduct, has twice been city attorney of Los Angeles and has continually held the highest regard and respect of the people of that city. I am telling you these things not in a boastful way for our city; I do not mean to do that: but I do tell them to you because I think it is an example of how a community can help itself in utilizing great natural resources. The Federal Government cannot do it all: the State cannot do it all for you; but we have found down there by a little striking out and assuming responsibilities that it is amazing how much help and assistance we get from all these or- ganizations and all these officials, clear to the President of the United States, who has been our great friend in this enterprise. (Applause.) The Act of Congress that authorizes this enterprise, at least, that author- izes us to occupy the public domain, specifically provides that the municipality of Los Angeles never can sell any of this water except to a bona fide consumer. We never can dispose of this enterprise or of this water to any water selling corporation. I have a few lantern slides which illustrates something of the work which we are undertaking, and the country that we are operating in. They are not as good as those we had last night, but I will be pleased to show them to you. (The conclusion of Mr. Lippincott's exhibition of stereopticon lantern slides was met with prolonged applause. The following statement was pre- sented to the Congress by Mr. Lippincott:) An Example of Conservation of Natural Resources by Municipalities: The Los Angeles Aqueduct. The Sacramento Valley: Contains an area of 2,660,000 acres. Unusual opportunities exist for storage of flood waters. The water supply on an average year is adequate to cover the entire valley nine feet deep. One million acres are now subject to overflow. This valley is capable of producing well any crops grown in the United States, but now is either undeveloped or largely devoted to grain farms. Its development should be along the broadest lines of reclamation, forestry and navigation, requiring a combination of federal, state and local co-opera- tion. The area of San Joaquin Valley is 3,770,000 acres. Its development will probably be mostly by the construction of water power, and pumping plants for irrigation. The extent of underground water is great; water power oppor- tunities are unusually great. For this reason the water power opportunities should especially be conserved for future public use, and not allowed to pass into monopolistic private control, as is now taking place. In October, 1905, an investigation by the Reclamation Service of power opportunities in central California found that "75 per cent of the commercially feasible power oppor- tunities of northern and central California have been alienated from public ownership," also that "less than 2% per cent have been utilized." The Colorado Itivcr is the American Nile; 1,000,000 acres are capable of reclamation, provided storage reservoirs on the upper portions of the drainage basins can be utilized. This problem is interstate and international in its character. Agriculture here capable of highest development on account of its 12- month growing season. Great progress made both by Federal and private works. The Yuma project of the Reclamation Service will reclaim 100,000 acres and the Imperial Valley contains 275,000 acres of good land, under its present system in the United States. Southern California is being developed by its necessities as exampled by the San Pedro harbor, which is being created by a combination of break- water construction for the protection of its outer harbor, and the excavation of mud flats for an inner harbor. Existing- Supplies of Water in and around Los Angeles are now fully utilized, requiring departure to new fields for an extension of the supply. The population of the city has trebled and assessed values quadrupled in the last eight years. Loa Angeles City Water Works are publicly owned. Originally the system was built for the irrigation of the lands of the pueblo. 156 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS A transformation has followed from agricultural to domestic use. Expenditures during- the past four and one-half years for betterment of the system, $3,800,000, all from water revenues. The net income from the city plant for 1907 was $840,000, with water at 9 cents per thousand gallons, as compared to 25 cents charged in San Francisco, and 30 cents for towns across the bay, both of which latter plants are under private control. The lios Angeles Aqueduct is an example of conservation of natural re- sources by a municipality. State and Federal aid freely given to the city in the form of legislation and executive assistance. The men in charge are General Chaffee, lieutenant-general. U. S. A., re- tired; Wm, Mulholland, chief engineer; W. B. Matthews, chief counsel, all of marked ability and integrity. The organization is under active civil service, and no political appoint- ments have been made. The Locations This new water supply will be obtained from Owens River. The drainage basin of Owens River contains 2,800 square miles, with forty peaks over 13,000 feet in elevation and Mt. Whitney 14.500 feet, the highest mountain in the United States. The city now has bought about 100,000 acres of water bearing land, all without any condemnation suits. The water to be conserved is now flowing into a salt lake of 100 square miles in area, from which it is lost by evaporation. The enterprise distinctly is one of storage of flood water. The Long Valley reservoir has a capacity of 260,000 acre feet, or 85,000,- 000,000 gallons, is on the main river above the intake. llawnef reservoir, 64,000 acre feet, is 60 miles below the intake. Fernando reservoir, 36,600 acre feet, is at the lower end of the aqueduct, near -Los Angeles. The Fernando reservoir will hold a year's supply for the present popula- tion of Los Angeles. The aqueduct will consist of: Lined canals 177 miles Lined tunnels 30 miles Pipes 10 miles 217 miles The capacity is 400 feet or -20.000 miners' inches. The most striking engineering feature is the Elizabeth tunnel, five and one-half miles long, one mile of which is now built. This tunnel is through the crest of the Coast Range, below which a total fall of 1,900 feet occurs, making possible a power development within forty miles of Los Angeles of 86,000 horse power, the income from which should be enough to pay interest charges on the entire plant. The estimated cost of the aqueduct, with lands, but without power devel- opment or Long Valley reservoir, is $24,500,000. It will cost to build the power plants and Long Valley reservoir, about $8,000,000 more. This is as great a figure as the Reclamation Service is now expending on all of its projects. Enough water will be obtained to supply 1,000.000 people and to irrigate 60,000 acres of land. Ultimately this may all be applied for domestic use and in this event will serve 2,000,000 people. The preliminary works now constructed consist of: Electric power lines for construction purposes.... 135 miles Telephone 225 miles Roads and trails 155 miles Railroads being built by the Southern Pacific under contract 60 miles Water mains for construction 71 miles A cement mill, 90 per cent finished, capacity 1,200 barrels per day. Four hospitals have been built and a medical department fully organized. The work on the aqueduct proper is now progressing at about thirty points, and over 1,000 men engaged. It is estimated that the work will be completed in four years. The bonds have been voted and contracted for on a 4Y 2 per cent basis. By President Smith: There will be an election of officers tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. The Congress will now be adjourned. NINTH SESSION Friday Morning, October 9, 1908. By President J. B. Case: The hour has arrived for resolutions. The Secretary will please read: By Secretary Francis: SUGAR INDUSTRY. By J. G. II :imi I < on Oxnard, California: RESOLVED, That the domestic sugar industry merits and is entitled to competent and ample protection and that this Congress is opposed to any measure that tends to increase the importation of free tropical sugar grown by cheap labor. By Secretary Francis: HUMBOLDT BAY. By P. W. MatthewN, Eureka, California: WHEREAS, A wide and rich section of California, comprised in the county of Humboldt, is shut off from railway communication with the outside world; and WHEREAS, The U. S. Department of Army Engineers has recommended the extension of the breakwater designed to prevent shifting sands obstruct- ing the entrance to Humboldt Bay, now the third harbor in point of commerce on the California coast, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, assembled in its nineteenth session, hereby recommends to the attention of the Congress of the United States the necessity for immediate legislation, assuring con- structive activity in this matter, and RESOLVED, That the states and territories here represented are re- quested to urge their representatives in Congress to support the aforesaid legislation. By Secretary Francis: PACIFIC COAST COMMISSION. By I^eroy A. Wright, California: RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in con- vention assembled at San Francisco, commends the Congress of the United States for the liberal policy it has heretofore adopted in the protection and development of the National interests in the interior territory and coast lines of the Trans-Mississippi States: That inasmuch as the dock facilities of the Pacific Coast are inadequate to care for a strong defensive fleet of battleships and cruisers, and as it is of paramount importance that two Government docks be maintained, one at Bremerton, Washington, and one at Mare Island, California, WE THEREFORE RECOMMEND. That a commission be immediately appointed to investigate and report, not only in respect to needed appropria- tions for the Mare Island Navy Yard, but also of the conditions at present prevailing, and to recommend a plan under which a channel of sufficient depth to permit the passage of ships of the deepest draught to the yards can be maintained and adequate facilities be provided to care for a battleship fleet of such size as may be required upon the Pacific Coast. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Congress recommends to and urges upon the Congress of the United States that immediate appropria- tions be made in the following amounts, and for the following purposes, to wit: (a) That an appropriation of at least $259,250.00 be made for the purpose of deepening the water over the outer bar at the harbor of San Diego, and for removing the middle ground in said harbor, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, dated May 11, 1908, in order to accommodate the naval vessels desiring to coal at the Government coaling station now being constructed. (b) That an appropriation of at least $284,800.00 be made for the purpose of extending the breakwater at San Pedro harbor from its present terminus to the shore line, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, made February 17, 1908. (c) That an appropriation be made for the purpose of repairing and extending the twin jetties at the entrance of Humboldt Bay, in order that the channel of the bay may be rendered safe to commerce, and that an appro- priation also be made for the purpose of removing the hogbacks formed by the deposit of sand in the interior bay. 158 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS (d) That the amount of $250,000.00 lie expended in the fiscal year ending: June 30, 1909, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1st, for works of improvement in Oakland harbor, from the appropriation authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1905, in compliance with recommendation of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. (e) That the sum of $400,000.00 be appropriated for the purpose of per- forming: the work specified and recommended in the special report of the California Debris Commission, in regard to the further appropriation for the control of mining, debris, improving the navigability and providing for the control of the flood waters of the Sacramento and Feather rivers, Cali- fornia, dated June 30, 1907. PROVIDED, That before entering upon said work, or making said con- tracts, the Secretary of War shall be satisfied that the state of California has appropriated, and that there is available from the funds in the California state treasury an equal sum of $400,000.00 for the same purposes. (f) That appropriations be made for the purpose of carrying out the projects for the improvement of Coos Bay, Oregon, as recommended by the United States engineers in their report to the Secretary of War, in 1907. By Secretary Francis: CALIFORNIA WINE INDUSTRY. By Colonel John P. Irish, Oakland, California: The policy of our Government has been to promote agriculture and horti- culture. As a result, in the Trans-Mississippi States hundreds of thousands of acres of land and hundreds of millions of capital are devoted to the cul 111.V LU I c \ ei »t^ dliv.1 uailLci Lilt: [i^ a& i hi .-^. This Congress also requests that in the revision of the tariff there be . reduction of the duties on the products of the vineyard, either directly or by reciprocity. American agriculture demands the right to live by such diversity of products as our varied climate permits, and this Congress asks that there be no discrimination against the grape and its products. By Secretary Francis: ROADS AND TRAILS. By Ex-Governor George C. Pardee. Oakland. California: We favor adequate appropriations for the construction of roads and tiails in National parks and forest reserves, not only as a means of trans- portation and communication, but as a preventive against forest lires. By Secretary Francis: PACIFIC GROVE BREAKWATER. By Edward Berwick, Pacific Grove, California: WHEREAS, In view of the coming increase of maritime and ion si wise commerce, consequent on the completion of the Panama Canal, it will be of the utmost importance to utilize to their full extent the few harbors on our western coast between San Diego and Puget Sound; BE IT RESOLVED, That this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, believing in the equal development of the whole country, and knowing the urgent need of more water transportation, favors the proposal now before the National authorities for the construction of a breakwater near Pacific Grove, to make yet more available the splendid natural harbor at Monterey. By Secretary Francis: POWER DEVELOPMENT. H > Ex-Governor George C. Pardee, Oakland. California: RESOLVED, Thai the rights of way granted by the Federal Government for power development on the public domain should be conditioned upon continued construction work in good faith and commensurate with a prompt completion "i the works for which the rights are requested. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 159 By Secretary Francis: BUREAU OF MINES. By Lewis E. Anbury, San Francisco: WHEREAS, There is now pending- before the Senate of the United States. House Bill No. 20.883, which provides for the establishment of a Bureau of Mines, and believing' in the great beneficent results it will accomplish, NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress, in convention assembled, that we heartily endorse the movement to create a Bureau of Mines, and we earnestly urge upon the Congress of the United States that said bill be finally enacted at the earliest day possible, and that an ample appropriation shall be provided for its maintenance. By Secretary Francis: FOREST LANDS. By Lewis E. Anbury, San Francisco: WHEREAS, There has been a great destruction annually in our forests caused by fire, such destruction being particularly noticeable the past few months, and causing many lives to be sacrificed and millions of dollars worth of timber destroyed, and WHEREAS, Many of these fires might have been extinguished had it not been for the careless methods employed by the lumbermen in permitting the cuttings and slashings to litter the forest lands, and WHEREAS, Most of the damage caused by these fires this year, accord- ing to reports of the Forest Service, has been upon private lands, and WHEREAS, Such careless lumbering methods are a menace to not only the timber lands owned by the Government, but to other rights as well, and WHEREAS. We do not believe that any person or corporation should so conduct its methods of lumbering as to menace the rights of others; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in convention assembled, that we favor the enactment of both Federal and state laws which will compel persons engaged in timber or lumber operations to so conduct such operations that the rights of others will not be endangered, and we recommend that the U. S. Forest Service shall formulate such drafts of laws, and the same shall be presented at the next session of Congress. We also suggest to the state foresters of the different states that similar laws should be presented to the legislatures when next in session. By Secretary Francis: The gentleman desires three minutes to speak on his resolution. By President Case: He may do so. By Iiewis E. Anbury, San Francisco: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: In submitting a resolution to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, asking your endorsement for the establishment of a Bureau of Mines, I believe that this body will favor the movement. The miners of the United States have for years advocated a Department of Mines, its chief to form one of the President's Cabinet. There has been so much opposition to this that we have finally considered that "half a loaf would be better than no bread," and we have concluded that if we can have a Bureau of Mines, that will at least give us some representa- tion at Washington, whereas, at present, we have practically none. I will not take up your time by quoting numerous statistics showing the billions of dollars which have been produced by our mines in this Trans- Mississippi region, and the Eastern and Southern States. Suffice to say that, as one of the speakers has said before me, "The discovery of the little nugget of gold by Marshall at Coloma was the means of opening up and developing our "Western Empire." This is an illustration of what the country owes to the mining industry. In considering the preservation of our National resources, how could we be placed in a better position, so far as minerals are concerned, than to have a department which could take up this very important work? The bill creating the Bureau of Mines, introduced at the last session of Congress has passed the House, and is now in the Senate. At the next session it will again be urged to final passage. It is not yet assured, and therefore it is my pleasure to submit a resolution to this important body, and I trust you will hearken to the appeals of the miners and lend it your unqualified support. I thank you for your kind attention. 160 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Secretary Francis: GOVERNMBNT-OWNED RAILROAD. By Greene Majors, Alameda, California: WHEREAS, The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress was the pioneer oi our large public bodies in indorsing and advocating a government -owned isthmian canal, which canal is now an assured fact and will be of such widespread benefit; and WHEREAS, A government-owned, operated and controlled transconti- nental railroad would be of equal, if not of greater national benefit, than even our highly-prized Panama Canal; now therefore, be it RESOLVED. By the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, now again assembled in the city where it so wisely indorsed the Panama Canal proiect, that it advocates and endorses a transcontinental line of railwav, to be owned operated and controlled by the United States Government, to the end that just and proper rates of freights and fares may be maintained in our great and growing industrial inter-ocean section of the United States. By President Case: Mr. Secretary, please read this telegram. By Secretary Francis: FROM U. S. SENATOR ROBERT I,. OWEN. Watonga, Oklahoma, October 8, 1908. Honorable J. B. Case, President Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, California. I greatly regret my inability to be present with you at this session of Congress. I sympathize strongly with the purposes of the organization and recognize the great power which the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress can exercise over the counsels of the Nation. I trust the Congress will repeat the resolution on removal of restrictions. R. L. OWEN. By Secretary Francis: It should be stated that Mr. Owen is United States Senator from Okla- homa, and expected to be in San Francisco attending this session. That portion of the telegram in reference to the removal of restrictions will be referred to the Oklahoma delegation. By President Case: Please read the communications received from the Chamber of Com- merce of San Francisco, Mr. Secretary. By Secretary Francis: RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT JOINT MEETING, COMMERCIAL ORGANIZA- TIONS OF THE PACIFIC COAST. HELD IN THE ROOMS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5. 1908. RESOLVED, That the Interdependence of the Pacific Coast States neces- sitates united action in efforts to secure Federal legislation favoring the harmonious and successful expansion of Pacific Coast trade and the natural development of Coast resources. RESOLVED, That two pressing needs of the Pacific Coast, admittedly involving the commercial welfare of the whole country, are the maintenance of a large fleet of naval vessels in Pacific waters and the Federal legislation that will stimulate American shipping and send our flag into every foreign port. RESOLVED, That in order to secure the desired Federal recognition of the merchant marine, military, naval, navigation and collateral interests af- fecting the trade and commerce of Pacific Coast ports, we representatives of Coast organizations, mutually pledge ourselves to work for an affiliation that will enable the several Coast States to exert the cohesive strength of a united community. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 161 By Secretary Francis: These resolutions were accompanied by the following letter: The Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco, San Francisco, October 7, 1908. Mr. Arthur R. Briggs, Vice-Chairman, Executive Committee, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Dear Sir: I take pleasure in enclosing herewith the above resolution unanimously adopted at a conference of executives of the following Pacific Coast organizations held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco, Monday, October 5, 190S: Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Chamber of Commerce, Portland Chamber of Commerce, Portland Commercial Club, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Merchants' Exchange of San Francisco, California State Board of Trade, Merchants' Association of San Francisco, California Promotion Committee. May we ask your good offices in seeing that the resolution is presented to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress now in session in this city. Yours very truly, C. W. BURKS, By President Case: Secretary. This resolution, with the other resolutions, will be sent to the Com- mittee on Resolutions for action. (A recess was here taken until 11 o'clock, at which time the following proceedings took place:) Hon. Hugh Craig, San Francisco, Past President: The Congress will please come to order. What is the order of business, Mr. Secretary? By Secretary Francis: The special order of business for 11 o'clock this morning is the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization. The report has been received and read and it now comes up under a special order. (Reads report as follows: ) ELECTION OE OFFICERS. Mr. President and Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: A meeting of the Committee on Permanent Organization was held Wednesday evening and we submit to the Congress, for its approval, the following names as officers of this organization for the coming year: President, Honorable Thomas F. Walsh, Denver, Colorado. First Vice-President, N. G. Larimore, Larimore, North Dakota. Second Vice-President, Chas. A. Fellows, Los Angeles, California. Third Vice-President, A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Fourth Vice-President, Herbert Strain, Great Falls, Montana. Secretary, Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, Colorado. Treasurer, Fred Moffatt, Denver, Colorado. We also submit the following suggestions to the Executive Committee: Chairman, Executive Committee, Col. Ike T. Pryor, San Antonio, Texas. Vice-Chairman. Sam F. Dutton, Denver, Colorado. Chairman, Advisory Board, Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco, California. Vice-Chairman, Honorable James H. Brady, Pocatello, Idaho. Members: W. O. Hart, New Orleans, Louisiana; John Henry Smith. Salt Lake City, Utah; Tom Richardson, Portland, Oregon. We recommend the appointing of a special committee consisting of the President, the retiring President, Chairman Executive Committee, Chairman Congressional Committee, Chairman Advisory Board, and Honorable John Bar- rett, to wait upon the President-elect after election and secure his attendance at next year's meeting of the Congress. (Signed.) Sam F. Dutton, Denver, Chairman of Committee. By President Craig: You have heard the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization. What disposition do you wish to make of it? Does the chair hear a motion? 162 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By A. G. Stacey, San Diego: I move the adoption of the report. By Mr. D. R. Peeler, Kalispell, Montana: I second the motion. By President Craig: You have heard the motion, which has been duly seconded, that th<' report of the Committee on Permanent Organization be adopted by this Congress. (The motion was formally carried.) By Hon. Ed F. Harris, Galveston, Texas, Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions: As chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, I desire to report to this body that it will be absolutely necessary in our judgment that we have the assistance of a competent stenographer. By Secretary Francis: For the information of the Senator I would state that two stenographers have been instructed to report to him this morning. By President Case (resuming the chair): We have with us this morning Mr. A. G. Stacey, now a citizen of Cali- fornia, who was formerly a citizen of Kansas, and who was one of the first members of this Congress — one of the first men, if not the very first, who suggested the idea. We would like to hear from him. ORIGIN OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS. By Mr. A. G. Stacey, San Diego, California: I do not think I will come to the platform, because I think I would be the subject of stage fright. While I am a resident of California, I was formerly a resident of Kansas. But in reference to what Mr. Case, our Presi- dent, had to say: The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress v\ as born in the short grass country of western Kansas, and possibly I had something to do with the founding of it. I was stationed at the state capital of Kansas, Topeka, doing politics for the Kansas City Journal. Incidentally, I was also the secretary of the legislature which was then about to open its session. Just before the opening I happened to be out in a small town near by, after. a story, and was waiting at a station called Montezuma for a train when who should show up but Senator Kelly. It was at this country station, which consisted only of a wooden platform from which we flagged a train, that the foundation was laid for the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congre3S. News had been comparatively scarce and I was looking for a story that would bring in expenses and one that would be handled by the New York Times, for which I was then a correspondent. I spoke to Senator Kelly about the possibility of organizing a congress of representatives of Western and Middle States, where questions of mutual interest could he discussed and legislation framed in a tentative way. The Senator took favorably to the idea and, until the train came, we discussed the proposition pro and con. As a result of this interview and as a starter- for actually getting the Congress under way, I published an interview in the Kansas City Journal, sending the story also to the New York Times. The story was well played up and took hold from the start. Away down in Texas the idea first cropped out, and Tom Richardson, now of Portland, secretary of the Cotton Exchange in Galveston, worked up a local convention which met in that city in May, 1N!»0. The convention was attended only by a few representatives, however, and was never heard of by the outside world until later events proved its significance. Early in the year. 1891 the state legislature of Kansas met as usual In Topeka, and I was still doing politics for the Journal in Kansas City. I resurrected the idea of a Western Slates Commercial Congress and drew up a resolution which was introduced by Senator Kelly, calling such a Congress to meet in Kansas City in April, and appointing five representatives and three senators from the state legislature. I was careful to see that the name of A. G. Stacy was included in the list of representatives, all of whom were given $T> a day and expenses. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 163 This gave me no end of copy and my best hopes began to be realized. I sent invitations to all the Western and Southern States to send delegates to take part in the discussions, and eleven states answered on the spot, in which the legislatures were at that time in session. Delegates were appointed, chambers of commerce sending delegates of their own on our invitation, and when the convention opened in April at Kansas City for a three days' session, there were present 350 representatives of Western and Southern States. At that gathering in Coates Opera House were a number who are with us today, including your Secretary, who was with the Colorado delegation. After an enthusiastic meeting, the Congress adjourned, leaving the date with the Executive Committee. Governor Fishback, of Arkansas, and others interested held a conference at Manitou, Colorado, and the merger of the Kansas City and Galveston meetings with the Deep Harbor Conference was perfected, and a meeting of the Congress was called for Denver, where the name was changed to the more euphonious Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. At Denver, of that year, the Congress was given its vital impetus when delegates from all the states of the Mississippi "Valley and of the West were present to discuss matters of prime importance to these growing govern- ments. Since that time it has grown tremendously, until now the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress is recognized as being the most important body of men next to the National Congress in existence today, as far as shaping legislation for national improvement is concerned. Every great ques- tion of national importance, outside of those of a political nature, is studied by the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress and its recommendations go far towards shaping legislation by the national body. (Applause.) By Past President Craig (resumCing the chair): The gentleman' from Nevada desires to speak. Mr. Chartz, will you please step up to the platform? Ladies and gentlemen, I have the pleasure of introducing Mr. Chartz, of Nevada. AN APPEAL FROM NEVADA. By Mr. Alfred Charts, of Carson City: Ladies and Gentlemen, and Members and Delegates of the Trans-Missis- sippi Commercial Congress: I am from Nevada, the poorest of our states. Its star in the galaxy of the states of our common union is the least bright and we need polishing. It is not a bright star, it is not as bright a star as it should be. We need some help, and we appeal to you to extend to us such reasonable help as we should have. I would just as soon address a half a dozen in this audience, and probably sooner, than address several hundred whom I could not reach with my voice. It makes precious little difference how few are the auditors, for this reason, that the press represented here by these newspaper boys will disseminate and spread out what we have to say to millions, to all the millions that inhabit the Trans-Mississippi sec- tion, lying to the west of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. I do not know whether I am being heard now; I am affected with a poor voice. Nevada comprises a large section of the Trans-Mississippi country in area, and it needs help. The help we need is fair, honest treatment by our trans- portation lines on the question of rates of fares and freights. We pay for a carload from Chicago to Elko, 800 miles, nearly, to the east of San Francisco, $800. For the same carload, for the same goods, the same shipment, San Francisco pays only $300; and we have to pay $800. We must not bait the railroads. As already stated by Mr. Stubbs, the railroads must not be baited. We must treat them fair. Nevada cannot expect the best terminal rates, and Nevada does not demand terminal rates, or the same rates that are allowed to San Francisco, where there is water competition, but we do ask and plead of this Congress that we may have a fairer rate than the proportion of $800 per carload. 800 miles east of San Francisco, to the proportion of $300 a car- load, 800 miles west from Chicago. Having expressed myself on this question of railroad fares and freights, desiring that we should deal with these im- portant corporations fairly and equitably, and desiring that they shall not be baited, desiring that they shall be enabled to raise the funds that are necessary to be raised for their improvement, for the extension of their lines, to the end that we may as a common country be supplied with the necessary and speedy transportation; to the end that the fruits of California, and its products, shall be speedily trans- ported to market, desiring in every way to assist these great lines that tend so much to the improvement of our common country, yet asking nothing but fairness to Nevada, that Nevada may be enabled to grow, and become the state that it is entitled to, and not be discriminated against, asking nothing but what is fair from this Congress, I demand that Nevada be treated the same as any other unit in the section lying west of the great Mississippi M,| RP^PORT OP" PROCKKDIXGS River. That is all I ask for Nevada. Otherwise, without any further assist- ance, we will be able to take care of ourselves. I further suggest only one more point, Mr. President: In Nevada, and on the watersheds of the Sierras, sloping towards the east, and lying in the counties of Inyo.' Mono and Alpine in California, lie great stretches of desert, some of which have earned the name, and deserve the name — such names as Death Valley and Funeral Range. Those names imparl a meaning. Within that vast territory lie the richest mines in the United states, particularly referring now to the Death Valley section and t lie Funeral Range section, where a few years ago the prospector ventured out at the peril of his life for a distance of about fifty miles, and no more, where he packed his burro with his small supply of groceries and provisions thai were required for his food, in those sections we now find railroads, and we find mines producing something like i hirt ecu millions a year which have been developed solely by the indomitable industry and indomitable energy of these prospectors and miners, taking their lives in their hands, and most of them have died of thirst. I know what it is. I personally traveled seven miles until my tongue was swollen, until my mouth was frothing, until 1 reached a horse water trough and threw my head in to drink it up, when a woman came out at the station and pulled me away. She said, "You are not the first man that tried to drink up all my horse water." These are the facts of the desert. I have suffered it and I know what it is — pulled off my shoes and trotted hare-footed in the hot sand — I know what it is. It is something frightful, to come to the point of death on account of thirst and heat. For that particular section I would ask of this Congress to make some suggestion and some demand from our National Congress to lure wells and to put signboards up showing the prospector how far he has to go to where he can get water, to help us to develop one part of our State, a great section of the same country lying in California, but making no discrimination betwen us. We must here be patriotic. That is the keynote of the meeting here of this Congress — we must be patriotic. We must not pull upon the table- cloth to reach the turkey. We must allow the turkey to be divided as best it can be divided for each and every section, for the mutual benefil of each and every section of the Trans-Mississippi territory. That is all I demand; that is all 1 ask; that is all 1 plead for. T plead for patriotism in its full sense and meaning, benefiting every section, hurting no industry, appealing to no prejudice, treating the railroad corporations and every other corporation as nicely as we would want to he treated our- selves, they being part and parcel of us, we having a permanent interest in each and every friend. Let us be patriotic in the full sense and meaning of the term. I did not come here prepared to make any speech whatever, but through about forty years' work upon the Pacific, beginning in Oakland, California, as a devil on the Oakland News, and entering upon my duties without any educa- tion, not knowing a word of English, I came from Canada, and without any education whatever, I have attempted to forge my way through, backed bj honesty, and I expect everyone to do the same thing, hacked hy bravery. Cowardice is the worst of all characteristics. Let us then be brave, be honest — one to the other — and our country is very prolific. The sun shines here so nicely; our earth is so rich; the soil thai produces our living is so bountiful; and cowardice becomes the worst of all the features of human nature in this portion of God's domain. Gentlemen, I thank you most kindly for this opportunity thai has been afforded me to speak for Nevada, and to speak for our entile section; and for the opportunity of listening to others, which 1 have enjoyed so much. (Pro- longed applause.) By President Case: The Committee on Resolutions has delegated me to say that they will not be prepared to submit their report before 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. By Past President Craig: Mr. Blochman, of Santa Maria, desires to have the floor for a few minutes. Oil. INDUSTRY OF CALIFORNIA. By Mr. I,. 10. Blochman, of Santo Maria: I was not prepared with the data to talk on this subject, as I was un- expectedly called upon, the oil Industry of California, but I will give you from memory some of the few salient points in a five-minute talk. California is known as the great gold state, but for the last two or three years it has grown to be the great petroleum state, the state that has the most oil of any state in the United States today. That will be a strange fact TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 165 to you, but the oil production for the last year was something like thirty- five or thirty-eight million dollars, about three million dollars greater than the gold production, and this next year it is going to reach considerably over forty million dollars value, and continue growing. We have no coal in this State to amount to anything. We could not carry on our industries, our manufactures, without oil. Los Angeles, fifteen years ago, had about fifty or sixty manufacturing plants. The first of January, nine months ago, they counted 1700 manufacturing plants in and around Los Angeles County — 1700 against about sixty or seventy-five, all being made possible through the oil in- dustry. Coal was worth at that time about ten or twelve dollars a ton, to land, and no facilities for getting sufficient of it. So that factor gave en- couragement to the oil industry. There are three leading localities for oil. There are minor places, but the three leading ones are the Kern fields, Coalinga, and Santa Maria. The Santa Maria field is the one where I am most interested. Around Los Angeles, there is a field, but the three largest ones are the ones I have indicated. The production from those different localities amounts this year to about forty million barrels of oil. Most of it is fuel oil. The Standard Oil Company uses about four million barrels, approximately, for refining purposes. The Union Oil Company, at Oleum, uses perhaps half of that. Nearly seven- eighths of the production is fuel oil. The two localities that have the most refinable oil are the Santa Maria district and the Coalinga district, and the Santa Maria leads in refinable products. The oil industry is being enlarged all the time, capital being available where the oil fields are anywhere near being proven territory. We are not asking for capital; we are simply telling the world what we have and the future of the development of oil. In the Santa Maria oil field we have the deep oil wells, sometimes we have to go thirty-five hundred feet for oil. The Santa Maria field was one of the first fields that withstood the encroachment of the Standard Oil Company. As regards prices: The prices two and three years ago were very depressing on account of their competition. I am not arguing against the Standard Oil Company. But the Union Oil Company and they had separate shipping points. The Standard Oil Company could not control that field because there the oil is piped thirty-five miles to Port Harford, on the ocean. That port, through the efforts of their Chamber of Commerce, has been made a port of entry, so that vessels can go from that port to China and Japan, or anywhere else in the world, without having to go to San Francisco to get listed. The fact that there is an open port and there was no railroad interference, allowed the Union Oil Company to compete with the Standard and in that way, and with the growing demand, the price has been fairly remunerative until the last year, since which time the price has been very remunerative, and today the demand for oil is so large that it is hardly keeping up with the development. There is quite a good deal to know about how oil is developed in this State, from the shallow well seven or eight hundred feet, of the Kern field, to the deep wells of the Santa Maria oil field; but ray time is limited and I could not tell you all about it. There is a well in the Santa Maria field which produces three to four thousand barrels a day. Of course, that is an exceptional well, the average being only two hundred and fifty to three hundred barrels. This locality has been free from wildcatting. There is quite a history to the oil development, and anyone that is interested in it can, by inquiry, find out about it. The principal growing industry in Cali- fornia today is that of oil and not gold. We have gold, but oil is getting ahead of it, and as we need the oil to develop the State, the demand is very encouraging. I thank you. (Applause.) By President Craig: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congress: You have heard repeatedly about transportation; you have heard something about the express business. The founder of the Pony Express across the continent, or from St. Louis to San Francisco, left behind him a son, and that gentleman will give you some of the early history of the express business of the West as started by his father. Mr. Greene Majors. "ORIGIN OF THE PONY EXPRESS," BY GREENE MAJORS, OF CALIFORNIA. By Mr. Majors, of Oakland: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: Some fifty years ago, in the later fifties of the last century, Senator Gwin represented California in the United States Senate. He importuned father, whose name was Alexander Majors, and an overland freighter of early days, to do something whereby he could demonstrate to the Congress of the United States that the Sierra Nevada Mountains could be traversed in the winter time. At that time it was 166 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS thought that nothing could ever pass through those great snows on the high ranges of the Sierra Nevadas. Father being a freighter and a western man, Air. Gwin suggested that lie run a line Of ponies from the Missouri River to Sacramento for at least out- winter in order to prove that the Sierra Nevadas could be traversed. Father told Mr. (Jwin that such a thing would be a losing business proposition, that no one could make such an enterprise as that pay. Mr. Gwin guarantied father thai he would see that the Congress of the United States reimbursed him for any losses, if any, if he would make the demonstration sought for. Father went ahead with the matter and put $100,000 gold coin into a line of ponies from St. Joe, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, some Son ponies: and 100 riders were employed to do that work. On the 3rd of April, I860, the first pony started from St. Joe, .Missouri, and at 1 he same time from Sacramento, going towards each other. Once every twenty-four hours a pony started from each of those places speeding on his way to his journey's end. The distance traversed was 2,000 miles. Those ponies made that distance in ten days, 200 miles a day. going day and night through storm and sunshine, through flood and dust, and over deserts and through the Indians. Riders were shot from their horses while speeding across the plains. In one case a horse came into the station with the rider mortally wounded, but he was enabled to deliver his parcel to the next rider, who met him there. The ponies covered that route for two winters; the Sierra Nevadas were crossed regularly; the mails were carried on time — very close schedule time. The demonstration that Mr. Gwin wanted was made. The Congress of the United States, acting on the showing that the Pony Express had made, gave the subsidies to the Pacific railroads that enabled those railroads to build from the Missouri River to California. I have heard it stated, although I do not recall the fact, that the subsidies given by the Government to those railroads were of such an amount that they not only built the railroads — the subsidies — but allowed about $30,000 profit per mile over and above the cost of the railroads. Be that as it may, it was a great national benefit to have those roads built. It has shown to the world what California is. At thai time the whole central country was regarded as a desert, where now are teem- ing acres, and millions of people are making ample living. Briefly referring to the Pony Express itself: The postage rate for a message over the route was $5 for a single ounce. Those messages were written on tissue paper, so as to get the most possible writing or message in for the least postage. When the first pony from the East arrived in Sacra- mento an immense concourse of people met it. A hand of music was out; the people were excited: it was a great event; and it is said thai the pony was decorated with ribbons and flowers and that every hair of its tail and of its mane was pulled out on the spot to be held as souvenirs. (Xiaughter.) The Pony Express, gentlemen, was a financial failure; it did not pay its expenses, although it earned five dollars an ounce for postage. At that time you understand the war was on. Father was a Southern man. and there was great war prejudice in Congress at the time; and while he was guar- anteed to be made good his loss, being a Southern man. he did not gel a cenl at that loss. That is merely incidental. 1 want to show you how these things are done, and what discouragemenl faced people who tried to do those things that the pioneers had to face at those times. The Western man of that day knew no such thing as fear. He knew no such thins- as "cannot." The word "succeed" was written plainly always before his eyes. Whatever he undertook to do he did. Nothing discouraging would stop or prevent him. Father at that time was running a great freighting business on the plains! He took the contract from the Government to transporl Johnson's army to Utah at the time of the Mormon uprising. Many of you gentlemen are proba- bly familiar with that. Fortunately no war took place. As you ride through Echo Canyon today, you will see where there are piles of rocks accumulated and assembled there. It was the intention of the Mormons at that time to roll tho.se rocks down on the troops and in that way destroj them. I thank you for your attention. (Applause.) By President Craig: Eadies and gentlemen, I will ask you if you will kindly come a little closer up to the platform. We are going to have a very distinguished speaker on the platform, and it will comfort him and be more convenient to you it' you come a little farther to the front. Some of you doubtless have taken the trouble to look into our daily newspapers, and you have discovered the bear gardens that have been made of our superior courts, and occasionally wo are regretful that there is not TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 167 a possibility of having some of the men who figure there removed from where they are entertaining themselves and their clients perhaps, but not the general public. But, notwithstanding the fact that some of our superior courts do not do credit to the city or to the State or to their neighborhood, we have had the good fortune in California for all the years I can remember, and they begin in 1870, to have in our Federal courts men distinguished for learning and honor and righteousness. No mistakes have been made by the Federal Government in the selection of those gentlemen who preside in the Federal courts; and as a matter of course, order is kept there in such shape as to remind us of the old style of English jurisprudence, where the men not only respect the- court, but respect each other, and nothing dis- reputable is allowed to happen there. One of these gentlemen has been selected by Mr. Carnegie to represent him on this Coast as one of the directors of the Carnegie Institute. To that Institute we are indebted for the developments going on in Santa Rosa, under the direction of Mr. Bur- bank, a wizard in plant life, and the funds for whose experiments have been provided by the Carnegie Institute. Mr. Burbank's experiments have been carried to such a stage that now he makes of a potato a fruit to grow on a tree. I am safe to say that he has developed ten thousand different varie- ties of plums, and what he will do yet it is hard to say. But where I came from, in the Cannibal Islands, we grow oysters on trees, and I have got that for him to beat. I take great pleasure in introducing to you Judge Morrow, of the United States Federal Courts, who will tell you something of the doings of the Carnegie Institute. "THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE." BY HON.WM.W. MORROW, OE CALIFORNIA. By Judge Morrow, of San Francisco: I hope that the circumstances of my belonging to the Federal Judiciary- has had nothing to do with the absence at this hour of so many of the mem- bers of this Congress. (Laughter.) I have not been invited here to say any- thing about the position that the judiciary will occupy in the upbuilding- of the Pacific Coast. I take it, therefore, that the management of this Con- gress expects that the judiciary shall be silent upon that particular propo- sition. But I think I can say voluntarily that whatever progress is made on the Pacific Coast in building up a civilization, sometime and somewhere the judiciary will be associated with such progress. (Applause.) It is law and order and the administration of justice that enable any people to develop the country in which they may live, so that in years hence when the people that shall inhabit this country shall have occasion to recite the various things that have contributed to the success of the country, I am sure that the judici- ary will be acknowledged as one of the elements of progress, if you have progress, as I believe you will. I have been asked to say something about the Carnegie Institution. Per- haps you know the Carnegie Institution of Washington received from its founder the sum of twelve million dollars as a fund, the income of which should be devoted to original investigation. Mr. Carnegie being a practical man, believes that there is an immense future for original investigation. He him- self attributes a large portion of his fortune to the fact that he was enabled to command the services of men who made original investigations in the line of metallurgy and the development of the industrial resources of the country where his fortune was made. He told me on one occasion that he believed that his success was largely attributable to the fact that he was able to secure the services of an original investigator with respect to the ores of Minnesota, which enabled him to acquire that property and which added so much to his fortune. Now he proposes to return them. He con- siders himself a trustee, and he proposes to return something of what he has received to the people of this country in the practical development of scientific measures. Therefore, among the various things that he has done has been the organization of the Carnegie Institution, which was organized in the year 1900, eight years ago. Mr. Daniel C. Gillman, former president of the University of this State, and afterwards president of Johns Hopkins University, was made the president of •,the Institution, and down to the year 1904 he performed those duties. He then recommended to the trustees that they should secure the services of a Ids REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS younger man to take his place, and he described the qualities of such a person who could make of the Carnegie Institution what it was intended to be. The trustees secured the services of Doctor Robert S. Woodward, of Columbia University, one of the leading scientists of this country and probably of the world, and he became the president of the Carnegie Institution. I'nder his guidance and under his direction it has been organized into various depart- ments, and your interest will be in knowing what those various departments are. I shall not describe them in detail: I will only refer to one or two, from which you can determine the value of the others. First, is the department of botanical research, with headquarters at Tucson. Arizona; second, the depart- ment of marine biology, with headquarters at Dry Tortugas, Florida; third. the department of evolution, at Cold Springs Harbor, New York; fourth, the department of historical research, with headquarters at Washington, D. C; tifth. the department of geophysical research, with headquarters at Washing- ton, D. C; sixth, tiie department of terrestrial magnetism, with headquarters at Washington. D. C. ; seventh, the department of economics and sociology. with headquarters at Worcester. Massachusetts; eighth, the department of re- search in nutrition, located at Boston, Massachusetts. I stop simply to say thai I am not aware why the department of research in nutrition should have been located at Boston, unless it was for the purpose of acquiring some infor- mation upon the nutrition of the people of that metropolis that develops their intellectual superiority. (Laughter.) Ninth, the department of solar research, whose observatory and laboratory are located at Pasadena, California; and the department of meridian astronomy, established temporarily at San Luis in the Argentine. Those are the ten departments that have been organized by the Carnegie Institution, and which are under the supervision and for which the income on twelve millions of dollars is used annually in their support. As I said, I cannot refer to all of these, but only to one or two that you may judge tin- value of this work as a whole from those I shall refer to. The department of terrestrial magnetism: Of course you all know that the location of the various continents and islands of the world is determined by what is called geodetic survey, and that the harbors and coast lines of all of the land have been very carefully and very accurately determined. The determina- tion of the position of a ship at sea is a matter of great consequence in navigation. In order to determine that, it is necessary that one shall know the variation of the magnetic needle of the compass. Without that knowledge no navigator could know precisely where he was. The fact that he may know that there is an island or a harbor located in any particular place by latitude and longitude is not entirely satisfactory unless he may know the variation of the magnetic needle in order that he may tell the direction he has been run- ning and where he is located on the ocean. The shores of the Pacific Ocean are occupied by many nations, and it has been impossible to secure the co- operation of the various countries in order to procure the means to make the survey of the Pacific Ocean. When the Carnegie Institution was organ- ized this subject came before them. We found that one of the serious difficul- ties in the navigation of the Pacfic Ocean was the lack of an accurate mag- netic survey, and that the Government of the United States did not feel called upon to make that survey; and neither did Great Britain nor Germany, nor any of the other nations that have islands and own possessions upon the Pacific Ocean. In this situation the Carnegie Institution came forward and took up the proposition of that survey, commencing about four years ago. The survey has been continually progressing during the last four years; and we have ascertained that the deviation of the magnetic needle has been very greatly a1 variance with what it was supposed to be, as determined hv various maps of the world. This survey has been carried forward until over 50,000 miles of the Pacific Ocean have been covered, and we have within the last year or two published the results of this magnetic survey so far as we have pro- gressed. The American fleet that is now crossing the Pacific Ocean is at pies ent sailing under our magnetic charts, furnished by the Carnegie Institution. (Applause.) For that work we have been appropriating $50,000 a year. In order to continue this work we have found that it was necessaryto build a vessel for that vocation alone. And at this moment we are engaged in building a vessel that shall be designed and prepared and fitted up expressly for the continuation of this magnetic survey. In the last report the director points out tin- fact that there are many variations in the neighborhood of our islands here, which sometimes amount to more than from one to five degrees. Vim can very well understand what position a navigator is in with his ship, these ureal ships are being built, with charts based upon a magnetic survey thai varies from one to five degrees. That is the condition that exists. Th. prosperity of the world is largely dependent upon its commerce: the building of vessels and the sending across these seas the commerce of one country and exchanging it with the commerce of the other; and one of TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 169 the important matters is that these large vessels shall be able to traverse these oceans with a certainty that the navigator knows where he is and where he is going to, amid wind and storm and tide. That is what the Carnegie Insti- tion is doing in that direction; and within four or five years we will be able to furnish to the vessels of the world an extremely accurate survey, more accurate than has ever been made in the history of the world. (Applause.) That must be and ought to be of interest to you gentlemen who are inter- ested in this Trans-Mississippi country. The next matter to which I might properly refer is the department of solar research, the observatory of which is located at Pasadena, California. We are building a solar observatory at Pasadena that will cost perhaps a half million. The purpose of this is to study the sun only. This is not an astronomical observatory to consider the stars and determine the parallax and work out the various phases of the solar depths; but, as I said before, Mr. Carnegie, being a practical man, conceived this notion: That as we are dependent upon the sun, it is important for us to know the physical properties of the sun and its influence upon the tide, the wind and so forth, and that the most scientific men in the world should be gathered together at the most advantageous place in the world, and that they should, for fourteen years, give their absolutely exclusive time and attention to the studying of the sun. That observatory is nearly completed, and we have sent out over the world and are now getting together a staff of men who will devote their entire time to the study of the sun — as I said, its physical properties and its influence upon this planet. That will be of considerable importance; it will be of prac- tical advantage, I have no doubt, in many ways, and in so many ways that I shall not attempt to enumerate them. The next department that I think may be of interest is the department of botanical research, which was one of the earliest departments organized. The purpose of that department is to study, as you can well understand from its name, plant life and its development — research in that direction. In that department is Mr. Burbank of Santa Rosa, who is contributing to the interest and to the edification of the scientific world his investigations that he has been making for the last thirty or forty years. In a very short time the Car- negie Institution will be able to give to the world the benefit of his research in the line of plant life. But that is not all; we are not stopping at that. We have an extensive laboratory at Tucson, Arizona. The purpose of that is to study plant life under the conditions prevailing west of the Missouri River. You gentlemen, coming from the states west of Missouri, will of course under- stand that our climatic conditions are different from what they are else- where in the United States; and you can understand very well that it is im- portant that we should know all about the plant life under the arid conditions that prevail in many parts of the' Pacific Coast. The Department of Agriculture has taken up many of the problems and the questions that relate to plant life on this coast, and they are doing a great work, but the Carnegie Institution has selected from that field certain lines of investigation which the Department of Agriculture does not undertake; and we are pursuing that investigation. The purpose of that investigation is that the world may know all that there is in the advantages of the soil of the Pacific Coast. I was surprised that my friend, Mr. Chartz, coming from Nevada, should speak so about his state, Nevada, that it was not such a bright star, and that it had many things that he preferred should be different. Now, Nevada is considerable of a star; and it will be much more of a star when it has all of its arid waste developed by irrigation and reclamation. A gentleman has said that this Congress was really the progenitor of the reclamation system. That reclamation system that we have throughout the West is going to make of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and all of these Western States a most fruit- ful country. They will be rich not only in mines and in oil, but rich in their agricultural exploits. The Carnegie Institution is going to contribute in certain lines not taken up by others. I ought to have said in this connec- tion that the Carnegie Institution has one rule for its investigation, namely, it occupies no ground already occupied by any other effort. If the Govern- ment occupies a certain ground, we do not touch it; if any institution, univer- sity or college or fund contributed by any individual, takes up any line of investigation, we do not take that up. We take up only something different. The result is that the Carnegie Institution is engaged in exclusive, original research for the benefit of mankind. (Applause.) It so happens that most of this work is being done for the benefit of the Pacific Coast, or at least the benefit of the states that are west of the Missouri River; because with respect to the conditions that prevail in the Eastern States and in Europe, most of those things are already known; but the new. the untried, and the interesting features of the United States are in these Western States, and in that line it is. Another rule of the Carnegie Institution is, never to say what you are 170 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS going to do. The president and none of tin- trustees are expected to say any- thing about the future, only to speak of the past; and bo far as I have made any sort of suggestion as to the future, I have trespassed upon this rule. The rule is, only when the Carnegie Institution has done anything, that amounts to a complete realization, that then and not until then shall anything be said about it. Therefore. I shall not say anything as to what will he done in the future. At any rate, this institution lias undertaken to cover other grounds which I need not mention; I may say this, though, T think, with becom- ing propriety, that the institution is in the hands of men who realize the necessity and the value of original research. The chairman of the executive committee is Mr. Elihu Root; a member of the committee is Mr. \v. II. Taft; a member of the executive committee is also Seth Low of New York. Governor Montague, of Virginia, is a member; Mr, Andrew D. White, formerly Minister to Germany, and formerly president of the Cornell University, is one of the active trustees. There are eighteen gentlemen whose names 1 might mention, like Mr. Carroll D. Wright, former commissioner of Labor, and who is now president of Clark University in Massachusetts. All these gentlemen are thoroughly interested in the new developments, in the new scientific investi- gation that is going on in the world and particularly in the United States. I thank you for your attention. (Prolonged applause.) By President Craig: I would undertake the responsibility but I understand it is irregular, and I will ask if somebody representing one of the arid states or the Western States would move a resolution of thanks to the Carnegie Institute, and to its representative on this Coast for the developments made to plant life. I think it will be highly appreciated. By Mrs. Scipio Craig, of California: I have the honor to make this motion: RESOLVED, That the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, in its nineteenth annual session assembled in San Francisco, express its thanks to the Carnegie Institute for sending our distinguished AW \v. Morrow to speak to us on the subject of that institution: and also thai this Congress express its enthusiastic appreciation of the grand work accomplished and now being so successfuly carried on by the Carnegie Institute. By Mr. Craigie Sharp, of California: I second the motion. By President Craig: You have heard the resolution. I am safe to say that it could be seconded by every member of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, if present, every one of them, that the thanks of this Congress and its hearty appreciation for the Carnegie Institute and its development of the West shall be sent to that institution. I will ask for a rising vote. The motion is carried unanimously by a standing vote. The suggestion has been made that Coos Bay desires the opportunity of saying a few words in reference to the coal deposits of that country, and that Mr. Peter Loggie give us a little talk on the subject. Ladies and gentle- men, this is Mr. Peter Loggie, of North Rend, Oregon. After Mr. Loggie has completed his remarks we will take a recess until 2 o'clock. POSSIBILITIES OK coos It \ ^ . By Mr. Loggie, of Norih Bend, Oregon! I can assure you that this has been sprung on me and finds me very much unprepared. But while here I can tell you thai Coos Bay in the future will cut a figure on this Western slope. So far as the coal of Coos Bay is concerned, 1 can tell you this: Thai there are four hundred square miles, according to the survey made by the Government engineers, underlaid with coal. That coal is a lignite carrying about 50 per cent carl. on. People acquainted with coal will know what that means. That coal has been part of the fuel of San Francisco for the last forty \e;irs. It Is considered in value, 1 believe, to be perhaps a little ahead of any other coal at its price thai is used In this vicinity. As far as the, (tovernment is concerned, we have had in the lasl year I do 7iot know whether experimentally or not- three torpedo boats and one torpedo boat destroyer to coal there, and a greal many people have made investigations TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 171 in various ways with regard to this coal. "We have not yet a formal answer from these officials as to just exactly what their investigations mean; but the very fact of their going there and the Government sending its boats, means a great deal to Coos Bay, and I think to the Pacific Coast as well. I believe Coos Bay is the only Government coaling station owned by the United States on this Coast — that is, it is the only place where vessels can enter and take a cargo of native coal. I might tell you a great deal more of Coos Bay; I might tell you that tributary to Coos Bay there are, according to the best estimates, twenty-six billion feet of timber; and I might also tell you that the farmers of the Coos Bay country are getting rich. When I went there fourteen or fifteen years ago it took two farmers to own a skiff between them; today a farmer who does not own a steam launch has something serious the matter with him. There are today about 240 gasoline launches on the bay owned by farmers and others. I did not come here prepared to speak about Coos Bay. There are many other things I might tell you. The Government report made last year carries with it two recommendations: Recommendation No. 1 is for a dredge costing $160,000, to be operated and maintained at a cost of half a million dollars, including the cost of the dredge; the second recommendation is that there be two dredges built, carrying with them a cost of $2,000,000. The fact of these recommendations being made by the Government, and of the Government boats having coaled there, is one of the reasons I put a resolution before this Congress asking that the bay be fortified, and that it be made a coaling station. Every captain coming there, at once says, "This is a place that should be fortified." At the entrance to Coos Bay is an immense rock which runs for several miles and it is quite high, a solid rock where a large disappearing gun could be placed at a distance from the face of the rock, so that no one would know it was there, and it could command the ocean shore for fifteen miles, so that no enemy could come there. That is one of the features of Coos Bay, and the reason it should be fortified. It can be fortified with very little expense. Another reason is the position it occupies geographically. The great Columbia River at one side of the boundary of Oregon, with California on the other leaves a coast line of 600 miles unprotected. Coos Bay happens to be about the middle of that, opening a country not tributary to California or to Oregon, one of the most fertile parts of Oregon or of this continent. I do not want to take up your time; I believe it is nearly noon, and I think that most of you would rather have your dinner than to listen to me. (Applause.) By Secretary Francis: Before the recess, let me suggest that this afternoon at 3 o'clock, Dr. David Starr Jordan, the president of Leland Stanford University, will speak on "The Preservation of the Fishes of the Pacific Coast." By Past President Craig: The Secretary has anticipated the Chair. Mr. Case, your president asked me to make that notification, and asked you to be here promptly, because Mr. Jordan will give us something not only intellectual, but entertaining. If there is one thing to be fostered in California it is the fish industry. Just think God Almighty provides the fish and all we have to do is to bring them to shore! Here we have to pay ten or twelve cents a pound for the fish. In Nevada or Idaho one has to buy land and they have to buy the cattle and fence them in and sometimes they put them on lands that do not belong to them; the cattle raiser has to keep them three years before he sells them and then all he gets is five cents a pound. All we have to do is to put hatcheries in our rivers and let a year pass after they are hatched and they go to sea and in two years come back and all we have to do is to take them out of the water. Dr. Jordan is the master of ichthyology, not only on this Coast and on this continent, but the world over. By Vice-President Pryor: I want to explain and apologize for the lack of attendance this morning. Most of the members of this Congress have been on the automobile tour. We did not get in until very late and most of us have not arrived yet. They have all promised to be here at the afternoon session, and we all hope to have a large attendance this afternoon. (An adjournment was here taken.) TENTH SESSION The Congress was called to order at 2:30 o'clock p. m., Vice-President Col. W. H. Baker, of Des Moines, Iowa, in the chair. By Vice-President Baker: The first thing on the program this afternoon, gentlemen, is an address by Captain J. W. Howell, of Seattle, who will address you upon the topic, "The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909." I present to you Captain Howell. (Applause.) THE AL,ASKA-YUKON-I»ACIFIC EXPOSITION OF 1009. By < :i|'i:iin Howell, of Seattle: Ladies and Gentlemen: I would be more pleased if there were a larger attendance this afternoon, and there ought to be. But what we lack in num- bers at this time is made up in quality, so I shall be satisfied. I notice present quite a number of ladies. There lias never been much said to the ladies during my attendance, and I do not know but I shall say something to them. It is not often that I am called upon to address so many of the fair sex at one time — one at a time is an elegant sufficiency for me. (Laughter.) I do not propose to waste any time in preliminaries, Mr. Chairman, but I want to give to this Congress and to this audience a message, Mr. Chair- man, an important message to which I would like to have them all listen carefully. Some little time ago I mentioned to our efficient secretary, Geo. E. Boos, of the Seattle Commercial Club, that it would be a great pleasure for me to attend your Congress session here in this rehabilitated Greater San Francisco on this date. He remarked, "Would you like to represent this club as a delegate?" I said. "Yes. certainly:" and here I am, not only a delegate but also down on program for discussion on the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. We feel proud of the city of Seattle: we feel proud of the city of Spokane: we feel proud of Taeoma. and of our sister city, Portland, and we feel prouder still of this great rehabilitated Greater San Francisco. (Applause.) I have been more or less in touch with the world and its people, and in assisting in the building of the West, and particularly Seattle and Washington state. As you know this State is preparing for a great exposition in said city of Seattle next year, at which will be displayed all those things of which we boast. There will be people from all quarters of the globe that will rind the convincing proof of the development and the possibilities of this por- tion of our continent, including the wonderful Alaska. The good people of Seattle will leave nothing undone to impress you with their cordial hospitality, this spirit which is representative of the people of the entire State, and ladies and gentlemen, those that will attend can go home, no matter if they go to the end of the earth, can say con- scientiously that when the gates of the A-Y-P-E are thrown open on June the first, 1909, they can walk into an exposition grounds where no one is employed except in the upkeep until it is finished. Somebody has said there is no North, no South; but a great Northwest. We feel proud of the city of Seattle, with its prosperity, progress, and popu- lated with 250,000 people. I find that every time I go away from Seattle and return again I always find a new city. It is impossible for me to memorize the data of expositions, if so I would have to commit to memory every line of Holy Writ from Genesis to Malachi, and from Matthew to Revelation, hence f will have to ask your Indulgence while I endeavor to imparl to you all the facts and points of this great project. I think it was Homer that said. "No audience can be well entertained by long speeches or long articles," however, I will have to ask of you to give me time so that I can impart to this vast assemblage, members of the Congress, delegates, and others, the important points connected with our exposition, therefore you will kindly bear with me while I do more reading than talking. The Alaska- Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which will be held during the summer of 1909, at the city of Seattle, U. S. A., on Pugei Sound, one of the great commercial ports of the world, will be an important international expo- sition, costing $la. (too. noil. The primary purpose of the exposition is to exploit the resources and potentialities of Alaska and Yukon territories in the United States and the Dominion of Canada, and to make known and to foster the vast importance of the trade of the Pacific Ocean and of the countries bordering thereon. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 173 It will also demonstrate the marvelous progress of Western America, where, within a radius of 1,000 miles of Seattle live 7,500,000 persons who are directly interested in making the Exposition the true exponent of their material wealth and development. THE GROUNDS. Work on the grounds and buildings is further advanced at this stage than at any former exposition, and everything will be in readi- ness on opening day. A portion of the campus of Washington University, the Exposition grounds are 250 acres in extent, twenty minutes' ride from the business section of the city, and have been pronounced by competent authority as, scenically, the finest ever used for such purpose. Situated between two beautiful fresh water lakes, Lake Washington bordering on the east, and Lake Union on the west, the grounds present unsurpassed stretches of water front and tall, statelv giants of the forest: entrancing vistas, gentle slopes and commanding terraces add to the beauty of the picture. The principal thoroughfare, Rainier Avenue, is on a direct line with that white- cloaked sentinel. Mount Rainier, 14,526 feet in height — we always talk in feet; one of the gentlemen of Colorado talked in miles, but this is feet — whose perpetual snow-capped peak may be plainly seen from the grounds; on the west the snow-covered Olympics, and on the east Mount Baker towering over the white-capped Cascade Range, are in plain view. Esplanades and ornate boat landings adorn the lake shores, which permit many aquatic features to be presented. THE PALACES. Fifteen large buildings of surpassing beauty and grace are grouped in a unique manner around a highly embellished court. These are as follows: Agriculture, Manufactures, Fisheries, Mines, Machinery, Fine Arts, Transportation. Foreign, Auditorium, Forestry, United States Government, Alaska, Hawaii, Philippines, and Government Fisheries. Around these cluster the Administration group, State, Concessions, Foreign and smaller pseudo exhibit buildings. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. Uncle Sam will expend $600,000 for his part of the Exposition. Five handsome buildings will hold a multitudinous array of displays of the general Government, Alaska and Hawaii, Philippines and Fisheries of the Pacific Coast. Authority has pronounced the United States Government buildings the best ever erected for exhibit purposes by Uncle Sam at any world's fair. THE STATES. There will be about fifteen handsome state buildings at the Exposition. Oregon, which appropriated $100,000, has a stately structure. California's grant of $100,000 will be expended in erecting a large building in the old Spanish mission style. Washington state will have a majestic building costing more than other state buildings on the grounds. The Exposition State appropriated $1,000,000 for its participation. New York, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri and Pennsylvania will erect beautiful edifices, and about eight other commonwealths are planning to take part. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION. Foreign nations will be represented on a large scale. There will be many foreign pavilions and displays, showing the material progress of the countries which, on account of the international aim of the Exposition, are vitally interested, emphasize the foreign exhibits. THE EXHIBITS. Life, color, motion and variety are the chief charac- teristics of all exhibits. The demonstration of interesting processes of pro- duction and manufacture is the rule in all departments. The transformation of raw material, stage by stage, into the marketable, finished product will be exemplified. PAY STREAK. The amusement section of the Exposition, known at Chicago as the Midway, at St. Louis as the Pike, at Portland as the Trail, at Jamestown as the Warpath, will be known at Seattle as the Pay Streak, a term well known to miners in all countries and especially to those who have worked along the Pacific Coast and in Alaska. The Pay Streak will be a mile in length and will have thirty meritorious attractions, new in every respect and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. CLIMATE. Exposition visitors will experience no unpleasant weather. Seattle does not suffer any great extremes of either heat or cold. In the summer the temperature rarely reaches ninety degrees, and in winter never goes as low as zero. The annual mean temperature is 51.4 degrees, and the annual rainfall averages 37.65 inches. LOW RATES. The transcontinental railroads will have low rates in effect from Eastern points to the Pacific Coast. All rates from Western points will be equally favorable, with stopover privileges. It will be just as cheap to travel to the Pacific Coast in 1909 as to stay at home. Many thousands of persons who know the West only by name will have an unparalleled chance to visit the Pacific Coast, Alaska, British Columbia and Yukon in 1909 and view the innumerable scenic attractions which are not surpassed in grandeur anywhere else in the world. Besides the wonders of the Exposition, there are many interesting side trips that may be taken to points near Seattle at the expenditure of little time and money. 174 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS ACCOMMODATluNs. Seattle, essentially a city of hotels, will be able to take care of comfortably, at reasonable rates, the largest crowd of visitors that will be at the Exposition at one time. THE AI.ASKA-Yl 'KON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION, 1!>0S>. Sou may talk about Chicago, St. Louis, Buffalo. But the A-Y-P that is to be will be the place to go: For hospitality the West has always been in line, So let Seattle be your goal in nineteen hundred nine. A stands Cor Alaska that Russia to us sold, And what was thought a barren waste turned out a land of gold, "With tin and copper, coal and oil, and finest grazing lands, Alaska is a country that our respect commands. Y is the mighty Yukon, that flows through that great land. Where gold is found in plenty upon her bars of sand; Where ships with treasure laden each season you can see. Two thousand miles 'tis from the head down to the Behring Sea. P for the grand Pacific and its coast of spruce and pine, The mighty highway to the "East" by far the shortest line; The people on its borders have much of wit to boast. That's why this Fair will be out there on the Pacific Cjast. No need to go to Europe for pleasure or for rest, The Coast has scenery just as grand, the climate is the best; No need to go to England, to France, or on the Rhine, Just come out to Seattle in nineteen hundred nine. "Go West," said Horace Greeley, and many came out West, 'Tis true that many Pioneers have long been laid to rest, But those that followed after have worked along their line, How well they've done will all be seen in nineteen hundred nine. (Applause.) I am authorized to say that if any or all of you visit Seattle during this exposition that they will give you a hearty greeting and a hearty welcome. The Chamber of Commerce, the club to which I belong, the Commercial Club which has one thousand members, the fraternal societies, the people — and even the police officers — everything and everybody will give you a hearty welcome. But I want to say right here that if you do come to Seattle, the people are hospitable, and their charges, you may depend upon it. will be very reasonable and thoroughly satisfactory. Mr. Chairman, and Eadies and Gentlemen, for the courtesy shown by this body, and for the courtesy shown by the members of the press, the Associated and other press associations. I will simply close by using three Anglo-Saxon words, "I thank you." (Applause.) By Chairman Baker: The next speaker upon the program is the Honorable Alfred C. Rulofson. representing the commercial bodies of this city. I now have the pleasure of introducing to you Mr. Rulofson. (Applause.) "MARK ISLAND NAVY YARD," BY MR. ALFRED C. RULOFSON OF CALDTORNIA. By Mr. Hiilof.son. San Francisco! Mr. Chairman, and Ladies and Gentlemen: I had entrusted to me today, at noon, a matter of vital importance to bring before this convention. 1 think that it would have been better to have taken it up yesterday — I think possi- bly we are a little late, or a little out of order in the matter, but it Is one of such vital importance to every man, woman and child of the whole United States, that I trust you will bear with me patiently and consider well what I say upon the subject, It would have been desirable to have somebody with more eloquenl powers present it to you. but my heart is in the right place in this matter, and I trust you will make allowances for any jerkiness in the presentation of the matter. You all know that quite recently we had sixteen <>!' the finest battleships and cruisers that ever sailed upon the broad In. sum of the ocean, steam In through our Pacific gate. You all know, or generally you know, why they did A. ('. RILOFSOX, San Francisco. V THE UNIVERSE* of ■o*& TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 175 so. You probably know that there was a great effort made to retain those ships on this Coast, either for good or for insufficient reasons. At a banquet that we gave to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, in Oakland, during the visit of the fleet, he was urged to keep that fleet on the Pacific Coast, and his reason given at that time why he did not do it, was because we had no adequate facilities for taking care of such a fleet. I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, what good is a fleet if you cannot take care of it ? We have neither yards nor docks of sufficient capacity to take care of those ships in times of peace. How great a disadvantage we would be at in times of war. Suppose that fleet sailed forth, as they no doubt would, to defend this harbor, and every other harbor upon the Pacific Coast, and in the natural course of events, some of those ships, through the attacks of their opponents, should meet with even a slight disaster. Where would they be repaired ? What would become of them ? Some people claim that they could not go to Mare Island, and I think there is some foundation for the claim, because of the lack of depth of water. Those ships, disabled as they would be, would then have to sail twelve hundred miles to Bremerton, and, while Bremerton could take care of them if they were there, it is indeed problematical if they would ever get there, with a hostile fleet harassing them. The probability is that such ships would either be sunk or captured. There are people in the Orient that have the same idea that we have about collecting curiosities and antiques and souvenirs from foreign countries. Our whole United States is filled with specimens of their handicraft. I heard an Oriental say the other day, when he read about you good people from Colorado presenting a silver service to the cruiser that is named after your magnificent State, that it would look fine on the Emperor's table. What Emperor did he mean ? We have no emperors in the United States. This general matter is considered of such great Importance that com- mittees have been appointed from the eleven commercial organizations of San Francisco to draft a letter to send to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy on this subject of the Pacific Coast navy yards. This letter was prompted from the fact that some months ago President Roosevelt, hearing so much question about the depth of water and the inability of battleships to reach the Mare Island Navy Yard, appointed a commission, or a board of engineers, to examine into and report on the depth of water and the condi- tion of the channel and approaches to Mare Island. That board was not in- structed to go beyond that, and, as they were a military or a naval board, they hewed straight to the line, and considered no other subject except the channel and its approaches to Mare Island. We feel that something broader should be done; another board should be immediately appointed to report on the ability of the Mare Island Navy Yard to take care of the ships after the channel is provided, that the dockage facilities should be increased, that there should be berths prepared for those ships to lie in. that there should be great industrial shops to do everything that is necessary to a battleship, even from laying the keel to making a gun. This is what we feel, and, carrying out that feature, this letter was written, to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, Victor H. Metcalf. By Vice-President Baker: Let me interrupt long enough to call upon Colonel H. D. Loveland, former President of this organization, to preside. Colonel H. D. Loveland, Past President, San Francisco, in the chair. Mr. I( ill nl son. proceeding (reads): San Francisco, September 25, 1908. Honorable Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C. Sir: The Board appointed by order of the President on the recommenda- tion of your department as contained in your letter of February 26, 1908, was instructed "to thoroughly investigate the question of the hydraulics of Mare Island straits and approaches, having in view the construction of the works for the permanent improvement of the approaches and straits so that ships of the deepest draft can go up to the Mare Island Navy Yard," and, acting under these instructions, it has recommended a plan for deepening and maintaining the channel in Mare Island straits and on the bar at their mouth which contemplates the extension of the present system of dykes with addition thereto and the dredging of the channel to the required depth. At a public banquet given in your honor by the city of Oakland on the 176 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS evening of May 9 last, in referring- to the sentiment which generally pre- vailed here at the time- that a portion of the Reel then in fhese waters should be retained here for the defense of the Pacific Coast, you made the statement that this idea could not be carried out because the necessary facilities for the eare of a battleship tleet were lacking. There is no doubt of the correctness of the opinion which you expressed on that occasion, in the minds of those who have given the matter any thought for an investigation of the conditions will show that there were but two dry- docks on this Coast of sufficient size to accommodate a modern battleship, one of which is located at the United States Naval Station at Bremerton, Wash- ington, and the other at Hunter's Point in San Francisco Pay. Against this the Atlantic Coast, with but about one-third greater extent of coast line, has sixteen docks available. To the residents of this Coast it appears to be of the utmost importance that steps be immediately taken to provide the requisite facilities for caring for a strong defensive fleet in* these waters, for while they are not alarmists. they realize that without such facilities a fleet would soon be rendered use- less in the event of attacks by a hostile nation. It also realizes that it will require several years to provide these facilities, and it is advisable on that account that the inauguration of the work be not delayed. This cannot be accomplished by the mere provision and maintenance of a channel having sufficient depth to permit the passage of battleships of present day draft between San Francisco Bay and the Mare Island Navy Yard, for, with that object attained, the facilities for docking and repairing an adequate battleship fleet would still be lacking. It is imperative that additional berthing facilities be provided, for at present there is barely sufficient space to properly berth two ships and quite recently when fire control was installed on the vessels comprising the Pacific fleet, it was necessary to berth four of the armored cruisers two abreast and these, with eight torpedo boats and one auxiliary vessel, taxed the facilities .if the yard to the utmost limit. It is quite as important that adequate berthing facilities be provided as that the channel of sufficient depth be' obtained, for it would be useless to send ships to the yard if they could not be properly taken care of on their arrival. The conditions prevailing at the yard are far from being what they should be or could be in any modern, privately owned plant of one-tenth its size and importance. The arrangement of the various shops might be greatly improved at no large expense, while the facilities for handling the work and for transporting it are susceptible of almost unlimited improvement. Some provision should also be made for delivering the mat. rial at the yard by rail, which under existing conditions must be delivered by barge or lighter, causing additional expense for transportation charges and handling. There can be no reasonable doubt of the necessity of at least two first class navy yards on t he Pacific Coast — the one located at Bremerton and the other at Mare Island. It would be impossible to do without either in the event of an attack upon any of our "'cast cities, for it would be as im- practicable to repair a fleet acting in defense of San , rancisco, at the Bremer- ton Navy Yard, as it would be to repair one acting in defense of New Fork, at Portsmouth. Believing that the Board which lias lately investigated and reported on the question of the approaches of the Mare Island Navy Yard may have been influenced in its recommendation by the limitations placed upon it by the instructions contained in its orders, the undersigned hereby respectfully petition that in your forthcoming message to the President you recommend that another commission be immediately appointed which shall be instructed to investigate and report not only in respect to the approaches to the Mare Island* Navy Yard, but also as to the conditions at present prevailing; and to recommend a plan whereunder a channel of sufficient depth to permit the passage of ships of the deepest draft to the yard can be maintained and adequate facilities provided to care for a battleship fleet of such size as might be required to keep in these waters in an emergency. It is respectfully suggested that the hoard be C prised of four members, two of which shall be ex-members of the late hoard of investigation, one a naval constructor who is thoroughly familiar with navy yard requirements, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 177 and the fourth a civilian of broad experience in the equipment and operation of large privately owned modern plants. Respectfully submitted, THE CALIFORNIA PROMOTION COMMITTEE, Rufus P. Jennings, Chairman. CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF TRADE, Arthur R. Briggs, President. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SAN FRANCISCO, James McNab, Vice-President. THE MERCHANTS EXCHANGE, James Rolph Jr., President. MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO. Andrew M. Davis, President. PACIFIC COAST JOBBERS & MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA. A. C. Rulofson. President. CALIFORNIA METAL DEALERS ASSOCIATION. A. L. Scott. BOARD OF TRADE OF SAN FRANCISCO, A. A. Watkins, President. SHIPOWNERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PACIFIC COAST. W. H. Marston. President. OAKLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Edwin Stearns, Secretary. MERCHANTS EXCHANGE OF OAKLAND, H. H. Gard, President. ALAMEDA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Frederick W. D'Evelvn, Vice-President. BERKELEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, G. B. Ocheltree, President. MANUFACTURERS AND PRODUCERS ASSOCIA- TION OF CALIFORNIA. J. Parker Currier, Vice-President. To the Secretary of the Navy, Washington. In furtherance of the object of that letter, a letter was sent to the commercial organizations of the Pacific States, outside of California, and another in almost identical language to the commercial organizations within the state of California, the first-mentioned letter being as follows, and having enclosed with it a copy of the letter to the Secretary: San Francisco, October 1, 1908. Gentlemen: The importance to the entire Pacific Coast of having adequate navy yards on this Coast to care for the ships of the United States Navy that should be in Pacific waters is evident to all. The reason that there is not a larger fleet in the Pacific at the present time is mainly because the facilities for repairing the ships are inadequate. The Secretary of the Navy made this statement at a public function during his visit to the Coast in May last. The Pacific Coast needs at least two up-to-date navy yards — one at Bremerton and one at Mare Island — and the co-operation of all the commercial organizations is desired to influence the National Congress to a realization of this fact. A recent commission appointed by the President examined the approaches of Mare Island Navy Yard, California, and made a report thereon, but it is desired to have a still more definite report on this yard. To this end, a letter has been sent to the Secretary of the Navy, copy of which is enclosed. It is urgently requested that your organization co-operate in this matter (as we are ever ready to co-operate with you in matters of mutual interest), by addressing a letter to the Secretary of the Navy at Washington, endorsing the letter sent to him, and urging that the recommendation therein con- tained be carried out. It is also requested that you ask the press of your locality to take up the matter and give it encouragement. This anticipated action on your part is in the interests of all the Pacific States, and I am sure we may count upon your co-operation. Awaiting your replv, I am, Very sincerely yours, J. O. HARRON, Chairman Committee on Navy Yard. We are also advised that other Chambers of Commerce all over the Pacific Coast are endorsing this letter, and are sending letters to the Secretary of the Navy. Copies have been presented to the entire Pacific Coast delegation, and we have here some letters from some of the gentlemen in which they have promised us their greatest support. 178 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS You gentlemen from Oregon, Washington and California, Nevada and Utah, and the gentlemen from every other state represented in the Trans- Mississippi Commercial Congress, are just as much interested as we are in maintaining not only the navy yards, but a navy on the Pacific Coast, with facilities sufficient to take care of that fleet. What is the use of having the guns, what is the use of having the men behind the guns, unless you have a place to house them? What is the use of having the horse and buggy, if you haven't a stable to put them in? We must have adequate facilities on this Coast to take care of a fleet, before we will have the fleet, and if we do not do it very quickly, we may find someone coming over here and moving us, bag and baggage, to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, and then we won't need anything — our troubles will all be at an end. Tomorrow a resolution will be introduced endorsing the sentiments ex- pressed in this letter, and it is hoped that it will meet with the unanimous approval of this convention. I thank you for your attention. (Applause.) By President Loveland: Protection to the Pacific Coast, or to any other coast of this country, is protection to all parts of the country. I sincerely trust that Mr. Rulofson's sentiments will find a hearty response in the hearts of those who are attend- ing this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Ladies and Gentlemen: One year ago, at the session of this Congress in Oklahoma, I inaugurated a practice which I believe could well be fol- lowed up in this and the future sessions of the Trans-Mississippi Commer- cial Congress, or of that other great congress which is working along upon allied lines, namely, the National Irrigation Congress. And that was, that where we were to hear from a speaker, and desiring that the audience should know something of him, I requested someone who knew him possibly better than the presiding officer, to introduce him. I am therefore going to follow that practice at this time, and am going first to present to you a gentleman who needs no introduction to a California audience, and I doubt if he needs an introduction to anyone here, a gentleman who has twice been President of the National Irrigation Congress, and who for many years has been a great worker in this Congress. I have met and worked with him at least at five or six different sessions of this Congress. He is a man whom Californians have honored in the past, and, if I am any prophet, one whom they will honor in the future. I take pleasure in introducing to you Honorable George C. Pardee, former Governor of California. (Applause.) REMARKS BY FORMER GOVERNOR PARDEE. By ex-Goveruur Pardee, of California: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: California has many things of which she is proud, and many things of which she with right boasts. But of none of the things of which she is proud, or of which she boasts, is she prouder or does she boast louder, than of her two great universities, one supported by the State, the other inaugurated and supported by the beneficence and the philanthropy of one of her foremost citizens, now de- ceased; one, the University of California, the other the Iceland Stanford Jr. University. Our two million people (we have just a little less than two million people in this State) send five thousand of their young men and young women to those universities, which are not rivals in any sense of the word, but coadjutors and friends in the education of the young people of this State, and I may say. also of this Nation. Those two universities are the direct result of the foresight of the pioneers of the state of California, those young, hardy, energetic men, who came to this State in 1849, the pick and pride of t lie Nation and of the world, who came here, not with the idea of staying, but merely with the idea of gaining a fortune and returning to their own Eastern homes, but yet who, when stained with the mud of the mines, and in their overalls and woolen shirts, went down to Monterey to draft a constitution for the State which they themselves had no idea of Inhabiting, they placed in that constitution provisions for a free public school system. They, without families and without children, looked into the future of the state of California, provided a free public school system, aarv OF ' ±)> I>R. DAVID STARK JORDAN, Palo Alto, California. Pre.siilent Leland Stanford Jr. University. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 179 crowned by a great university. Their forethought has been more than realized. We have two universities. You heard the other day from the president of the State University. Today you are to listen to President Jordan, of the Leland Stanford Jr. University (applause), one of the great men of this State, one of the great men of this country, a man who is doing more, possibly, for the state of California, in conjunction with the sister institution, more for the state of California, more for the United States of America, by implanting into the minds and the very fiber of the young people with whom he comes in contact that great, loyal, patriotic American citizenship, which will tell and be the salvation, perhaps, of this country in its hour of need. President Jordan is, as I have said, one of our great men. He is great in science; he is great in politics, that kind of politics which is patriotic, that kind of politics which speaks for the betterment of the country, and the people of the state of California are proud to have him here and are proud to introduce him today, through me, to you. (Applause.) "THE PRESERVATION OF OIK FISHES," BY DAVID STARR JORDAN, PRESIDENT OF LELAND STANFORD JR. UNIVERSITV. By Dr. Jordan, of Palo Alto: Ladies and Gentlemen: I am going to talk to you this afternoon about the preservation of our fishes. I think this is perhaps the worst hall to speak in that I have ever known, and so I shall not in any way endeavor to give you any samples of oratory, but I shall talk to you just as plainly as I can on the particular subject at issue. The present Administration is perhaps going to be best known by its relation towards the conservation of our property. It had hardly occurred to anybody until within the last ten years that our property, the property that we all own in common, our forests and our gold mines and other mining properties, our fisheries, our wild animals, are so important that we must save them before they are all destroyed. The best fresh water fisheries in the world are the fisheries of Lake Erie. There is no other body of water anywhere, that is, of fresh water, that is so well fitted for the life of fishes, because it is a large lake, it is everywhere shal- low, it has everywhere the kind of bottom that abounds in fish food. And so it is possible to make of that lake an enormous storehouse, or treasury, of fish foods; it is possible to furnish a large part of the food of an immense num- ber of people from the fishes of that lake. Lake Erie, under our present conditions, is governed by five different sets of statutes, besides the national statutes of Canada or the federal dominion statutes of Canada, and the national statutes of the United States. The fishes, starting in at Detroit, find themselves hemmed in between the law of Ontario and the law of Michigan. Going down the lake, they find themselves con- fronted with the law of Ohio, different from the law of Michigan. Passing on down they find the law of Pennsylvania, different from that of Ohio, dif- ferent from that of Michigan, different from that of Ontario. And if the fish goes on a little farther, it finds the laws of the state of New York, and the laws of New York are different in every separate county of that State. The result is that the fishes are not protected as they ought to be pro- tected, and not being so protected, there are not as many of them as there ought to be; and, there not being as many of them as there ought to be, there are not nearly as many of them caught as there should be. You have, then, a paradox of there being too many of them caught so that there cannot be enough of them caught. And the fisheries of Lake Erie are not one-half of what they would be if they were put into your hands, into the hands of any one of you alone, without all of these other people and other laws and statutes entering into the consideration of the subject. This fact has led our Administration, which looks after such things, to consider what can be done, so on the 11th day of April, 1908. a treaty was executed between Great Brit- ain and the United States for the purpose of improving the fishery conditions along the boundary waters, for the purpose of propagating more fishes, of protecting those where they need protection, of increasing- the fishery output, and of making the lot of the fishermen on one side of those waters similar to what it is on the other, that is, giving fair play among the fishermen. For instance, the town of Erie, in Pennsylvania, is allowed to send out a hundred large steam vessels with all the nets they can carry and all the men they can carry to follow the fish anywhere they can on the American side of the lake. On the Canadian side. Port Stanley, which is the best fishing point, has about ten fishing vessels, not any more are allowed, and they are only allowed to fish within the boundaries of their country. When the fish get be- yond that distance, somebody else has to take them. But the Canadians, so few in number, look across the boundary, see the enormous number of Amer- 180 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS ican vessels following the fish wherever they choose to go, and the fishes do not know whether they are American or Canadian fishes, and so the fishes that the Canadians would like to follow go into American waters and get caught, and the fishes that the Americans want to catch they catch. On the other hand, the Americans are saving all the eggs they can of their fish. They put into Lake Erie last year 875,000.000 of young white fish, and that will represent more fishes, probably, than all the fleet at Erie has caught or will catch within the next two or three years. Therefore, the Americans are seeding their crop and destroying it rapidly. The Canadians are not seed- ing it in the same degree, and are not destroying it in anything like the same degree. I mention all this to show you why it is necessary for someone to attempt to unify these various conditions. The Legislatures of Ohio and Pennsylvania agreed at one time, through their committees, to pass statutes that should be just alike for the two states. If I remember correctly, Pennsylvania's Legis- lature meets every year, and the Ohio Legislature once in two years. The Leg- islature of Pennsylvania passed a statute; the Ohio Legislature did not meet until the next year. Then Pennsylvania got disgusted and repealed the statute which had been enacted by its Legislature, while Ohio loyally passed it. So that they never succeed, and never will, as long as it goes on in that way. in getting together, although the committees have agreed on the measures that they are trying to enact into law. Any statutes which are made to protect the fishes should apply to them when they are on the American side and 'when they are on the Canadian side, because the fishes pass over from the one side to the other, and especially in the great shallow lake of Lake Erie. In Lake Superior, they do not do so, be- cause the middle of Lake Superior is so terribly deep and so very cold that the fishes seldom go across it. Very deep water is a region that is almost without fish. Fishes abound mostly in shallow water, and especially among the rocks and among islands. Moreover, any statutes that we pass, besides being alike on both sides, should consider the nature of the different kinds of fishes. It is not of any value to protect a fish when it is spawning, if it spawns at some other time of the year from the time when, under the statute, you are protecting it. It is of no value to say that you shall not use nets in catching a fish, when the fish does not go anywhere near the net. In other words, it is of no value to do anything which is not good sense. I omitted to say something which is to me important in this connection, that when this treaty was signed, I was asked by President Roosevelt, through Mr. Root, to become the American representative. Instead of having a large commission drawing up the statutes, the statutes are drawn up by two men, one from the United States, and one appointed by King Edward, representing Canada. We have already visited practically every fishing point along the boundary waters from New Brunswick out to Vancouver Island, from Todd's Head in Maine clear through to Todd's Point on Vancouver Island. Now, the kinds of fishes may be gathered up in groups, and classified in six classes. One of them is the herring. The herring lives in the sea. It lays a great number of eggs. Small and feeble as the herring is, there are probably more herring in the ocean than there are of any other kind of fish. The her- ring lays a great many eggs, some fifty thousand or seventy thousand of them. It lays them in rather shallow water, with rocks on the bottom, and those eggs are small eggs, and are laid in enormous numbers. All kinds of fishes that live in the vicinity, go and take those eggs — lobsters and crabs and all kinds of animals, starting in with minute bacteria, all the way up to the largest animal that can eat an egg — they all go after these herrings' eggs. Yet they make no appreciable reduction in the number of herring. All the herring that men have caught have probably made no reduction in their aggregate number. Wherever there are herring, wherever the herring go, whether it be north or south, Berendsen tells us a city springs up as if it were driftwood cast up from the sea. Everywhere in the North Atlantic, in Norway, in Scotland, in Ireland, in England, in Denmark, everywhere, in Maine and in Nova Scotia, in New Brunswick and Ontario and Quebec, and everywhere in Alaska and Japan, wherever the herring goes, there a town springs up. and people live on the herring. But no appreciable reduction in the number of herring can yet be found. Therefore what needs protection with the herring is not the herring — there are so many of them that we cannot reduce them — but it is the industry. It is possible for the industry to destroy itself by the different men engaged in the work, working at cross purposes. So the question of protection of her- ring amounts to the fact that all the protection the herring needs is the pro- tection of the industry. Then there is a second class of fishes, very large in number, that spawn in TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 181 warming- water, whose egg's hatch as the waters grow warmer. Of this group of fishes, supplying food to the world, the tribe that we call commonly pike and pickerel, is perhaps the best example. They lay their eggs in the spring, mostly in April, sometimes in May. They are laid as the water grows warmer, and they hatch in proportion to the warmth of the water. Those eggs can be taken from the fish. If you catch a full grown female fish of that sort, you can squeeze the eggs out from it, and then squeeze the milt from the male fish — the milt from the male fish is what fertilizes the eggs, that is, the little germs of the milt enter the little germ cells that we call the eggs, and the only difference between the eggs and the milt, the only difference between the male and the female is this, that the female germ cell carries a large amount of food substance with it, whereas the milt of the male fish, the little germ, is nothing but the pure nucleus of the cell, has no food substance at all, and so will not live for any great length of time. You bring the germ cells together, which is done artificially by stirring them up in a pan together, and then the egg is fertilized, and this fertilized egg can be put in clear water until the little fish comes out, and it can be kept as long as you can afford to keep the little fish. The longer you keep the little fish, the more chances you have of its living. But if you keep him too long, he takes up too much room, and there is danger of his starving or smothering, because of the large number of little fish with which it is kept. Artificial hatching of fish is simply this: You take those eggs, put them where nothing can get at them, you fertilize them artificially, and keep them until they are hatched, and as long as you can, and then you pour them out in a favorable locality where there are not many enemies. The result is that twenty times as many of the eggs live, sometimes even a hundred times as many of the eggs live, as live where they are spawned in a state of nature, for you save them from all the enemies that destroy the eggs, and you save them from most of the enemies that destroy the young fishes. The whole secret of artificial hatching is, then, to save your eggs, and save the young and put them into water when you think they are large enough, and at that, into water where there are the fewest of their natural enemies. And that process, as I have said, saves anywhere from twenty times to one hundred times as many of them as can be saved by propagating them in the natural way. Pickerel and pike of the different kinds are examples, and the yellow perch is also an example, of fish spawning in warming water which can be collected in April, and can be spawned in April or May, and the little fishes turned out some time in May or some time in June. The only real question with these fishes, is whether they are worth hatch- ing or not. It is an open question whether yellow perch are worth bothering with. But there is no question that the wall-eyed pike or pike perch, which is found in such great numbers in the Great Lakes, is worth the bother, and so that is one of the kind of fishes that we try to propagate. Then there is another kind of fish, another group of fishes spawning in the same water, the warming water in spring, and the eggs hatching in the warming water. This type is illustrated by the black bass. But the black bass eggs are stuck together. You cannot separate them. You cannot arti- ficially propagate them. They will die if you get them out in a pan and stir them up together. There is no way by which you can artificially handle those eggs. But the black bass knows something better than that. He maintains a hatchery of his own. The female bass lays her eggs in a pile of gravel that the male bass helps to scoop up. The male bass covers those eggs with the milt, and then stands guard over it. There cannot any other fish come around until all those eggs are hatched. He stands off the wall-eyed pike, and he stands off all the various kinds of shell fish, the various kinds of trout, and none of them can live upon the spawn of the black bass, even if they happen to live in the same water. The female black bass often devours the eggs, but generally the male black bass will not let her do so. The male stands guard. He maintains, as I said, his own hatchery. So all we need to do with the black bass is to see that he is allowed to stand guard, and that nobody comes along with a hook and takes him off while he is standing guard, that nobody comes along with a grab-hook and catches him, if he won't bite, and that nobody comes along with a net and sweeps him ruthlessly into the net. So long as you let him stand guard, he is going to raise anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 of those young black bass, and he does not need any artificial help except to keep off the enemies who would take him off while he is thus maintaining it. When he gets through and the little ones are all hatched, then he eats four or five thousand of them as a reward for his trouble, and presumably picks up those who are slowest to get away from strong ones taken at the same time. He is a very destructive fish; he devours the young of all kinds of fish, and his own after he has got through hatching them. But for all that, he is one of the finest game fish in the world, and there are very large tracts of the United States in which the black bass as a game fish is worth more than all their other assets. For that reason, 182 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS the Thousand Islands and the Apostles Islands and the Chinoux Islands and Bass Islands at Lake Erie, and the islands at Lake Mempliremagog and many pairs of Lake Champ lain, are more valuable for the hook and line fishing of black bass than for any other one thins, owing' to the enormous numbers of people who go there from New York and Boston and other great cities, and in that respect they are more valuable than any other kind of fisheries. Therefore, we shall protect the bass by making it a misdemeanor to sell a black bass from any international waters, besides making limits as to size and keeping the nets out in the spawning time, and keeping the hooks out in the spawning time, and keeping the grab-hooks out at all times. We shall further make it impossible to buy or sell or offer for sale the black bass from any of those international waters. That will save him from destruc- tion, and set the pace for other angling districts. The black bass, counting everything, is perhaps the best game fish in the world. There are a number of kinds of trout that I care for more, and there are the grayling and some other fishes in the same category. But, taking it as it comes, recognizing his many good qualities, recognizing the fact that he lives in a great many waters where finer fish won't live, and recognizing the fact that two-thirds of the anglers of the United States think there is no finer fish than the black bass, it is very important that this group of fishes shall be protected and amply protected. The third group of fishes is made up of the four or five kinds of sturgeon. You know a sturgeon is a very large fish, larger than a man. when it is full grown, There are sturgeons in all the boundary waters, two species in the Atlantic Ocean, one species in the Great Lakes, and two species in the Pacific Ocean, all of them running up the rivers to spawn. The sturgeon is a valuable fish, because of the large amount of sea bass you can cut out of the sturgeon. They used to sell the sturgeon here at our fish markets as sea bass, and you can cut a great many sea bass out of one sturgeon. More valuable, however, than all the stock of sea bass that you can cut out of a sturgeon, is the great value of its eggs. They are salted and prepared and sold as caviar. The Russian sturgeons that formerly made the caviar of the world have become very rare. They have been overfished there, and now our own sturgeon have been attacked in the same way. A man by the name of Poole, I mention his name for execration, went up from the city of Escanaba, in Michigan, to the Lake of the Woods, where the sturgeons existed in great abundance, and when they ran up the Rainy River to 'spawn, he had his men in there with nets and grab-hooks, and they caught upwards of a million and carried them up on the banks of the river and killed them for the caviar, almost destroying them in that lake, so that now it is a very rare thing to find a sturgeon in that lake at all. Over the Great Lakes, people have gone at them with hooks, with grab-hooks and with nets, as they go up the rivers where they spawn, and in that way have almost exterminated the sturgeon all over the country. The sturgeon lays a great many eggs, and it ought to be easy to propagate them. But the sturgeon has bad habits. When you get a fish perfectly ready to spawn, and catch it, the spawn and the milt are thrown out at once and scattered away where you can not get them. It is a fish that will not bear handling. If you keep the fish any length of time at all. taking it before it ripens, it will never ripen, but it will die. So we have not yet been able to do anything whatever with the artificial spawning of the sturgeon. The only thing that I can see to properly protect the sturgeon, therefore, is to make ii a inisdemeanor to catch a sturgeon and kill one at all until Nature has restored the number of those that were destroyed by Poole of Escanaba, and it will take Nature anywhere from five to twenty years to make up for and restore to the normal condition, the enormous waste which was entailed in a single summer in that lake, and which has been repeated in so many of the other Great Lakes and rivers of this country. I remember that twenty-eight years aigo, when I was sent here by the Government to examine the fishes of San Francisco Ray. there were in the market all the time and every day, sturgeons, and now it is a very rare thing to see a sturgeon, and the laws of California now prevent anyone from destroying one of them at all. waiting for them to come back to their natural lie. One of the species of sturgeon, the green sturgeon. 1 have not seen here for twenty-five years, and it may be that they are all gone so far as California is concerned. Therefore, the natural protection that ought to be given in the lakes is to not allow any sturgeon whatever to be destroyed for a certain number of years, anil after that not to allow any to be destroyed less, we will say, than four feet long. We want to give each one of those fishes a ehanee to spawn ;,t least ohce. Then, after it has turned its fifty thousand or a hundred thousand eggs out. and contributed to the general stock of sturgeon, then we can take thai one away, just as we cut down a tree that has reached its girth in the forest, and leave other trees that have not attained their girth to grow up. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 183 The next type of fish is made up of those that spawn in the fall, and whose eggs hatch as the water grows cold. You would not naturally think that there are any such fish. It certainly is not common sense for a fish to deposit its eggs in a cold lake, just as the ice is beginning to form, and expect those eggs to hatch out in the middle of the winter. But that is just what many of the most valuable of our fishes do. To this class belong the trout and the white fish and the lake herring, and fish of various other kinds. There are a good many kinds of trout, a good many kinds of white fish, a good many even of the cisco, which is called all over the Great Lakes the lake herring, although it is not a herring at all. These fishes swim about in the summertime, they pay no attention to the springtime when other fishes are spawning, but along in October they begin to move toward the reefs. Then they can generally be fairly easily caught, and the way our statutes read, that is the time when they are caught. Then in the month of November, they lay their eggs, and when they are caught, their eggs can be at once saved. On the deck of an ordinary boat, the eggs of a white fish can be saved — the thirty thousand or forty thousand or fifty thousand or eighty thousand of them; the eggs of the Great Lakes trout can be squeezed right out into a pan and saved, so that it would be possible for a vessel catching ten thousand fishes in a day to save practically the eggs and milt of them all, and then fertilize the eggs and put them back into the water in a proper way. These fishes represent the best of the lake fishes of the world, and con- sequently their propagation is more important than that of anything else throughout our Great Lakes system. The way to protect these fishes is, in the first place, to guarantee that every one of them shall have had a chance to spawn once as a young fish (they do not have many eggs then), and then to spawn once as a grown fish, and then to be taken away. So we should see to it that none of these fish weighing less than a certain number of pounds should be sold or bought or offered for sale, which would mean that if a man catches one that is less than the size, he has to eat it. There is no use in putting one of those fish back, as they die at once if taken out of the water. But we can prevent the man from destroying a great many of the young ones by forbidding him to sell them — and if he has to eat them himself, he will not take the interest in their destruction. So the most effective way to preserve the white fish is to see that none less than two and a half pounds each shall be bought or sold or offered for sale in the time they are spawning. It happens that they are just as good at the spav% ning time as at any other time; about November is the time when the fish are generally caught, because the water is then best for catching them. So it is possible to provide every boat that goes out into Lake Erie with the apparatus for saving the spawn, and for refusing to allow any boat to go out unless they make arrangements for preserving those fish and giving them an opportunity to spawn where they can be properly cared for, either taking the spawn to some one of the fish hatcheries, or putting it into the lake in a proper way. As I told you a few minutes ago, we have this last year put 875,000,000 of young white fish into Lake Erie, and in doing that we are more than keeping ahead of the hundred large boats that go from Erie, Pennsylvania, in the fishing business. We do not usually recognize this fact, but the best fishing port in fresh water in all the world is Erie, Pennsylvania. I always thought of it as an iron state, and not a state of fish. But, looking at the town from the fish side of it, so to speak, more fish are brought in there than in any other fresh water port in any part of the world whatever. The last type of these fishes is made up of fishes that come up from the sea in the fall and that spawn just as the trout and the white fish do, in cooling water. These we call salmon. In the Atlantic Ocean, there is one species of salmon, which is very much like the fish we call the steel-head out here, which is a trout, and this salmon runs up the river, deposits its spawn in the fall, goes down again to the sea, and goes up again the next year, and so on, indefinitely, until it dies. But the fishes that we call salmon in the Pacific are fishes of very different habits. There are five of these fishes. The one that we call the king or Quinnat salmon, or spring salmon, or the salmon of the Columbia River, is the great salmon, which averages, when four years of age, twentv-two pounds in weight. This salmon on the average matures when it is four years old. It weighs then, as I say, about twenty-two pounds, sometimes going to a hundred pounds, but usually twenty-two pounds. We think those that weigh a hundred pounds have lived longer, have failed to spawn at the proper time, and so have lived longer, but we do not know. Then we have the red salmon, that is called the blueback in the Columbia, that is called the sockeye in the Frazer River, and called by various names elsewhere. This is the most valuable fish of the sea, because in the aggregate it probably yields more wealth than any other kind of fish whatever. It makes up the great bulk of all the salmon that are brought to us from Alaska. That 184 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS is a smaller fish, averaging perhaps only eight pounds, and reaching its maturity at the age of four years. Then, we have, besides those two noble salmon, the silver salmon, as it is called, which is very much the same as the red salmon in its general properties, except that its flesh is not so red. It is just as good to eat, but it does not look so well when it is canned, and its habits are not so good. Then we have the hump-back salmon, a salmon which at maturity weighs five or six pounds, which exists in enormous numbers in Alaska, and is some- times found upon Puget Sound, and probably matures in less than four years, we think very likely in two years. Then we have besides these the large dog salmon, which has soft and mushy flesh, and which has no very great value, although it looks very much like the king salmon. Those are the five kinds of salmon. All of them are noble salmon, because they start in the spring and run a long distance up the rivers. The other kinds of salmon start in the fall, and they only go up the river a little way. Sometimes they go up only ten feet and spawn, and sometimes they go up eight or ten miles, but never for any great distance. The king salmon, the great salmon of the Sacramento, runs up the river as far as the Sacramento River is open — any stream at the head of the Sacra- mento is likely to have this fish spawning in it. In the Columbia River it runs up as far as the edge of Montana and the farther part of Idaho, running up something like a thousand miles. In the great Yukon River the king salmon runs as far as Caribou Crossing, which is a distance of 2,200 miles from the sea. The red salmon runs up various distances. Sometimes you find them spawning half a mile from the sea, and sometimes you find them spawning, in the Yukon territory, as far as the head of Lake Lebarge, just about 1,800 miles from the sea, going up immense distances. These salmon that run up these great distances have this habit: the little fishes are spawned in the head of the river. The male scoops out the gravel and makes ready a place to deposit the eggs, and the female deposits her spawn. The male stays around a little while, and then drops in the current, head up the stream, after fertilizing the eggs, and goes down the stream, tail foremost, and in the course of a week dies. The female goes out in the stream and goes tail foremost down the river, and in the course of a week or so, she dies. So that after they have once spawned, every one of the salmon of the Pacific dies. They are just as dead as can be. All of the protoplasm in the cells of the body have gone out, and they weigh only about one-third to one-half as much as they weighed when they went up the river. When they start to go up the river, too, they do not eat any more. The stomach of the salmon shrivels all up, and they will not take the hook, or do anything when going up the river. The little salmon are hatched in the gravel, and they go tail foremost down the stream, until finally they get down to the sea. The big king salmon goes down into the sea at the close of the first summer. The rest of the salmon stay up there a year. He is always spawned above some lake, and goes down into the lake and stays in the lake the second year, and then at the end of the second year he wiggles down, tail foremost, to the sea, and goes directly out into the sea, does not stay close to the shore as other kinds of salmon do. It is a very curious fact that red salmon never spawn in any stream, no matter whether big or little, that does not have a lake in it. He does not care Whether the water is clear, as it is in most of our lakes, or whether it is murky, as in the case of lakes like Chilkoot — he does not care very much about that; does not care whether the water is warm or cold. But he is always governed by there being a lake in the stream, in order that the young fish may have a place to spend their first year. How does he locate the river, how determine whether the river has a lake on it? That is one of the greatest puzzles that we have in regard to fish life. We do not know how he knows. We have found places where the big king salmon and the red salmon will go side by side up a stream, and finally you come to a place where there is a branching, where two streams go to make up the one below, and the king salmon will go up in either one, indiscriminately, while the red salmon will always turn up the stream that has the lake in it. I have never heard of a red salmon yet. of the millions I know of, more or less, that has been found in any stream that has not a lake somewhere within it. And. as I say, it is one of the greatest puzzles we have in natural history, to know how these fish know that the stream that they are running for has a lake in it. The king salmon come down from the Sacramento River, where they are the only salmon, come down into the bay, go out into the sea, and the vast majority of them simply pass over into Monterey Hay. They do not go away TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 185 very far, and when the time comes for their breeding, when they are four years. old, then they have worked their way along the coast, and they find where fresh water is running into the sea, and they go right up. I do not believe there is any truth in the statement that a salmon always goes back to the place where he is spawned, otherwise than this, that the salmon from the Sacramento, must go back there — there is nowhere else for him to go; the salmon from the Columbia River must go back there because there is nowhere else for him to go. But in Alaska, where streams are many, that is not the case. We have found a great many cases of fishes that have been marked from one place, from one stream, going up another. In one case I caught some fishes going up the river at Karluk, marked them, and one of them was caught the next day a hundred miles away trying to go up a stream on the other side of the islands. When the salmon start to go up the river they are symmetrical, fine look- ing. The flesh is in its very best condition. They are in every way fine fish. As they go up the river, they use up more or less of the oil in their flesh, they do not eat anything, and they feed on themselves, and as they go farther up the river the scales grow more and more slimy, they begin to settle into the skin, that is, the slimy skin grows over the scales, the nose of the male salmon grows longer and longer, and by and by the nose forms a great hook with very much enlarged teeth, so much so that it often can not shut its mouth, sometimes so that the lower jaw comes right up through the upper edge and punches a hole through it, if one has been pushed against the other. Then a hump develops at the back, and the color changes, and no one would dream, when they get up the river three or four hundred miles, that they are the same fish that started up the river at its mouth. As to the change of the color — the bright blue of the blue-back salmon changes into a bright red with a green head, and other salmon grow to be of a dusky or mud color and dirty. The flesh grows paler, the oil has gone out of it, and a great change comes in the lengthening of the snout and dipping it over in the form of a hook, the growth of the teeth on each end of it, and the changes that take place around the head. These salmon look very savage and will sometimes snap at a fish, and often at the hook, but they never eat anything, they are so bent on their business. They move straight, once they get into the river; they never turn around for any purpose, but go straight up. Of course, this habit of going straight up the river, makes it a comparatively easy thing to catch them. In our international rivers, we have this great problem. The Frazer River is the great hatching place for salmon in that part of the world. It is entirely in Canadian territory. But the greater part of the fishing grounds is in the United States. The red salmon come in from the Straits of Fuca from the open sea in a great school, schools so great that in many cases many of the salmon are obliged to jump into the air by those that are below. They go in the middle of the channel, so that it is very hard to catch them at first. They go right up the Straits of Fuca until they come across the St. John Islands, and there they find three channels open. One of those channels leads to the east, to the Skagitat River in the state of Washington, and a few go that way. The great body of them go to the north and strike a projecting nook or point called Point Repair, and that is simply lined with nets fastened to long stakes, some of those nets a half a mile long, and of course millions and millions of those fish go against those nets and are caught. As many more go right on, going into the Frazer River, and they find right there a perfect mesh of nets, practically filling the river, and those they have to pass. The only reason that any of them get by all of that network in the river is that there are certain times, every Sunday, when these nets all have to come out of the river, just as there are certain times when our nets are supposed to be closed — whether they are closed or not is an international question. The presumption is that they are closed. A great body of those fish then attempt to go up the river, and those on Sunday get past. Then for about forty miles, as the river goes north, the farmers up along the river have their nets all set, and by and by maybe one out of a thousand or ten thousand gets up to the spawning ground in the Frazer River. Now, in regard to these salmon, this is our problem: We can not take the eggs out of the fish when the fish are fit to eat, because when the fish are fit to eat they are not ready to spawn. And in order to protect the salmon, is merely to leave a sufficient channel through those nets in the river to allow enough fish to get up to cover the spawning grounds to furnish the fish that are necessary to the fish hatcheries. As I said before, if the fish hatcheries can get hold of a certain number of fish, they can make those fish yield, each one of them, twenty to a hundred times of what would be the result of natural spawning upon the spawning ground. But the fishing has been so great in Puget Sound and the Frazer River that there have been three of the four 186 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS years following each other when there were not fish enough for the spawning "ie fourth year, therefore, there will he enough. And sir every a full \'ar. anil the other three years are below whal it should fourth year is normally be. rmatiy De. I' Is our problem to see thai greal numbers are taken, but that enough get by and reach the spawning grounds so that the spawning grounds will be covered, and especially to see thai the hatcheries have enough to work on. Unfortunately, there are no fish hatcheries on the Frazer River, the spawning grounds heing in Canadian territory, and of course that work must he done by the Canadians, If done at all, and they have even refused to take our money or our help in any way in that respect. That problem -is a very important one. The Frazer River is one of the greatest salmon rivers in the world. The salmon industry there is of enormous value. Even in this year, one of the worst years they have had. possibly, they have canned something like three millions of these red salmon in and around the mouth of the Frazer River. There ought to be fifteen or twenty millions of them available, and yet enough left to cover the spawning grounds. And by the way, when the spawning grounds are fill off than when they are only partly full, because you will filled, they are worse ..ill sometimes find one set of fish will deposit their eggs, and another set of fish will come along and not only bury the eggs of the first fish, but bury the first fish, and that makes a mess of dead fish and eggs and everything else. You can not trust Nature; you need to regulate her and see that she does just about right. By the way. I will say that in the early days of the salmon in the Sacra- mento River, that river was heavy fishing came, and the greatly reduced. Then there came the mining man. and then the lumbering man, and they destroyed jointly nearly all of the spawning beds of the salmon. But the fish hatcheries have been able to put so many fish into the Sacramento that in the early days of the salmon in the Sacra- is enormously tilled up with salmon, and then the te amount of salmon in the Sacramento River was taken on the other, so as not to . sold in the United States, and smuggled over another he I hem refuse ♦ (I go SO one side are lish illegally smuggled from Canada to ..e .^.m front the I'nited States to In- sold in Canada — Shipped to Montreal. That, in a way, outlines what we are trying to do. There is problem more important than that. 1 was sent by the I'nited States Govern- ment twenty-elghl years ago to the Columbia River to Investigate the condi- tions that were there tit that lime. They were then canning, with very few nets, and simple appliances, one and a half million of those big salmon every year. The canning industry twenty-elghl years ago had been very little The Booths were among the first that did that. established. a Go been Then there were T said to the number Of others, whose names do not matter for the present. I said to the ivernmenl at that time that unless Washington and Oregon could agree on TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 187 statutes for protecting- those fish, there was no reason why ten times as many nets would not be brought in before long and ten times as many fisher- men come there, and, while they were taking as many fish then as the river would stand, they would, when that time was reached, be taking a great many more than the river could stand, and the industry would be destroyed. And we have now in the Columbia River a horrible condition of things. The fisheries have been almost ruined. There is no limit whatever on the number of nets on either side. Near the mouth, the gill nets simply swarm, and as we go up, the fish wheel has been respectfully picking up the fish as they go up the stream, and tossing them up on the bank — one of the most ingenious and devilish contrivances ever made for catching fish. It does not do any more harm to catch a fish in that way than to have it caught by some other means, excepting that what they catch is on top and the fact that the river is a perfect cobweb of nets along the way from there down to the sea. Whatever salmon manage to get past all of these and up to the upper portions of the river, men go out in the river with nets and simply catch anything and everything that comes along. And it is a marvel that any salmon are spawned and hatched. And perhaps there would not be any, if it were not for the activity of the hatcheries. But the men in charge of these hatcheries are not just the kind of men they should be. It takes a skilful man to handle a hatchery, and there are not one-tenth as many well trained in that line of business as there should be. The difference between a man who knows his business and a man who does not is just as great in the fish-hatching business as it is in raising prunes, as it is in raising oranges, as it is in raising fine horses. When our Government pays the nephews of Congressmen and competent hatchers the same salary, the friends of the nephews of Congressmen are going to monopolize largely that kind of work. That sort of thing is a great deal better now than it used to be, but it needs still to have a better type of men in the hatcheries. It needs to have in the hatcheries much more skilful men, if we are going to get out of them what we ought to do. The people of Washington and Oregon have been very alert to the destruc- tion of their fisheries, and this alertness has shown itself in curious ways. Oregon has now the referendum, and no one can tell what is coming when the referendum is on. It may be the very best way to make statutes, but it gives an element of uncertainty that some other methods do not give. The use of the referendum in Oregon resulted in the passage of a statute that the fish wheel must be destroyed, and that there should be no fishing above tide water. Then it went further and said there should practically be no fishing below tide water, that is, that there should be no fishing at night in the lower stretches of the river. The river is so clear that the fish will avoid the gill nets, unless they are stretched in the night. So far so good. But, on the other side of the river. Washington has not seen fit to make the change in her laws, and the result is that fish wheels and nets and every- thing else go over to the Washington side, and then they naturally go all the way over to the Oregon side of the river, as Oregon claims as her territory all the water over to the Washington side, and Washington claims as her territory all of the water of the river over to the Oregon side. In Idaho, they naturally have jurisdiction over everything they can get hold of, and it is now a question whether a statute framed in Oregon under those circumstances holds unless it is also accepted in Washington, and nobody knows what the law is, and the State has not any friends. What I want to say is this: The principle underlying, say our Interstate Commerce Bill, is generally approved; the principle underlying our Weather Bureau Service is approved, that is, that no single state would know anything about the weather if it had a state weather service and could not communicate with the weather bureaus of other states. But, by communicating with the weather bureaus of other states, the state of Kansas, for instance, knows when a blizzard is due in Kansas, so with the other states, the weather starting in California and Oregon. Nobody gainsays anything of that kind. For the same reason that we have the Interstate Commerce law, for the same reason that we have the Weather Bureau Service, the United States should have a Bureau of Pish Protection, which should guard the fishes in those waters that belong to the rivers of the Northwest. It would be very simple if the United States Government should say that there should be no fishing on certain days of the week, and no fishing in certain months, and then let the statutes of Washington and Oregon be what they pleased. In that way, there could be enough fishes sent up the Columbia River to insure the perennial continuation of the tremendous industry of that river, which was at one time the most valuable river in all the world, and it ought to yield annually a million dollars' worth of fish, as Alaska has yielded upwards of six million, very nearly for every year — as much as we paid for the whole country. The same law that iss REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS applies to one bank of the Columbia River, should be applied upon the other bank of the river, because the fish go from one side to the other, and they can not be handled by any one state. There should, therefore, be a statute passed under which the Government should have the general control of the propagation and protection of fish in the Columbia River, in Lake Michigan, in the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and the Potomac River, for the fishes of all those regions have been virtually destroyed by the fact that you can never get the legislatures of two states to pass identical statutes, so as to keep the same protection for the fishes. It is something that we very much need. That is the point that I want to bring before you — first, the wisdom of a statute as already indicated, and of the treaty by which we have united with Great Britain for the general preservation of the fishes of the boundary waters, and then, second, the principle that the United States Government, through its Bureau of Fisheries, ought to frame and adopt statutes that shall protect the fishes, in so far as the several states have not an adequate jurisdic- tion. (Applause.) By J. J. Gosper, of Los Angeles: May I be permitted to ask Mr. Jordan to say a word about the carp, its habits and its value? Just a word, Professor, if you please. Dr. Jordan: The carp lives in sluggish water, water that does not run fast. It lives just like a pig, and roots up the ground and feeds on almost anything, pref- erably live plants. It is generally said that it eats the spawn of other fishes. At Port Clinton, Ohio, the Bureau of Fisheries made an investigation of this, and found scarcely ever any spawn, but that they live mostly on vegetation and what they can root up and get in that way. They are a coarse fish and the flesh is rather good if kept in good water, but it generally tastes of mud. For all that, carp have met in the East with an enormous sale at low prices. The Illinois River now yields thousands of tons of carp which are sent to New York and which are eaten there by poor people. The carp has no friends. I don't like to eat it, I never like to see it around. I hate to see it eating up the food of the wild ducks, I hate to see it making the entire bottom of a lake, like our Clear Lake in California, muddy, and I think it was a great mistake to introduce it into California. But, for all that, in the sluggish bayous that exist along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and along the Illinois, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers, it has proven itself of enormous financial value. I saw a warehouse vat as big as this room filled with frozen carp at Port Clinton, that they were getting ready to ship to the poor people of New York. So it has filled a place that no other fish fills. It is a cheap and rather poor fish, but one that can always be counted upon, one that is always ready to be caught, and has a financial value. But, gentlemen, don't make the mis- take of putting them into your clear waters. Do not repeat the great blunder that the Bureau of Fisheries made when, about 1878, they brought them over here and turned them loose. But to balance that, they brought at the same time the shad and striped bass, and those two have been tremendously successful on this Coast. They have found the waters here better adapted for their own purposes than the waters in which they were actually mated. (Applause.) By Mr. Edward Berwick, of California: Mr. Chairman: I rise to a point of personal privilege. I believe this Congress, if it stands for anything, stands for a fair shake and a square deal. On your list of subjects for this meeting you have the subject of the "Parcels Post." I came here with intent to set forth my views on the parcels post as being the President of the Postal Progress League of Cali- fornia. I wrote to your Secretary and President, asking a place on your platform. By what I call some very sharp parliamentary practice, my resolution has been negatived by the Committee on Resolutions. I ask, sir, for a time now to bring my resolution before the house and take its opinion thereupon. I would say this, sir, in the morning there is no house present, and I want a vote from the floor of the house here. It is no use voting when six or eight persons are here, and taking that as the opinion of this Congress. I will be exceedingly brief, sir, if you will permit me to put that now. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 189 By President Loveland: Are you through, Mr. Berwick, for the moment? By Mr. Berwick: Yes. By President Loveland: Gentlemen of the Congress: In reply to Mr. Berwick, permit me to say this: The question was before the Committee on Resolutions; it was referred to a sub-committee, which, in its wisdom, voted against the parcels post. It was brought before the general Committee on Resolutions, and I was 'present a portion of the time when the matter was thoroughly threshed out, and I assure you upon my honor as a gentleman that I saw no evidence of sharp practice, unless, Mr. Berwick, it came from the proponents of the resolution, and that was this: Your Secretary sat there and listened to all of the proceedings, and said nothing about there being no quorum until you had been voted down, and then, as a matter of sharp practice, he called your attention to the fact that there was no quorum. I want to say to the gentlemen of this Congress, this question will be referred to the Congress tomorrow morning when the Committee on Resolutions makes its report. It is a bit of "sharp practice" for this gentleman to appear here at this hour when it was announced that the Committee on Resolutions would report tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. I consider it a bit of "sharp practice," Mr. Berwick, for you to appear at this time, when many of the delegates are enjoying the hospitality of the citizens of this city and State, and I hope the Congress will stand by me in seeing that this matter is brought up' tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, when the Committee on Resolutions makes its report. By Mr. Berwick: Will you pardon me for correcting one statement that you have made? By President Loveland: Yes, sir. By Mr. Berwick: Our league had no secretary in that convention. By President Loveland: The Secretary of the Committee on Resolutions was the man who called attention to the fact that you had no quorum, and did not do it until after you saw that you were voted down. By Mr. Berwick: He did not call my attention to it, but the attention of the chair. By President Loveland: You were a member of that committee, as I understand it. By Mr. Berwick: If you were not there, may I tell you what transpired, sir? By President Loveland: "What is the pleasure of the house? Will you have this matter now, or tomorrow morning, when it has been announced? By Mr. Geo. W. Burton, of Los Angeles: I move, Mr. Chairman, that the consideration of the question be post- poned until tomorrow. If it is to be put to a vote, it ought not to be put to a 190 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS vote until it is thoroughly debated and threshed out. It is too late to do that now. My motion is that the whole subject be postponed until the report of the Committee on Resolutions at the proper time tomorrow, when this subject will come up with the others. By President Loveland: Is there a second to the motion? (The motion was duly seconded, and prevailed.) By President Loveland: Gentlemen of the Congress, our Secretary has a telegram from the Chamber of Commerce of Venice, which, if there is no objection, may how be read to the Congress. By Secretary Francis: The telegram is as follows: Venice, Cal., October 9. 1908. Honorable J. B. Case, President of Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, Dreamland Pavilion. San Francisco, Cal. To recover America's shipping- on the free ocean the chains now shackling it must be struck off. Local, state, county and city taxes in California on ships are not imposed by other nations. These taxes are unjust and a deadly handicap and must be removed. Business on the free ocean will not support trust monopoly; therefore the prohibition of Americans from registering foreign built ships under our flag places ocean shipping under the heel of great trusts and kills the business. Classing ships with obscene literature in the only absolute prohibition against importations is a disgrace to decency, intelligence and patriotism. Strike off the fetters. We oppose taxes on all (or the benefit of any. The public power to tax is the power of life or death. It can only be rightly used for a strict and direct public good. To use this tremendous power over the people to subsidize any set of men or interest is robbery under the form of law. Such a gross wrong can never build up a sound industry on the free ocean. If the Nation is to support ocean shipping the Nation must own and operate the ships. In a fair and fr< e field America has nothing to fear from any. Give American seamen liberty and our flag will rule the sea. VENICE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, By Abbott Kinney. By President Loveland: The telegram will be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congress: Dr. Jordan is an extremely mod- est man. With the opportunity to tell us a fish story, he has been most modest. Hut 1 believe that you will agree with me that he has told us a most interesting story and a message which we have been glad to hear. The next speaker will address you on a subject that we are all inter- ested in. As citizens, we all may and probably do know a little about it. Yet it is an interesting matter to us three times a day. The subject is "The Creamery and Dairy Interests of the Trans-Mississippi Section." I remem- ber when, as a boy, back in one of the northern counties of New York, I had to run an up-and-down churn, churning the cream from the milk of three cows, about twice a week, and I thought I knew more than I needed to know about the butter business. (Laughter.) I remember one time, it comes before me vividly, I pleaded that I was sick and could not use the churn. My mother made me go to bed, and my brother did the churning, and then went out and played ball. After that I did not try to enlarge upon my understanding of the dairy business. I am going to introduce to you Mr. W. F. Jensen, an expert in the creamery and dairy business, who will address you upon that subject. Gen- tlemen, Mr. Jensen, of I'tah. At this point Vice-President Col. W. F. 1 laker, of Iowa, assumed the chair. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 191 THE CREAMERY AND DAIRY INTERESTS OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI SECTION. E?- W. F. Jensen, of Utah. By Mr. Jensen, of Salt Lake City. Fellow Delegates of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: I am requested to read you a paper on the dairy and creamery industry. I do this with pleasure because it is an industry in which I have spent all of my active years and of which I am very proud. Few of you perhaps realize the magnitude of this branch of agriculture in the United States. I will give you a few figures taken from statistics, so that you will have an idea as to its importance. There are more than twenty-one million cows milked in the United States every day. Each gives an average of 3,500 pounds of milk a year, making the annual output of this country about seventy-five billion pounds of milk. The wholesale value of dairy products in the United States is conservatively estimated worth more than eight hundred million dollars. It is estimated that there are three million six hundred thousand farms where some dairying is done. About- thirty million people are employed, to a greater or lesser extent, in handling dairy products, and there are one billion two hundred million pounds of butter produced in the United States annually, aside from the milk and cream for table use, and the milk that goes into cheese, condensed milk and other products. The dairy products of the United States are more valuable than any crop except corn, and they are equal to one-third the value of all farm products. For many years we have exported great quantities of cheese to European countries. We are also exporting some butter, but the greater part of this product is required for home consumption. However, in late years considerable butter exporting is developing from the Pacific Coast cities. This butter is go- ing to the Orient and Central and South American countries. This export busi- ness is growing. We are learning to pack the butter in hermetically sealed cans, which will stand the effect of the tropical heat suitable to the countries in which it is sold, and is gradually displacing butter that heretofore has been furnished by European countries. In this country we have wheat farms of tremendous size. Many of our citizens are engaged in the raising of wheat, corn, livestock, cotton and tobacco on a very large scale, but the dairy industry is essentially a business of the small farmer. The dairy business is the most scientific branch of agriculture. It requires more knowledge and more care to engage profitably in the dairy business than it does in any other branch of agriculture. The cow is the farmer's best friend. She will enjoy the richest of food, but she will also exist on scant fare. Through the ups and downs, through the drouth, and in time of need she has fed and clothed the farmer and those depending on him. She has paid the taxes and the interest on the mortgage. When crops failed she has found her food along the roadsides, among the shrubs on the hills, and from the fodder that would be good for no other purpose. From the time our forefathers settled New England she has followed the pioneers in the settlement of our great country ever extending westward. She has been the first means of maintaining the hardy pioneer in the wilder- ness, and today she also represents the highest type of civilization in farming operation. So far in this great country we have existed and accumulated wealth on the great riches and fertility stored in our soil during countless ages; but we begin to realize that the time is coming when we must begin to save this inherited fertility and when we must return to the soil some of the fertility that is removed by annual crops. When the farmer grows, sells and removes from his land a ton of wheat worth approximately $30, he has used in the growing of his wheat $7 worth of native fertility. The farmer that sells a ton of butter worth $500, by returning the manure to the soil, has used only 70 cents worth of the native fertility. This is why the dairy industry is growing year after year, and entering fields that have been impoverished by continued grain raising. Dairying is followed by the raising of clover, alfalfa, and grasses that do not impoverish the soil, but on the contrary in the course of time enrich the land and increase its value. Farmers are beginning to realize more and more that it is poor economy to raise a crop of grain year after year. They see the necessity of giving the land a rest. They are introducing a system of rotation, changing from the raising of grain to the raising of alfalfa, clover and other plants which will clear the fields of weeds and give the soil a much needed rest. The introduction of alfalfa through the Trans-Mississippi terri- tory gave a great boost to the dairy industry west of the Missouri River 192 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS wherever it can be successfully grown. The alfalfa plant contains the elements that enter into milk production and, considering the raising of alfalfa makes no drain whatever on the native fertility of the soil, it is today considered the greatest wealth producer of all crops grown west of the Missouri River. There is no state or territory in this great Trans-Mississippi country where dairying can not be done. It is, however, a business more fitted for the cooler and temperate climates, although of late years it has spread over and taken a hold over the entire Trans-Mississippi territory, with the excep- tion of Louisiana and to a small extent only in Arkansas and Texas. If alfalfa can be successfully raised in these Southern States. I have no doubt they will also engage in the dairying business on a much larger scale than they are doing at the present time. The manufacture of cheese and condensed milk is not very extensive and is confined to a few scattered points. In the Trans-Mississippi territory the production and manufacture of butter represents 95 per cent of the dairy products sold. The dairy products from states east of the Mississippi River, with a few exceptions, are required more and more for the larger cities. We will see the time when 75 per cent of the milk and cream produced east of the Mississippi River will be used exclusively in the large . cities, in the way of milk and cream for table use and ice cream. The continuous growth of manufacturing districts of large cities from Chicago east will demand milk and cream to the exclusion of butter, and even now the country is depending on the Trans-Mississippi territory for the greater part of its butter supply, and this branch of the dairy industry is most vital to the territory this Congress represents. A few years back there was but little butter produced w T est of the Missouri River, but at the present time the butter production is increasing very fast over the entire western continent. In some of the states, like Minnesota and other sections where the soil has become exhausted through continuous grain raising, the dairy business has indeed become a necessity. It is practiced more and more in the corn section and wheat section east of tli e Rocky Mountains, in the fertile valleys of Utah, in the irrigated section of Idaho, and even in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Montana. Wherever alfalfa can be raised the production of butter is found to be one of the most profitable industries in which a farmer can engage. On the Pacific Coast the production of butter has grown very fast. I believe that the value of dairy products in California alone is close to twenty million dollars annually; somewhat less in Oregon and Washington. At first butter was made entirely on the farm, by the good housewife, but in time the demand for large quantities of uniform butter became greater, and in sections where many farmers living in the same community took an active interest in the dairy business, they found it to their intereets to associate together and operate modern butter-making plants. They found that they could make a uniform and a higher quality butter and market it to better advantage, than where the butter was made on the farm under various conditions with very irregular results, and besides save a lot of work for the women folks. The system of local creameries spread rapidly in the nineties over the entire country. With a few exceptions, however, it was not found generally satisfactory in the Trans-Mississippi territory on account of the sparsely settled country and not enough volume in any one community to maintain a local creamery on a reasonable basis of expense. With few exceptions, the local creamery made a miserable failure in all of the Trans-Mississippi territory, not including Minnesota and the northern half of Iowa and perhaps large sections in California. The reason of this failure was on account of the farmers living so wide apart that they could not successfully associate in creamery enterprise. Beginning about 1898 a new system was introduced which has proven a wonderful success. By that time the hand separator had been invented and was put on the market at a price so that every farmer could afford to buy one. With the hand separator on his farm, the farmer could skim his own milk. He had fresh skim milk to feed his livestock and he had the concentrated product of cream, which he could ship for a long distance. In this manner large creamery plants came into existence in all railroad centers, mostly in the large cities, and this so-called centralizing system of conducting creameries is now prevailing in the greater part of the Trans-Mississippi territory. There are large creameries today with a daily output of from 2,000 to 40,000 pounds of butter — splendidly equipped factories with experts in all departments. In Omaha for instance, there are today eight large creameries doing an annual business of fifteen million dollars. During all the years that the butter industry has grown and developed, there have been expressions of fear that some day we might have an overproduction. Many farmers have TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 193 hesitated to expend money for barns and other improvements, thinking that at some future time over-production would set in and values become lower and dairying- unprofitable. This thought has been induced naturally by the experience in other branches of agriculture, and the tremendous growth of the dairy industry would in itself suggest this idea. However, on the contrary, the value of butter and other dairy products is continually advancing. The consuming public is realizing every day that in butter and cheese they have the most healthful food. Butter especially forms the diet of the very young and the very old. It is on every table and, considering its nourishment, it is even on the present basis cheaper than meat and other products. Only once has the butter industry been seriously threatened — some eight or ten years ago when the manufacture and sale of oleomargarine were carried on extensively and this substitute for butter sold everywhere for the genuine product. We were told at that time by the great packers and by the great cattle raisers through the National Live Stock Association that if the manufacture and sale of oleomargarine were stopped or confined to its own merits, it would seriously affect the cattle industry and almost destroy the same. I am glad to say, however, that since then Congress has passed a very good law which compels butter substitutes to be sold for what they are. It has helped the dairy industry and it has not hurt the cattle industry, and I am glad to say that representatives of the great fat cattle industry and the dairy industry can associate on most friendly terms. I have stated before that the dairy industry requires knowledge and care. This principle has been recognized by most of the states. Great dairy schools have been established. Farmers' institutes are being held by the thousands. Wise legislators recognize that they must provide means for education and advancement of the dairy farmer and the industry that is so ideal for this Western country producing daily wealth without exhausting the resources stored through thousands of years in our soil. In Utah, where I live, we are doing a great deal to build up our dairy industry, but we will do more in the future than we have done in the past. We have some of the richest valleys in Utah and Idaho, and through irrigation we raise great crops of alfalfa. We are learning the system of dry farming and our hills, heretofore barren, are raising splendid crops of wheat and barley. With the successful raising of grain added to our other resources, we will not alone produce immense quantities of butter annually, but we will produce hogs and we will produce cattle that can be fattened in our State or shipped to the great corn sections. We have the healthiest climate in the world, not alone for men, but also for beast. We are securing our share of the great work of reclamation, which will in time make the great inter- mountain section a wonder of productiveness, surpassing all sections in the world. If there is anything we need, it is knowledge and information as to the best system and methods particularly fitted to our section. If I can leave with this Congress the impression that the cause of agri- cultural science and the spread of useful knowledge must be fostered by the various states and also the Federal Government, and that the preservation of our natural resources should include not alone our forests and our mines, but also the native fertility stored in our soil, then I am well repaid. (Applause.) By Vice-President Baker: I would announce that resolutions can be received up to 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, but not after that, as the Committee on Resolutions will report soon thereafter. Under our rule, anyone who desires to discuss the subject presented has the right to avail himself of that privilege for three minutes. Hearing none, I will announce that there will be a very inter- esting address this evening by Senator Harris, of Galveston, Texas, and we would like to see the house filled to hear this prominent gentleman. By Secretary Francis: The following resolution has been handed to me, Mr. Chairman, by Sen- ator Harris, of Texas: GULF AND COAST HARBORS. RESOLVED, That we favor adequate appropriations and the continuing contracts by the several governments for increasing the number and enlarging the capacity of our harbors on the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. By Vice-President Baker: The resolution will take the usual course. If there is no objection, the Congress will now be in recess until S o'clock this evening. ELEVENTH SESSION Friday Evening, October 9th, 1908. By Past President John Henry Smith: The Congress will be in order. The people will please sit up around close and he happy. We will now hear from Mr. W. H. Richardson, of Oregon. VISION OF THE FUTURE. By Mr. AY. H. Richardson, Rosehurg: Mr. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen: I have been called upon at this time to fill in before the regular discussion of the evening- comes up. If I fail to make my remarks interesting it is because the excitement of the moment has caused all my blood to rush to my head and give me cold feet. If my voice can not be heard it is because my mouth is not large enough to be used as a megaphone, nor your ears large enough for trumpets. As I entered the hall this evening a young man said to me, "Yes, this is the place; this is the place all right; this is the place where they are having a baby show." There is one prize-winner right up at the secretary's table now. Look at his shiny head. I speak principally to those who are from the East, from the interior states. After your return home, if through the mysterious processes of nature you some day shall see a beautiful vision in the western sky like unto the promised Holy City, with its glistening walls and golden portals, view it in wondering delight — a mirage of the New San Francisco If your vision is of a city of beautiful homes, garlanded with roses and set in the Garden of Eden, tell your friends it is of Portland. If it be of a clear crystal inland sea with emerald borders, on its eastern shore a giant — in his left hand a key to the world beyond the sea, in his right a massive cornucopia running over with nuggets of precious gold — the vision is of Seattle. If, perchance. Nature, out of the bountifulness of her generosity will accord all three a place simultaneously on the high canopy of the heavens, may the vision be that of three stalwart sons of the West, each with an olive wreath upon his brow, holding in his left hand the square and compass, following the pre- cepts of the Great Architect, and in his right a hammer, all grouped about an anvil engaged in welding three golden links into a triple seal of Friend- ship, Love and Truth. We of the Far West have visions. Far to the eastward we see the leech- ing octopus stretching its reeking tentacles westward into the bosom of our virgin treasures. To the southward, where once reigned a desolation that marked the unsurpassed valor of the heroes of the Lost Cause, we see a land blossoming like the rose and flourishing like a green bay tree, the lami where the traditional hospitality of the Huguenot still prevails. Oh, a beauti- ful vision. "I sometimes think there never blows so red The rose as where some buried Caesar ble not become disheartened before any thorough test of the merits has been made. As one writer expresses it. what is n led is greater knowledge of farm conditions and farm methods. He says: "Many who have settled upon new lands in the West are under the im- pression that a slight adaptation of farm methods will enable them to make a success of farming all the time, thus ignoring the plain fact that there are important differences of climate and soil which must be considered. Still others labor under the delusion that all the farmer has to do is to practice good farming under the accepted and standard systems in vogue in states where little or no consideration need be given to the water problem. Both of these classes are in need of light. Unless they discover their error before i he coming of the inevitable period of extreme dryness, so that they may guard against the drouth dangers, they are sure to meet with losses that will not only lie of vast harm to them personally, but of incalculable damage to the whole Western semi-arid country." Crop Rotation. In my study on the subject of dry laud farming it is strongly impressed on me that a rotation of crops and fertilization are an essential part of the system. That is. whenever the land by careful plowing at the proper times and by repeated harrowing has been put in condition for growing crops, a different grain should be sown each successive year. If wheat is sown the first year, that crop is followed by barley, and that by oats or other grain. After the land has produced three crops of grain the rule, or perhaps more properly the practice, is the fourth year to sow field peas or some rapidly growing crop and when in proper condition for fertilization to plow that crop under as a fertilizer. Some farmers. I learn, instead of plowing the peas under allow them to mature and then harvest the crop with hogs. In other words, the field is fenced and hogs are put in to feed on t lie crop. This, it is claimed, serves a double purpose, viz: it gives the farmer a means of fattening his hogs and at the same time fertilizes the land. This Latter course permits the land to become dry and much moisture that has been stored is lost, and the process of conservation must again begin as at first. For the year immediately following the crop of peas thus harvested no seed is planted. It must be apparent that in dry farming the range of products is cpuite limited, viz: confined to such crops as can be cultivated dining the mowing season and close up to the time of harvesting. At the Congress held in Den- ver in 1906, one farmer living and farming in I'tali who claimed to have been able to raise fair crops almost continuously for some years, described his method of growing alfalfa. He planted by use of a drill, in rows far enough apart to enable him to cultivate, the same as he did corn, and thus after each cutting he was able to work the land so as to keep a mulch on the top and conserve the moisture. It will therefore be seen that the state- ment that dry farming involved "lots of work" is well founded. crop a"t all, mighl be Imitated by California grain farmers to their profit. But the difference In conditions In California from those in the states where dry farming is now most practiced should not be lost sight of. in this State intensive farming is growing in importance each succeeding year, ('.rain mowing Is gradually giving way to other branches of agriculture and the n.w conditions are not generally favorable to dry farming. On the con- trary, means for Irrigation are extending the area of fruits, vegetables and i.i year by year throughout the state. The certainty of profitable re- TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 199 turns from farming- by irrigation, as against the uncertainty under a system of dry farming, makes the former in every way desirable. Then, too, it would not be practicable to produce many of the fruits and other products now grown in California, if only the natural precipitation was to be had, no matter how carefully and scientifically it was conserved. Many fruit growers in this State, without claiming to follow any scien- tific system, do in practice adopt the Campbell system pretty closely in some respects without knowing it. In other words, experience has shown them that the minimum of water and the maximum of cultivation give the best results. Instead of applying all the water to their orchards and vineyards that the land will take, as was done some years ago, the tendency now is to use only sufficient water to keep the land in good productive condition by faithful and continuous cultivation through as long a period in the year as practicable. Irrigation the Important Feature iu This State. It does not seem to me that in this State the question of how crops may be grown profitably under the Campbell system has much importance. The greater interest seems to lie in the direction of continued effort to develop water for irrigation, and until the limit of development of water, at a cost which permits its profitable use for farming purposes, has been reached, the science of dry farming, for its further development, may properly be left to the semi-arid districts east of the Rocky Mountain Range. In California, perhaps as conspicuously as in any part of the United States, soils of all descriptions respond readily to good treatment and the lesson of careful cultivation may therefore be taken to heart and put to practical use. It is not a secret that cultivation at proper times conserves moisture. The knowledge of this has not, however, caused much improve- ment in grain farming, nor is it likely to do so while farmers are able to secure large areas and to get in the aggregate from poor farming fair re- turns for their labor at the minimum of cost. General Features, Including Education. Statistics give the number of farms in the United States as upward of six million (of which one million are in the semi-arid region of the "West), and the number of people (including men, women and children) living on and supported on farms, at thirty million. When we consider that farming is the basic industry of the Nation and that all prosperity is dependent upon it, we begin to realize the importance of following to its conclusion any plan that is proposed which promise to be helpful to this class of workers. It is for this.,reason that much attention has been given to the matter of dry farming. If, after continued tests, it is found that the principle of conservation of moisture in the way suggested by Mr. Campbell will make large areas in the West productive that without it must remain practically unused except for grazing, a great good shall have been accomplished. What the Government anil the States Are Doing. The National Government, through the Agricultural Department at Wash- ington, has done much in the way of giving information as to the kind of cr,ops best suited to particular soils, and through publications distributed widely, has rendered valuable assistance to the farmers of the country. The Government also makes careful studies of agricultural problems and presents the results in pamphlets, comprehensive and illustrated, for free distribution. If the farmer wishes advice as to what he should do to make his soil more productive, or as to the kind of crops to raise, the department, through its wide knowledge of soil conditions, is ever ready to aid him. In various places demonstration is made on experimental farms, the effect of which is to afford opportunity to those who desire it, to learn of improved methods in farming. How Institutes and Schools Help. Many states have agricultural schools and colleges, which also directly benefit the farming community, and as educational advantages in this par- ticular branch of industry are better appreciated, the usefulness of these in- stitutes is broadened. Farming institutes likewise tend in the same direction. The tendency of both schools and institutes is to excite inquiry and intelli- gent discussion of matters which relate to farm products, methods of cultiva- tion and general farm work. Institutes also tend to the consideration of the advantages and disad- vantages of farm life, as compared to life in towns and cities. In this special feature, they may be made helpful and beneficial as well as instructive. Federal Commission. President Roosevelt has recently expressed his interest in promoting bet- ter social and intellectual conditions on the farm in the appointment of a commission to consider and report upon ways for improving them. 200 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS I >r. Walter H. Page, one of the members of the commission, in "World's \\ '..rk. " recently summed up regarding the farmer and his future as follows: "Getting a living from the soil is a scientific and profitable pursuit for those who know best how to do it — those who take advantage of all the new knowledge. As the number of such persons increases and better methods are emploved, and especially as better management is used, the profits and the of country life will grow. Organization will take the place of wasteful individual work. The intellectual life will be cultivated. The time dreamed of by the ] is and philosophers will come — may come — throughout this great country, and it would come within a reasonable short time if all the forces could be co-ordinated and directed right. A great common movement toward such an end would take rank as the most important work in our land, per- haps the most important in the whole world." GEO. C. PARDEE, Oakland, California. IX I TWELFTH SESSION Saturday Morning, October 10th, 1908. By Vice-President Col. Ike T. Pryor, of San Antonio, Texas: The hour of 10 o'clock has arrived. The order of business is the con- firmation of the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization. As the gentleman whom they have recommended for the presidency is at present absent, but will be here in a few minutes, I shall take this opportunity to make a statement: The annual dues of permanent members of this organ- ization are five dollars. Pending the arrival of the gentleman mentioned by the Committee on Permanent Organization as your President next year, the dues will be received from each man who wishes to become a perma- nent member of this organization. The Secretary is ready to receive them, and will give receipts. By President Case: PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP. The Vice-President has called your attention to the importance of the permanent membership fund. If I am correct, I believe that last year we did not receive as much from that membership fund as we should. As you know, this organization depends upon its members largely for at least a portion of its expenses, and it is of vital importance that we not only keep up to the standard of that fund, but that we increase it. Under the by-laws fixing Friday, 10 a. m., for the election of officers, it is now necessary to confirm this action today, being the last day of the Congress, instead of yesterday. The report of the Committee on Organization was adopted yesterday, not knowing whether the Congress would continue again today. I think, therefore, it is wise and safe to take this matter up this morning and reaffirm the action of the Congress. There will then be no mistake. By Col. H. D. Loveland, of California: I move that this Congress elect as the officers for the ensuing year the gentlemen presented by the Committee on Permanent Organization. By Colonel Pryor: I second the motion. By President Case: The motion is made by Col. H. D. Loveland, of California, seconded by Colonel Ike T. Pryor, of Texas, that the action of the Congress yesterday upon the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization be confirmed. (The motion was formally carried.) LOUISIANA'S GAVEL. By Mr. W. O. Hart, of Louisiana: When on Tuesday I had the honor of presenting to this Congress a gavel, up to that time I had not been able to have it suitably inscribed. 1 now beg to return the gavel to you for the use of the Congress with this inscription thereon : From the Battlefield of Chalmette January 8, 1815. Presented by "The United States Daughters of 1776 and 1812" of Louisiana, to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. October 6th, 1908. (Applause.) 202 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By President Case: You see the gavel; it is the property of this Congress. I desire on behalf of the members of this Congress to return our thanks to the gentleman from Louisiana. What is the further pleasure of this Congress? By Mr. Briggs: What is the matter with the ladies of Louisiana in that vote of thanks? By President Case: We will extend them also to the ladies who presented us with the gavel. By Mr. Briggs: I move you that suitable thanks be extended to the ladies by this Congress. By Mr. Gosper, of Los Angeles: I second the motion. By Mr. Burton, of Los Angeles: I move a rising vote. By President Case: You have heard the motion; all in favor signify the same by rising. All opposed will now please stand. The motion was unanimously carried. By Maj. R. W. Young, of Utah: I move that the President of this Congress be made the permanent custodian of that gavel; that is, yourself. By President Case: Thank you. Will you put that motion, Mr. Loveland? By Past President Loveland, of California: You have heard the motion, that our retiring president be made the permanent custodian of this gavel. Mr. Hart, you presented it for your state, and know better than I the disposition that was intended for it. 1 for one should like to see it go to Mr. Case as a token of the admirable manner he has presided over this Congress. Is that satisfactory to you, Mr. Hart? By Mr. Hart: No. The idea in presenting the gavel to this Congress was that it should be used at succeeding conventions and especially the convention of 1910 in New Orleans. By Major Young: I did not contemplate that it should go out of the possession of the Congress, but that Mr. Case should be custodian. A Delegate: Is it understood that Mr. Case retain control of it indefinitely or that it pass to each succeeding president? By Colonel Loveland: Thai it passes to his successor. By Mr. Briggs: I would like to ask if that means that the President be made permanent custodian, or if the succeeding president be the custodian. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 203 By Colonel Loveland: Mr. Hart has explained that it is to be the permanent property of the Congress. (The motion was formally presented and unanimously carried.) HONORABLE THOMAS F. WALSH INSTALLED AS PRESIDENT. By President Case: Gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: We are about to close the Nineteenth Session of this great organization. I desire to return my thanks for the honor that you have conferred upon me. I desire to express my thanks to each member of this Congress, and to the officers with whom I have had the pleasure of being associated during the past year — to the citizens of San Francisco, who have given us such a cordial greeting; to the members of the press, who have been so kind to us. It is now my duty and my pleasure to introduce to you my successor in office, a gentleman who has made a great success in life, and who, I assure you, will make a success of the office which he holds during the next year. The duties of the President of this Congress are many, and I have every reason to believe that at the expiration of his term the Congress will be greater than it ever has been. (Applause.) I now have the pleasure of introducing to you my friend and my suc- cessor, Honorable Thomas F. Walsh, of Denver, Colorado. (Applause.) By 3Ir. Thos. F. Walsh, of Denver, Colo.: Mr. President and Delegates to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress: I thank the president for his complimentary words. I would like to correct one mistake he made. He said "The Honorable" Thomas F. Walsh, and in that correction I would like to say that it is just plain, everyday "Tom" Walsh. (Applause.) I feel deeply the honor that you have conferred upon me in electing me your president for the next term of this organization, and that honor has been doubly intensified by the feeling of good will which has accompanied it. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honor which you have conferred upon me. I also thank you for selecting my State and my home city wherein to hold your next session. I am sure that with the co-operation of this associa- tion and the co-operation of the people of Colorado we will make the next session a very successful one, and I am sure the delegates attending that Con- gress, as well as the other visitors, will be pleased and delighted with our capital city, with our State, our climate, and more than all, with the warm hos- pitality of our people. The organization which you represent, gentlemen, is a grand one, and it Is a truly representative body. It represents a vast and a great empire that is rich in the fertility of its soil that is blest with all of the natural resources that go to make a country and a people great. But in the development of our conditions, in the development of our resources, there is great work to be done; there are many vital questions to be settled in the future. Good roads must be built, for without them our civilization will not grow. Simple though the work may appear, they touch the deepest fibers of human life. The rivers that flow idly to the sea now must be harnessed into active agencies to transport our commodities. Every idle resource must be employed, so as to bend its utility to the use and the benefit of mankind. The reclamation of the arid lands must not stop. It must go on until every barren waste of our territory is changed into productive, happy and independent homes for our growing population. These are but a few of the great works that the future spreads out before us. Great questions, both economic and ethical, will have to be solved, and I am sure that this body in its intelligent discussions of those questions will help in pointing the way for their solution and enable the Congress of the United States to adopt and embody in the laws of our country proper remedial legislation. In all of this great work of commercial progress, let us not forget the higher things of life, for without them our civilization would lack perfection. Man's civilization is an evolution that has been going on from the earliest times to now. It has been a struggle to get up out of animal conditions. Material wealth is but the least of its possessions. Those word are as true 204 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS today as when they were first spoken: "That eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." and they will hold true so long' as human civilization lasts. So that, gentlemen, in striving for the material interests of our country, let us not forget the higher ideals of life, let us not forget that without them our civilization will not be enduring. Let us then work hand in hand, and even with greater fervor in that direction than in working for the material success of our country. Let us, for instance, give in the future even greater atten- tion to the schoolhouse, both with regard to number and with regard to teachers, than we have in the past. Let us raise the standard of citizenship, of honesty in official life, and raise the standard of the ballot. Let us try to inculcate a greater love for our fellowman that will enable us to cast that enemy of all civilization, personal selfishness, aside, that will enable us to serve our country and our flag with devotion in every way we can. Let lis try to act in such a way that our work will bring t lie greatest good to the greatest number. Let us try to make this world happier and better, and to make the struggle of human life much easier than it is now. Again, I thank you, gentlemen, and I promise to try to prove in every way worthy of the trust and the confidence that you have reposed in me. (Prolonged applause.) By Vice-President Pryor." The President does me the honor to allow me to preside. We will hear now the reading of the report of the Resolutions Com- mittee; and I hope each and every one will pay careful and strict atten- tion, as we are commencing the reading of this report one hour late. It is our object to finish all our business at this session, and I hope every man will help us and look to that end. Any objection that the members have I wish they would think about when the reading of the report is finished. By Chairman Harris, of Texas: Mr. Chairman, as chairman of your Committee on Resolutions, I am instructed to report that your committee has had under consideration all of the resolutions which have reached them in regular course, have deliberated upon them, have listened to the authors and their advocates and the opponents of the resolution; said committee has sat from day to day, and finally has risen, and makes their report to this body. The chairman of our committee requests the Honorable W. O. Hart to read the resolutions, he being the chairman of the Compilation Committee. In connection with this report, as chairman of the Committee on Reso- lutions, I move their passage upon a final reading of the resolutions, and ask the Chair to hold that motion in suspense until the resolutions shall have been read. Your committee thereupon beg to be discharged from further consideration of the work entrusted to it. By Colonel Pryor: Any discussion to the motion? A Delegate: I second the motion. By Governor Rickard, of Montana: Mr. Chairman, is that not out of the ordinary, to discharge a committee before we have considered its report. This report comes up after considera- tion of several resolutions that have been before the body. It may be the wisdom of this Congress to report some one or more of these resolu- tions back to the committee for further consideration. It is unparliamentary. so far as all my knowledge and experience goes, to discharge a committee before we have considered its report. By Chairman Harris: Possibly i he gentleman did not understand the nature of the motion Of the chairman of the committee. The motion was, that after the resolu- TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 205 tions shall have been read and duly seconded, and passed upon by this body, that the committee should be discharged, and I ask the Chair to hold that motion in suspense until the usual course could be pursued. (Applause.) By Vice-President Pryor: That is right. I will now introduce to you, gentlemen, Mr. Hart, of Louisiana, who will read the report. Mr. W. O. Hart, of Louisiana: Mr. President, and members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress, in Nineteenth Annual Session convened: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS. Your undersigned Committee on Resolutions begs to make the follow- ing report, and asks that same be adopted: RESOLUTIONS. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress points with pride to what it has accomplished since its organization, and particularly to the fact that many of its recommendations have been adopted by the National Congress, demonstrating its great and growing influence for the betterment and sub- stantial progress of the people of the Trans-Mississippi region, embracing twenty states, two organized territories of the mainland, Alaska, Hawaii and the Philippine Islands. In accordance with its custom, this Congress presents the following as important subjects to which it invites the earnest attention of the President of the United States and the members of the National Congress. RIVERS, HARBORS AND CANALS. We emphatically reaffirm the clear and comprehensive resolutions passed at former sessions of this Congress in regard to the improvement of the water- ways and harbors of our entire country. Speaking more especially for the Trans-Mississippi region, which is far more than half of the United States, we recognize that within the last year our transportation necessities have greatly increased. The time has come when we should push with all possible expedition the perfect improvement, ample extension and efficient main- tenance of these natural facilities, by which alone can we get the cheapest transportation and adequate outlets for our products; hence we again most earnestly commend to our members the movement more especially represented by the National Rivers and Harbors Congress, and adopt as ours its slogan — an annual appropriation of at least $50,000,000, to be expended in the further- ance of the pressing and indispensable work. We again endorse the project of deep water from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, so that the sea shall virtually be carried to Chicago, that our teeming products may find water transportation at convenient ports all through the center of our great country instead of being subjected to long and expensive hauls over congested railroads to the coast. We favor the perfect and permanent improvement to the highest points of navigation of such channels of travel as the Missouri and other rivers, penetrating to the heart of the great Trans-Mississippi country. We And that even our most extensive works are soon inadequate, both in depth and space, for the wants of commerce. The older nations, though of smaller area and with productions near to the sea, have long since found it indispensable to avail themselves of the most perfect capacity of all classes of transportation. What was indispensable for them is now even more vital for us with our greater territory and far more productive population. Hence we urge that improvement keep pace with and anticipate our commercial wants. We hail with satisfaction the progressive, statesmanlike and patriotic utterances and actions of the President of the United States in regard to these great measures. We call upon our Senators and Representatives in Congress, regardless of party, to support him in this policy, which we wish advanced to the very first rank of our public policies. If necessary in the construction and maintenance of the great system of works of which our 206 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS whole country now stands in most urgent need, we favor the creation of a department of public works, and so far requisite, an increase of the public debt We wish no waste, nor do we wish to antagonize any other proper public interest; but we demand prompt and efficient attention to these com- mercial needs; provided the projects proposed are found to be practicable and of public use by the United States Engineers. CALIFORNIA RIVERS AM) HARBORS. As we believe in equal development of the whole country, and knowing the urgent need of more water transportation, we favor the proposal now before the Government authorities for the construction of a breakwater to make yet more available the splendid natural harbor of Monterey. This Congress recommends to and urges upon the < 'ongress of the United States that immediate appropriation be made in the following amounts. and for the following purposes, to wit: (a) That an appropriation of at least $259,250 be made for the purpose of deepening the water over the outer bar at tin- harbor of San Diego, and for removing the middle ground in said harbor, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. dated May 11, 1908, in order to accommodate the naval vessels desiring to coal at the Government coaling station, now being constructed. (b) That an appropriation be made for the purpose of repairing and extending the Twin Jetties at the entrance of Humboldt Bay, in order that the channel of the hay may be rendered safe to commerce, and that an appropriation also be made for the purpose of removing the hogbacks formed by the deposit of sand in the interior bay. (c) That the amount of $250,000, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1st. for works of improvement in Oakland Harbor, from the appropria- tion authorized by Act of Congress. March 3, 1905, in compliance with recom- mendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. id) That the sum of $400,000 be appropriated for the purpose of per- forming the work specified and recommended in the Special Report of the California Debris Commission, in regard to the further appropriation for the control of mining debris, included in the navigability and providing for the control of the flood waters of the Sacramento and Feather rivers, California, dated June 30, 1907. (e) That an appropriation of at least $284,800 be made for tin- purpose of extending the breakwater at San Pedro Harbor from its present terminus to the shore line, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Kngineers for Rivers and Harbors, made February IT. Unix. PROVIDED, that before entering upon any work on the Sacramento and Feather rivers, the state of California have appropriated and that there be available from the funds in the California State treasury, an equal sum of $400,000 for the same purpose. We urgently recommend to the Congress of the United States that im- mediate action be taken for improving the channel of the Sacramento River, so that its navigability to Red Bluff may be maintained during all seasons of the year. COOS HAY. We recommend that a board of skilled engineers be appointed by the United States Government to revise the projects for the improvement of the harbor of Coos Bay, witli a view of fortifying the entrance and making the harbor a coaling station. BAYOU LAFOURCHE. We recommend that the Congn ss of the United States be requested to compel the opening of Bayou Lafourche, in the state of Louisiana, by the con- struction of locks or the removal of the dam. ARKANSAS RIVER. We earnestly recommend that the United States Government appropriate sufficient funds for the improvement of the Arkansas River so that same may be navigable from its mouth as far as Muskogee, Oklahoma. INTER-CO \ST\I. CAM UL. We endorse the proposed inter-coastal canal from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande, as a needed and most beneficial waterway Improvement and we respectfully urge the Senators and Representatives of the Trans- Mississippi States in Congress to favor a .anal of not less than nine feet in depth and not less than one hundred feet in width. SMSI.AW HARBOR. In view of the approaching completion of the Panama Canal, every harbor of the Pacific Coast, which by a reasonable expi nditun can be made practicable TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 207 for ocean commerce, is of national importance and the Siuslaw Harbor of Lane County. Oregon, appearing- as such worthy and the natural outlet to the sea for a large timber and agricultural district, it is recommended that the said harbor be restored to the position formerly occupied in the harbor and river appropriations and that the improvements there commenced be carried to completion. SUGAR. The domestic sugar industry merits and is entitled to complete and ample protection, and that this Congress is opposed to any measure that tends to increase the importation of free sugar grown by cheap labor. NAVY YARDS. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress commends the Congress of the United States for the liberal policy it has heretofore adopted in the pro- tection and development of the National interests in the interior territory and coast lines of the Trans-Mississippi States. Inasmuch as the dock facilities of the Pacific Coast are inadequate to care for a strong defensive fleet of battleships and cruisers, it is of paramount importance that two Government docks be maintained, one at Bremerton, Washington, and one at Mare Island, California. We recommend that a commission be immediately appointed to investigate and report, not only in respect to needed appropriations for the Mare Island Navy Yard, but also of the conditions at present prevailing, and to recommend a plan under which a channel of sufficient depth to permit the passage of ships of the deepest draft to the yards can be maintained, and adequate facilities be provided to care for a battleship fleet of such size as may be required upon the Pacific Coast. GRAPE INDUSTRY. The policy of our Government has been to promote agriculture and horticulture. As a result, in the Trans-Mississippi States, hundreds of thou- sands of acres of land and hundreds of millions of capital are devoted to the cultivation of the grape, and many thousands of families depend upon that industry for a living. One great source of profit to the grape grower has been the use of American sweet wines as medicinal components. The ruling of the Internal Revenue Commissioner, ratified by the Secretary of the Treasury, forbids such use of American sweet wines to the great loss and distress of the grape grower. Our domestic sweet wines are outlawed and their place is taken by foreign wines, imported under reciprocity at a rate of duty per alcoholic content which is only two-thirds of our internal revenue tax on domestic spirits. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress respect- fully requests the President of the United States as the only competent legal authority to reverse and cancel the ruling against American sweet wines. This Congress also requests that in the revision of the tariff there be no reduction of the duties on the products of the vineyard, either directly or by reciprocity. American agriculture demands the right to live by such diversity of products as our varied climate permits, and this Congress asks that there be no discrimination against the grape and its products. ELECTRIC POWER. This Congress recognizes the growing importance of the development of electric power, not only for the purposes of lighting, manufacturing and com- merce, but also in aid of irrigation by pumping from subterranean sources. Developments already accomplished in this direction warrant the assumption that in the not far distant future, the lands irrigated by water pumped from such sources will equal, if they do not exceed, lands irrigated from the natural flow of streams. The development and use of our streams for the generation of electric power not only aids and increases irrigation directly, but is beneficial in many other ways. First, it renders possible and profitable the construction of reservoirs in the high mountains withholding excessive floods thus aiding reclamation and also conserving this injurious flow which is later added to the beneficial flow of water available for irrigation. Second, it is the one great source of supply immediately available for lighting, heat and power as a substitute for other fuels, thus limiting the rapid destruction of our forests and also conserving and saving our supplies of coal and other fuels. Third, the use of electricity for pumping renders it possible permanently to reclaim and irrigate vast sections of our arid land otherwise impossible of reclamation or irrigation. Fourth, its extensive development will cheapen and extend manufacturing and commerce, thus affording an immediate home market for the products of our irrigated farms are also cheaper transportation to other markets. . RESOLVED, That the necessary right of way and rights for the con- struction of reservoirs, and of uses of the public lands, for the development of 208 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS electric power, should be aided and encouraged in every reasonable way. And no burdensome charges or discriminations should be exacted or imposed, as a result of which such beneficial developments may be delayed and the in- vestment of capital therein prevented and the cost increased to the con- sumer. Such uses being public uses should be controlled and regulated by the state or nation, as the situation and use may require. CLOSER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE I'MTED STATES AND THE LATIN- AMERICAN REPL'HLICS. We strongly endorse the work and propaganda of the International Bureau of American Republics in Washington, an official institution supported by the twenty-one American Republics, including the United States, and devoted to the encouragement of Pan-American commerce, friendship and peace. We congratulate the Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States, on the policy which he has initiated of fostering more intimate relations with our sister American Republics, as outlined in his speech before the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress at Kansas City, in 1906, and recommend not only organized effort among the business interests of the country for the legitimate commercial development of this Held, but legislation by the National Congress of the United States favorable to the improvement of steamship and mail facilities between the principal ports of the United States and these Latin-American countries. GOVERNMENT STEAMSHIP LINE ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST. Unless assurance of improved service can be given between San Francisco. Central American ports and Panama, we recommend and urge the United States Government to establish its own lines between all important Pacific Coast ports and Panama, calling at Central American ports, thereby giving us a through Government-owned line via Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific seaboard. TRANSPORTATION OF PERISHABLE FREIGHT. We recommend to the Congress of the United States the enactment of ade- quate laws defining the duties of railroad companies with respect to furnishing with reasonable promptness, cars for the transportation of freight and - pecially perishable freight like livestock, fruit and vegetables, and to require prompt transportation of all perishable freight, fixing penalties for dis- obedience of such law, and empowering the Interstate Commerce Commission to make rules and regulations concerning the same. TARIFF RECIPROCITY. We endorse the principles of reciprocity to the end that tariff schedules shall be made so adjustable that the President of the United States shall be enabled to enter into reciprocal trade agreements with foreign countries which will admit to the widest possible market consistent with the maintenance of the industries of this country, the products of our country and its manu- factures, and that in the event of the establishment of a minimum schedule of duties, the same be made upon a truly reciprocal basis, so as to give opportunity to negotiate commercial agreements. GRAZING ON PUBLIC LANDS. We recommend to the Congress of the United States the enactment of laws which shall reasonably provide for the regulation of the use of the public grazing upon the public lands of the United States, with a view to a just and reasonable apportionment among the users of the public lands so as to stimulate and encourage the improvement of the grazing and providing water and other improvements subject always to the right of the home- steading and other acquisitions of title to the lands under the land laws of the United States; and that the rental charged for the use >>f the grazing upon such lands be made as low as the administration of the law will permit, the profits to accrue as nearly as may be to the localities where the land is situated for the puhlie school purposes. PANAMA CANAL. In view of the approaching completion of the Panama ("anal, every har- bor of the Pacific Coast and of the Gulf of Mexico, which by reasonable ex- penditure can be made practicable for ocean commerce, should be considered of National importance, and adequate appropriations and continuing contracts by the Federal Government for increasing the number and enlarging the ca- pacity of these harbors, is recommended. PACIFIC COAST TRADES. RESOLVKD, that the interdependence of the Pacific Coast states necessi- tates united action in efforts to secure Federal legislation favoring the TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 209 harmonious and successful expansion of Pacific Coast trade, and the natural development of Coast reserves. RESOLVED, that two pressing- needs of the Pacific Coast admittedly in- volving the commercial welfare of the whole country, are the maintenance of a large fleet of naval vessels in Pacific waters, and the Federal legislation that will stimulate American shipping and send our flag into every foreign port. GEOLOGICAL, SURVEY. RESOLVED that in the United States Geological Survey this Nation has a bureau that has and is gathering absolute necessary data of inestimable value that is required in the study of the best methods to be employed in bringing Into the highest degree and usefulness the unlimited natural resources of the United States. Further, the water resources branch of the U. S. Geological Survey is requested to lend its aid to the development and conservation of our desert water supplies, giving special attention to their -accurate location, main- tenance and preservation, and to the preparation of maps and reports,' and the dissemination of information about them, and the members of our state and National Legislatures are urged to make proper provision in their annual appropriation bills for carrying out the work herein outlined. NATIONAL PARKS AND FOREST RESERVES. We favor adequate appropriations for the construction of roads and trails in National Parks and Forest Reserves, not only as a means of trans- portation and communication, but as a preventive against forest fires. We favor the enactment of Federal and state laws which will compel persons engaged in timber or lumber operations to so conduct such opera- tions that the rights of others will not be endangered; and we recommend that the United States Forest Service shall formulate such drafts of laws, and the same shall be presented at the next session of Congress. We also suggest to the State Foresters of the different states that similar laws should be presented to the legislatures when next in session. INTERSTATE COMMERCE. We urge upon the Congress of United States that it enact an amendment to the Interstate commercial law, whereby the Interstate Commerce Com- mission may at its discretion, or upon proper complaint, suspend advances and freight rates or changes of classification before they become effective, pending an investigation as to their reasonableness, and that all rates be submitted to the Commission before becoming effective. AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE. The Congress of the United States should, at its next session, provide liberally for the expansion and maintenance of the American merchant ma- rine engaged in foreign trade, because its existing condition is dangerous to both our naval, military and commercial strength and national progress. We recommend that such action be taken at once before greater or insuperable difficulties present themselves, and the delegates here assembled pledge them- selves unitedly to urge upon their respective Senators and Representatives in Congress such prompt action as will insure the supremacy of American shipping and thus safeguard National defense and commerce. UNITED STATES PUHLIC HEALTH AND MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE. We endorse the work of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service and desire to express to the President, the Secretary of the Treasury and Surgeon-General Wyman, thanks and appreciation for their efficient services in protecting the health and improving the sanitary condition of the Trans- Mississippi country. ALASKA-YUKON-PACIFIC EXPOSITION. We earnestly request the transcontinental railroads of America to grant a one-way round-trip rate to Seattle during the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo- sition, in order that the people of the country may have every opportunity to become acquainted with the resources, development and destiny of the great West. GOOD ROADS. The enormous cost involved in the transportation of farm products and other materials over imperfect roadways, warrants the investment of large sums by the National and state governments, to encourage the construction and aid in the maintenance of improved highways to reduce that cost; and this Congress requests such attention and appropriations by the Congress of the United States, and by the legislatures of the various Trans-Mississippi States, as will induce the construction and guarantee' the maintenance of permanent 210 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS thoroughfares, and such legislation as will compel scientific and specialized engineering, economic administration, strict accounting and faithful service in this very important public utilty. INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES. RESOLVED. That we approve the work of the International Fisheries Commission, and of the efforts of the National Government to co-operate with the different states in the protection and propagation of fishes in the inter- state and boundary waters. PUBLIC DOMAIN. RESOLVED, That the rights of the way granted by the Federal Gov- ernment for power development on the public domain should be conditional upon continued construction work in good faith and sincerity, with a prompt completion of the works for which the rights are requested. PHILIPPINES. We recommend to the American people a more thorough study of the op- portunity of utilizing the vast resources of the Philippine islands, and that the Federal Government be asked to facilitate in every possible way legisla- tion for such a revision of the insular public land and tariff laws as will be conducive to the economic prosperity of the Philippines. BUREAU OP MINES, We heartily endorse the movement to create a bureau of mines, and we urgently urge upon the Congress of the United States that a law on that subject be enacted at the earliest day possible and that ample appropriations be provided for its maintenance. NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA. We urge that the Congress of the United States, at its next session, take the preliminary steps providing for the admission into the Federal Union as separate states the territories of New Mexico and Arizona. INDIAN LANDS. We favor the removal of all restrictions upon the allottees of Indian land within the limits of Oklahoma, and respectfully request of the Congress of the United States that a law to accomplish this be adopted during the next session. ( Applause.) By Vice-President Pryor: You have heard the reading of the resolution. It is moved and seconded that this report be adopted and the Committee discharged. Any remarks? By Honorable George C. Pardee, of California: Before that motion is put, here is a resolution which, owing to various accidents, was not read in the Committee on Resolutions. I move that it be added to the report of the Committee, first being read by the chairman of the Committee. TRKES. We desire to express our appreciation of and commend the greal work being promoted by the Federation of Tree Growing Clubs of America in en- couraging the planting of trees in all sections of our country. By Vice-President Pryor: I do not believe this is in order. By Chairman Harris: I was about to raise the point of order — not against the resolution, but its presentation at this time. I will say, as chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, that so far as I am personally concerned, I will stand here this morning and this afternoon and possibly tonight, to see that this body shall be a free forum for discussion and every man have a voice and vote. I further explain the point of order by this: I am personally friendly to Governor Pardee's motion, and I think it should not be presented as an TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 211 addition or supplement to the report of the Committee on Resolutions. 1 will give my reasons with the permission of the Chair. By Vice-President Pryor: State the reasons. By Chairman Harris: We followed this course in the committee. We tried out such resolu- tions as practically had no opposition in one solid report that they might be disposed of in due course of business without being imperiled by having them coupled with resolutions that might meet with active opposition. I therefore suggest that we pursue that course now. By Mr. Pardee: I withdraw my motion, to be made at a later time. By Mr. Chartz, of Nevada: I ask the chairman of the Committee on Resolutions whether the matter that was informally presented to your committee this morning at the eleventh hour, relating to the establishment of guideboards and water places in our desert, through the employees of the government of the United States, was included in your report. Many a man has lost his life by not rinding water in our deserts. I did not notice that that was in your resolution. By Chairman Harris: I can answer as chairman of the Resolutions Committee that we con- sidered nothing precluded from consideration by this body because of the report that has just been read. Does that answer the gentleman from California? By Mr. Burton, of Los Angeles: Except in this: I handed to you or your secretary the report and the resolutions from the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles. By Mr. Hart: That is included under the head of Geological Survey. I will read it over again. (Reads same.) By Mr. Gosper, of Los Angeles: I wish to offer a resolution on Arizona. By Vice-President Pryor: We will not accept any resolution at this time. By Mr. Edward Berwick, of California: I want to ask, sir, whether I will be permitted to bring up a resolution on parcels post after this is voted on. It was made the express business at 10 o'clock. By Vice-President Pryor: If you get the floor, I will try to recognize you; but we will dispose of this now. By Mr. Hart: The committee will present after this a special report on the parcels post so as to bring it before the house. 212 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: You have heard the report of the Committee on Resolutions read. It is moved and seconded that the report as read be adopted. Any remarks? By a Delegate: Question. (The motion was thereupon formally presented and unanimously adopted.) By Vice-President Pryor: The report is adopted, and I t,ake it that the Resolutions Committee is now discharged. By Mr. Hart: With the exception of the report on the parcels post. By Governor Pardee: I now renew the motion for the adoption of my harmless little resolution. By Mr. Gosper: I second the motion. By Vice-President Pryor: You have heard the motion read. It is moved and seconded that this resolution be adopted. (The motion was duly carried.) Mr. Gosper: I also appeared before the committee in behalf of a brief resolution on the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as states in the next Congress. I would like to offer that as my friend, Governor Pardee, did. By Chairman Harris: I rise for the purpose of seconding the motion, which I understand is for the admission of Arizona and Mexico as states. Living in the sister state of Texas, we desire to see them represented by a full-grown five- pointed star in the flag. By Secretary Francis: (Reading.) "RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States should at its next session take the proper preliminary step providing for the admission of the territories of Arizona and New Mexico into the great sisterhood of states." This is offered by Mr. J. J. Gosper, of Los Angeles, Cal. By Mr. Hart: I move to insert the words, "as separate states.*' By Mr. Gosper: I intended to put that in. It was omitted through mistake. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) By Vice-President Pryor: With respecl to the parcels post? By Mr. Berwick, of California: There is to be a secondary report of the Committee on Resolutions, I TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 213 understand. If not, I will hand in my substitute resolution and ask that the secretary read it and that I be allowed a moment or two to speak on it. By Vice-President Pryor: This is out of order until the regular report is presented. By Mr. Berwick: I will await the reading of the report then. THE PARCELS POST. By Mr. L. E. Pin khnm, Honolulu, Chairman Sub-Committee (reading) : Resolution No. 1 — Relating to the parcels post and approving a proposal for a reduction of rates of postage on, and an increase of the limit of the weight of packages permissible for transmission by mail, received the atten- tion of the Sub-Committee on Postal Laws and Transportation. The Sub-Committee recommended the disapproval of this resolution by the Committee on Resolutions. The resolution was disapproved as recommended. The grounds upon which the Sub-Committee advised disapproval, are as follows: At present every part of the United States and its possessions are provided with just and reasonable parcels post facilities sufficient to meet all reason- able requirements. There is no limit to the number of four-pound packages that may be sent by mail. The rates of postage established are low, barely covering cost calculated on the most favorable basis for the sender. When distance and area are considered, the present rates are but a frac- tion of those charged by Great Britain, Germany and Belgium. Distances in these countries are so limited they are not to be logically compared with those of the United States. The average parcels post distance on business originating in London is forty-five miles, while the average of that originating in Chicago is 869 miles. When population is considered, the United States Government at this moment is infinitely more liberal than the countries mentioned, for they serve a congested population of 550 persons per square mile in England, 300 in Ger- many and 600 in Belgium, against twenty-five per square mile in the United States. That congested population can be served at strikingly less cost than diffused populations, cannot be for one instant disputed. The total length of English postal routes is 4,300 miles; of the United States over 530,000 miles. In these limited area countries destinations are reached in very short periods of time, usually a very few hours, while the parcels post of the United States reaches to five or six days within its own mainland borders, and four to six weeks to its outlying areas. Thus these small countries are able to conduct their parcels post business at acceptable speed to the receivers by use of freight vans moved in slow, low class trains. In America mails take precedence and must be carried on the speediest express passenger trains. These American trains have about reached the limit as to cars that can be handled in one train at the speed the public demands. To greatly increase the parcels post traffic would mean the delay and discomfort of travel and less speed on trains for mail traffic. There can be no question but the allowance of a parcel within a trifle of three times the present limit of weight and a reduction of rates will vastly increase the range of commodities transported by mail, in fact the increase of mail order business could hardly fail to be beyond present comprehension. One single Chicago mail-order house did a business last year of $53,285,000.00. To pay them would require the total realization of the state of California from its citrus, deciduous, vine and nut products. California calls the world to wonder, but looks rather small when she could thus support but one mail-order house. All this on the present parcels post four-pound limit and sixteen-cent rate. What will be the result with an eleven-pound limit and a twelve-cent rate? The moment the Government of the United States promotes such a vast increase it will not only have gone into unlimited merchandise transportation, I'll REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS but will have formed an alliance with the great centralization of merchan- dising capital located in a very few metropolitan cith s. It will use its enormous power to aid a few overshadowing mail-order houses againsl the local merchant, and against the prosperity of little cities, towns and villages. Reliable authorities state in nine European parcels post countries the rural villages have been practically ruined for .trade. No1 only will the Government use its irresistible power to advance tie- interests of these great houses, hut under the proposed conditions and rates it will be obliged to draw from the public treasury vast sums for equipment and i" make up an enormous deficit which represents no saving for the patrons of these houses, hut the profits to these houses the Government sees fit to extract from the people at large for the special heneiii of those who are not logically <>i' justly entitled to it. This is hack action paternalism of which we already have had enough. The statements that certain reductions proposed in behalf of a local dealer would aid him are certainly a most audacious fallacy to mislead opposi- tion to these measures. The territory supplied by a local dealer is limited. Wherever a rural United States mail delivery exists, carriers are permitted to serve both the inhabitants and dealers on their route at no charge if he sees lit. or such a charge as may be agreed upon, all provided the package exceeds four pounds in weight. No local merchant or his patrons will find any inducements in a postal package rate equalling $56.00 per long ton. The local dealer in his relations with his customers is possibly all right now. and all he asks is to be let alone and that the Government cease dis- criminating against him. Again the local dealer could in no conceivable way get his Imprint on a catalogue that would compete with those sent out by these mail-order houses. It may be claimed simply the law of competition is being involved. It is not competition but elimination to the greatest degree possible that is sought; elimination not by fair competition, but by invoking Government aid at the risk and expense of the American people at large. It is the local merchant who sustains the local newspaper, and in the larger cities the great daily and Sunday papers. These nihil order houses support in no degree the public press: they adver- tise to no extent. They catalogue. Whom may be their printer, we do not know: possibly they may own their own presses. It seems to this Committee that the promoters of this scheme, whether they realize it or not, will find in the end. if they are successful, that they have forced a one-sided partnership between the Government of the United States and the mail-order houses, in which the Government takes all the cha nces. The ultimate effect must be that of injuring the village and the village merchant, the town and the town merchant, the nearby city and the nearby city merchant, and even the merchant of important cities. To the agriculturist and others who look only to small sums saved by greater patronage of mail-order houses in great centers, he may find himself the loser in the end in the absence of his merchant friends and decay of his village, the centfer of his social, educational and religious privileges, all tend ing to the disadvantage of his children, to depreciation of his property and general lowering of country life. While this Sub-Committee believes in free and equal competition, it does not believe the Government of the United States has a right to extend its favors, legitimate in a limited degree, to a point and magnitude that are de- structive to vast numbers, if not the majority of its citizens. To the degree of partnership with concentrated capital involved in the proposed enlargement of the parcels post we protest, and recommend Resolu- tion No. l be disapproved of. (Applause.-) L. E. PINKHAM, KMMKTT DUNN. By Vice-President Pryor: You have heard the resolution read. By Mr. Burton, of Los Angeles: I iliink in order to get that before the Congress in proper shape, a motion is necessary. As the sub-committee did not move the adoption of their suppli mental report, I move now, sir. to you, the adoption of this supplemental report as just read by the sub-committee. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 215 A Delegate: I second the motion. By Vice-President Pryor: It is moved and seconded that this report designated as a supplemental report of the parcels post committee be adopted. By Mr. Hart: I would suggest that the word "supplemental" be changed to "un- favorable." ! By Chairman Harris: I rise on a matter of inquiry. I desire to be advised of the parliamentary attitude on this point. I understand that the committee has read an adverse report which report was opposed by the gentlemen from California. Am I correctly advised about that, Mr. Berwick? By Mr. Berwick: Yes. By Chairman Harris: I am then confronted with a motion by the gentleman from California to move to approve and adopt the report of the committee. By Mr. Burton: I made that motion. By Chairman Harris: You two gentlemen look so good to me that I mistake one for the other. I was astounded at the motion as I conceived that it came from Brother Berwick. By Mr. Berwick: I wish to inquire also, sir; I want at this moment, if you will permit me, to apologize for any wrong committed by me yesterday. I had no wish to infringe on anybody's parliamentary rights. If I did wrong, sir, I apologize. I ask now what is the right course for me to pursue. I wish to bring in a new resolution sometime in place of the one rejected, and I would like to speak a moment if I may regarding whatever this report may be about. By Chairman Harris: I suggest that Mr. Berwick, the author of the resolution, has a perfect right to send that up after the pending motion is disposed of. The motion now is to approve the report of the committee. By Vice-President Pryor: And Mr. Berwick wants to substitute this for the report. By Chairman Harris: If he wants to offer a substitute that would be in order. By Vice-President Pryor: I think that would be the proper way, and if the substitute is voted down, this comes to a vote. By Mr. Berwick: I would ask that this be read and that I then be given an opportunity to speak on it. 216 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: You may have three minutes in explanation of this motion. By Secretary Francis: (Reading.) I move to substitute, for present consideration, the following resolution on parcels post in place of the one reported on adversely by the Committee on Resolutions: WHEREAS, All improvements in methods, and lessening of the cost, of production and transportation tend to enlarge the boundaries and increase the volume of commerce, and WHEREAS, Postmaster-General Meyer has proposed to reduce the rate per pound on parcels sent through the domestic mails from sixteen to twelve cents per pound; to increase the maximum rate from four to eleven pounds, and also to permit packages to be carried on all rural free delivery routes from their initial point to any other point on the same route at the rate of five cents for the first pound and two cents additional for every pound added up to eleven pounds; be it RESOLVED, That this Congress heartily endorses the Postmaster- General's recommendation and urges on the United States Congress to take the necessarv steps to make these recommendations effective. EDWARD BERWICK, President of the Postal Progress League of California. By Vice-President Pryor: I want to correct one thing. You only have three minutes in presenting resolutions before they go to the committee, but you have ten minutes in addressing the Convention. By Postmaster Fisk, of San Francisco: I understand that that ten minutes is limited to the proponent in favor of his resolution? By Vice-President Pryor: Yes. He has only ten minutes, and he has one reply of five minutes. No other man can have more than five minutes. By Mr. Fisk: As the accredited representative of the Postoffice Department, it seems to me that it is unfair to limit me to five minutes in a matter of this importance, while the report took twenty minutes to read, the committee's report being almost wholly argument. By Vice-President Pryor: Those are our rules and by-laws. By Mr. Fisk: Unanimous consent may permit me to say a few words in favor of the resolution of Mr. Berwick. By Colonel John P. Irish, of California: I am opposed to the parcels post proposition, but I believe in absolute fair play. Mr. Fisk is the postmaster of San Francisco; he represents a great department of thi^s Government; and when Mr. Berwick shall have completed his speech, I move the unanimous consent of this body for Mr. Fisk to have ten minutes in which to advocate the parcels post. By Mr. Berwick: I second the motion. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 217 By Mr. Chartz, of Nevada: He has asked for unanimous consent. I am willing to grant ten minutes to that side, if the other side is also granted ten minutes. If not, I will oppose unanimous consent. By Vice-President Pryor: It takes unanimous consent in this vote. By Major Gove, of Colorado: I move to amend that motion, that both sides have ten minutes to reply to the postmaster of San Francisco. By Vice-President Pryor: We are going to kill a lot of time here. By Mr. Blanchard: In what does this resolution, which he now introduces, vary from the one which he sent to the committee? By Vice-President Pryor: He can state that in his ten minutes, but he must take part of his ten minutes to do it. By Mr. Berwick: I will do so. By Vice-President Pryor: Wait a minute. I have got to put a motion. By Chairman Harris: There is no such motion known to parliamentary law as a motion for unanimous consent. It cannot be entertained by the Chair, because it is an unknown proceeding. You cannot put a motion which can be defeated by one vote. I am in favor of Brother Fisk having ten minutes, but the way to get it is when he gets the floor. By Vice-President Pryor: I stand corrected. You can have the floor, Mr. Berwick. By Mr. Berwick: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress: I am amazed. To me it is incomprehensible, incredible, that in this nineteenth century — By Colonel John P. Irish: Twentieth century. (Laughter.) REMARKS OF EDWARD BERWICK. PRESIDENT OF THE POSTAL LEAGUE. By Mr. Berwick, of California: I am behind the times — twentieth century. I am amazed that a conven- tion for purposes of commerce, gentlemen from all parts of the Trans-Missis- sippi country, should come here and decline a boon proffered them by their own Government, a boon that grants them virtually a decrease of transporta- tion rates. I could understand the adverse case, I could understand their ob- jecting to a raise of rates. But objecting to a decrease of transportation rates to me is entirely incomprehensible and incredible. I hear years ago — you hear it too — that when the first steamer crossed the Atlantic she con- tained in her hold a voluminous treaty. This action of this committee to me 218 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS is on a par with that treaty — it is behind the times. I may speak of the nineteenth century or the twentieth century, but that sort of tiling- belongs exactly to the first century. I can only believe it true on the ground that they misunderstood or misapprehended, as I know they did. the scope of this proposal. The proposal simply calls for the reduction from sixteen cents to twelve cents on the rate on parcels or packages going through the mails. I think that is plain — from sixteen to twelve cents. As I told you the other day, foreign parcels can be sent already to Great Britain or Japan and other places for twelve cents per pound, while you are paying sixteen cents per pound from here to Oakland or any other pari of the Union. That was not understood by members of that resolution committee. 1 know, because they have told me so since: they were under a misapprehension regarding it. They brought forward talk of mail-order houses being benefited by this new regu- lation, because they could send their catalogues through the mails better then. They did not even realize that already those catalogues come through on third-class mail rates, at one cent for two ounces — less than the rate General Meyer proposes. They already come through, gentlemen, for eight cents per pound, while this resolution calls for twelve cents per pound. That invalidates that part of the argument. The second part of this improvement of General Meyer's is that instead of sending only four-pound packages through the mail you can send eleven- pound packages through the mail. I think that spaaks for itself, so that you all understand it — the limit is increased from four pounds to eleven pounds. That is all plain. The third improvement is that you can send on rural free delivery routes, from the initial points of those routes to any point on those routes, parcels up to eleven pounds weight at a charge of five cents for the first pound, and two cents for every succeeding pound. Do you all understand that? If any- body does not. T wish he would hold up his hand. Then, you all understand that as being plain, straightforward information. Now, gentlemen. I am here to speak for classes that do not get heard here always. I am here to speak for the man up in the Sierras, wrestling with Mother Nature to get at her hidden treasures. I am here to speak for the man on the arid plains that you wish to irrigate, toiling heart and soul to make that desert blossom as the rose. I am here to speak for the wood- man whose axe rings in the forest primeval, and for the fishermen toiling on your bays and rivers to gather the harvest of the sea. They all want these increased facilities of the parcels post. If they are not merchants, they have the sense to see that any reduction in the rate of transportation benefits all classes. Every man in this house — every man. woman and child in this coun- try is benefited by the reduction of transportation rates. The great Macaulay years ago said, "Barring the invention of the lifeboat and the printing press, there is nothing that has done so much to further the progress of mankind than inventions which have tended to bridge distance." This parcels post tends to bridge distance, and helps merchants and helps everybody every- where. Gentlemen, to show you how little difference it makes in the mail: There has been a reduction lately to two cents for letters to England, and to twelve cents a pound for parcels, and no one notices much difference in the business of the Postoffice. As to this nonsense of stuffing the mail. I am reminded of Rowland Hill. When he first spoke of penny letter postage in England he was derided 1 dare say if they had had congresses they would have opposed him. A noble lord came down even and said. "Gentlemen, if you adopt this measure that this man proposes you will have your postoffice simply bursting with letters, the walls will fall apart." AYas this not the same argument as the commercial gentlemen have advanced here? Mr. Chairman, my time has nearly expired and I do not want to trans- gress. There are people here who will say it will come — all things come. I 'id you ever know an orchard to emu,.? No. not unless somebody planted it. Did you ever know a lions.' to gel built — to come, unless somebody built it? No improvement comes unless you people work for it. And 1 want to have all of you change your minds come to your right minds, and go home and work tooth anil nail for an up-to-date parcels post. (Applause.) By Colonel Irish: Do you want the floor now, Mr. Fisk? By Mr. Fisk: I presume the opposition wants its ten minutes. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 219 By Col. Irish: I want to say a few words against the proposition. It seems to me that this should be called a proposition to transfer, as far as we Californians are concerned, the retail trade now carried on through the various commercial organizations and men in California, in our cities and in our rural centers of trade — to transfer the retail trade of California from our own merchants, who maintain our institutions and help pay our taxes, to the mail-order houses of Chicago, who have no interest in our institutions and pay none of our taxes. (Applause.) A proposition of this kind should be studied in others of its aspects than cheap transportation furnished by the Government of the United States, which will increase the annual deficiency of our postal establishment, to be paid out of the pockets of the taxpayers of this country. We should consider the economics and the social effects which will follow the certain abolition of every rural village of trade and social standing. (Applause.) The country merchants, the man who ministers to the wants of his neighbors, who gives them their credit which they need between seed time and harvest, the man who pays the taxes, who maintains the community institutions — the schools and the churches — he will be abolished by this proposition. And the trade which now goes to him, to give him a small profit, will go, as I say, to the large mail-order houses of the Bast. We should consider, then, the economic and the social effect upon our rural communities of a proposition of this kind. As I have said, so far as the cheapening of transportation is concerned, the adoption of the proposition will cause deficits which will have to be made up by appropriations passed by Congress and taken from the pockets of the taxpayers of this country. I am opposed to this method of diverting trade from its proper and natural local centers. 1 am opposed to this proposition, which will practically abolish the much-needed and small trade and social centers that are so much resorted to by our rural population. (Applause.) By Governor Bickards, Montana: I wish to say a word or two and will not occupy much of your time. I am in favor of this measure because I believe it is a matter that is wanted and needed. I wish I could agree with my venerable friend, Colonel Irish, but 1 recall, when I was a young man. having heard the same argument used on the eastern shore of Maryland and the state of Delaware, when John Wanamaker was trying to start a department store in the city of Philadelphia. The rural and country merchants went so far as to boycott — although that word had not been invented then — the country newspapers who were inserting John Wana- maker's advertisements. And yet I stand before you today to assert without fear of contradiction that there are as many country stores, rural stores today, as there were before the wonderful success that was achieved by John Wana- maker's matchless energy. (Applause.) Mr. Irish's appeal was simply to the delegation, it seems to me, from the state of California. I want to remind you that the members of this Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress represent more than the state of California; they represent the Trans-Mississippi region; and if I believed for one minute that his argument was unanswerable, he might have convinced me, but as I said in the beginning of my remarks, l stand today before you to plead that this Commercial Congress — its object being to crystallize public sentiment in favor of all measures that tend to the uplifting and the betterment of the people — that they endorse this movement. (Applause.) It has been said that the Federal officeholders are behind this measure. The best refutation that can be given to that assertion is that my venerable friend, Colonel Irish, is opposed to it. (Laughter.) If that argument prevailed — I am not here to advance a counter-argument of that kind, however — it is a significant fact that the representatives of our railroads and our express companies are opposed to this measure. (Applause.) I say I am firmly of the opinion, having been in favor of this measure for a long time, that the people not only are asking for it, but that they need it One word more and I am done. We saw a few <3ays ago in the city of Denver the same argument advanced at the Bankers' Association against our Postal tanks. Now, gentlemen, the profit nerve is a sensitive one. 1 recognize that but there are more than one pocket and nerve interested in this measure The pocket nerve of the consumer, the pocket nerve of the men, as Mr. Berwick aptly said, are in the fastnesses of our mountains, and on the plains. They want this measure. It will not hurt the merchants of San Francisco, it will not injure the merchants in Sacramento, or in any other center of population: and I am not prepared to believe that it will hurt very much the crossroads merchant. The people want it; the people are demanding it. (Applause.) 220 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Postmaster Fisk, of San Francisco: Mr. President and Gentlemen of this Convention: It seems to me that the Sub-Committee which considered this matter has overlooked the important feature. It does not seem to me possible that this body, this Congress, with its reputation and well-known influence, can afford to go on record as opposed to a reduction in the postal rates in this country. (Applause.) Some eleven years ago the rural free delivery route was established. The same arguments that are being offered today by the opponents of this reso- lution were advanced at that time. "We were told of the tremendous cost to the Government; we were told that the small dealers would be driven out of business. There are today, after eleven years, forty thousand rural delivery post routes, and over twenty million people are being served today by them. The farmer, the bone and sinew of this country, is getting his magazine and his daily paper the same as you do in the city. He is getting his correspond- ence with his friends every day the same as you are. And it seems to me that when we now come forward and offer, not only to extend the postal facilities, but to establish on these routes an opportunity for that farmer and the small dealer to benefit and to build up his business, I cannot understand how a body of this kind can afford to go on record as opposed to that. (Ap- plause.) As an example, let me point out, if I can, the inconsistencies and the in- congruities of the present law. We have a parcels post in this country today. The rate per pound is sixteen cents. We have parcels post conventions with some thirty-two or forty other countries. If any of you gentlemen come to the postoffice in San Francisco today with two packages, each weighing four pounds, one to be sent to Oakland, across the bay, some seven miles, the rate is fifty-six cents; the other to go to Germany or England, or India, and the cost is forty-eight cents. If you come tomorrow with two packages each weighing four and a half pounds, the package that is to go to Germany or India is sent through New York, notwithstanding it may weigh anywhere from four to eleven pounds; the other package, weighing four and a half pounds, I must refuse, and tell you that we cannot accept it. But you go down to the express company with that package and the rate you will find for four and a half pounds is immeasurably greater in proportion than the rate for less than four pounds, which we will take and carry to almost any part of the world. (Applause.) The express companies are the people who are opposed to the raise in weight. I listened with a great deal of attention to a lecture the other night about the twenty-five millions of acres that were going to be reclaimed, and of the six or eight hundred thousand acres already reclaimed, and of the small homes that were to be filled, and I said to myself, "There is where the rural delivery service is going to make those homes and bring them in close to the big city." And I thought to myself how important this recommendation of the Post- master-General is. He made two recommendations: First, for a general reduction of the rate from sixteen to twelve cents per pound and an increase in the limit from four pounds to eleven pounds, to put your domestic rate on an equality with what we have with foreign countries. Can you go on record as opposing the giving to eighty millions of our own people the same rate that we give to the for- eigners? (Applause.) What is the second proposition? That on the rural delivery route, for packages originating for delivery on that route, the rate shall be five cents for the first pound and two cents each for the next ten pounds, so that the rate for eleven pounds running out of a small town, as all of these routes do, would be twenty-five cents. The mail order house in Chicago or in San Francisco attempting to send out a package and attempting to take advantage of that would pay twelve cents a pound, or $1.32 as against the small dealers twenty- five cents. By Vice-President Pryor: Mr. Fisk's time has expired. By Chairman Harris: I move that the time of Mr. Fisk be extended for five minutes. By Colonel John P. Irish: r second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) TRANS-MISSISSlPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 221 By Mr. Fisk: I thank you very much, gentlemen. I will quit in a few moments. I would like to read you ten lines from the President's last message: "I further commend to the Congress the consideration of the Postmaster- General's recommendation for an extension of the parcels post, especially on rural routes. There are now 38,215 rural routes, serving nearly fifteen million people, who do not have the advantage of the inhabitants of cities in obtain- ing their supplies. These recommendations have been drawn up to benefit the farmer and the country storekeeper, otherwise I should not favor them, for I believe it is good policy for our Government to do everything possible to aid the small towns and the country districts. It is desirable that the country merchant should not be crushed out." (Applause.) If there is one thing that President Roosevelt has established to the satisfaction of the American people, it is that he means what he says. He did not write that message until he had looked into this matter, and he means exactly what he says. The recommendation of the Postmaster-General for the rural delivery route will not crush out the small dealer, but will build up his business. The farmer can stay at home and attend to the planting and the harvesting, and he can take the telephone — for they all have them now — and telephone to the town, and he can have eleven pounds sent out there for twenty-five cents. If the mail-order house in the city of San Francisco, or Chicago, or New York sends him that package it will cost him $1.32. Whom will he send to? Just one other word and I am done. The parcels post, as it stands today, is an injustice to the American people as a whole. These recommendations at the present time are made with the idea not only of benefiting the American people, but benefiting the farmer and the small dealer and tradesman. The opposition comes from the express company, who, as I told you, if you go to it, will carry four pounds at much less than it will carry anything above that. The rate is ten times as great above four pounds as below four pounds. The second opposition I think comes from the commercial travelers, who feel that once we get this parcels post there will not be possibly as much demand for their services throughout the small country districts, because the farmer can, as I say, appeal to the small grocer in his town. Those two interests, I think, are the real opponents of this measure; and I do not think that this Congress can afford to go on record as opposed to a general reduction of the rate and an increase in the limit of weight. It seems to me that to do that will stamp with disapproval the very purpose of a postal service in this country. I thank you. (Applause.) By Mr. W. H. Richardson, of Oregon: Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen of the Convention: All the words that I have heard so far in this discussion are pure theory, spoken by men who have not come into actual contact with the situation as it exists. I am a country merchant, a dealer in goods in a small town. I am the man who gets hit by the parcels post. I know from experience behind my own counters what parcels post means. When a farmer comes into my store and says, "What is your price?" I quote him a price- of one dollar on an article which has cost me from the San Francisco jobber seventy-five cents; and the farmer says, "I can buy it from Montgomery Ward or Sears-Roebuck delivered for seventy- five cents." That is what I am up against. Montgomery Ward and Sears- Roebuck are the first people to have a package go over the rural free delivery route. It is a voluminous catalogue, which they can mail at third-class rates, eight cents for a pound. Every package that I send out, even my literature that I have to send to that farmer, costs me one cent an ounce. The next thing that takes place in the country is where the little postmaster, at the home postoffice, a postoffice established in a residence, a farmer's home, issues a postoffice money order, payable to a great mail-order house, and the return mail brings goods that were paid for in advance by the farmer. I admit that the farmer profits some by that. He is buying at less than Pacific Coast jobbers' prices. He is buying at prices that are quoted to corporations that can buy a million dollars' worth of an article at a time, that can dictate to manufacturers what price he shall pay. He does not go to a manufacturer and say, "How much will you take?"; but he says, "Make me up a million so and so, and I will pay you so much. If you don't want that business some- body else does." That is where the jobbers on this coast, and all other jobbers get hit; thev cannot buy in such quantities. The next position is when the farmer comes along to the early spring months of the vear, short in cash, having spent it all for implements and for goods that he has bought from the great mail-order houses in states foreign to mine, and comes to me and says. "Mr. Richardson, if you please, will you please let me have some goods on credit until I sell my next crop?" That is 222 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS where I get hit again. (Applause.) Ami I tell you. gentlemen, that hits me hard. The only money that I have on my ledgers today, the only accounts I have on my ledgers today that amount to anything at all are the accounts that I hold against farmers that patronize the mail-order house, and I cannot collect my money. I have to buy a horse to eat the hay they want to bring to me to pay for the drugs they got from me. Can they sell any hay to Sears- Roebuck or Montgomery Ward? (Applause.) Not a dollar's worth," I tell you, gentlemen. Then along comes tax-paying time. How many miles of road in my State, or in your State, did Montgomery Ward or Sears-Roebuck ever build? i Applause.) Then comes the day, the solemn hour in my neighbor's family — some dear one is dying. I close my store out of respect for that family that has patron- ized me. I lay off from my business a half a day to show my respect. My time is worth, say, the small sum of ten dollars a day, which it is: my half- day is five dollars. I have actually lost that — time gone is gone forever. That five dollars represents the difference between the wholesale jobbing price on the Pacific Coast, and the great manufacturers' price that is quoted to the mail-order house. Therefore, they can meet me on my grounds in my district and sell at less than I can buy for at wholesale. By Vice-President Pryor: Your time is up. By Mr. Richardson: I ask for one minute more. By Chairman Harris: I move that the gentleman's time be extended five minutes. By Mr. Burton: I second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) By Vice-President Pryor: The gentleman has five minutes. By Mr. HlchnrdMon: I thank you, gentlemen. I speak from experience and from the bottom of my heart. This subject touches me at the point of life, in my business; that is where it hits me. 1 know where the packages come from that supply the families that come to me for subscriptions to build their telephone lines that are commercial club built — one dollar for every suburban connection on the telephone line. I do it gladly; do it willingly. And those people telephone in whenever they want something sent out and say they will send the money after a while. When they have got some money, however, they go to the postofflce and send their little piece of money by mail to the mail-order house. 1 get hit. When it is necessary to build a little red schoolhouse, gentlemen, out by the crossroads — the little red schoolhouse that throughout the country everywhere floats the Stars and Stripes, go where you will, and you see the Stars and Stripes floating over that little schoolhouse did Sears & Roebuck or Montgomery Ward give one cent toward the building of that little schoolhouse? (Ap- plause.) I say no. Now, it is said that the man in the mountains, the man on the seashore, the man on the plains, need their lower postage rate; that the fanner is handi- capped. Is there a man in this audience today thai can feel the pure, sweet independence that our American farmer does? The greal Millet, in his paint- ing — I am told tli.it this original painting was destroyed In your tire here depicts the man with the hoe and pictures a peasant bowed over a heavy hoe. Edwin Markham, a fellow townsman of mine, wrote describing that, after he had viewed it. "Bowed With the weight of ages, he leans upon his hoe, and looks upon the ground, the emptiness of ages In Ids face, the burden of the world upon his back." Does that apply to the American farmer? TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 223 By Delegates: No, he rides in an automobile. (Laughter.) By Mr. ISi chardson, (Continuing): No, the American farmer takes his hoe in his hand, clears out his little irrigation ditch, and lets the pure waters bring an abundant crop. If he bows at all, he bows graceful acknowledgement to the illustrious President who made it possible for him to have an irrigation ditch. Is the "emptiness of ages*' upon his face? No, the American farmer will look you square in the eyes, the light of intelligence upon his face. If he has anything to sell, he says, "My price is so much." He is independent. There is not a man among you, down in the bottom of your heart, but that envies him, the honest, prosperous, independent farmer. Do we need to pity him? No — no pity for the farmer. But the merchant, the country merchant, is called upon. By Vice-President Pryor: The time is up a second time. By Mr. Burton, of Los Angeles: I want to make a motion that the gentleman be given time to finish his remarks. He wants two minutes. A Delegate: I second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and lost.) By Vice-President Pryor: The gentleman will take his seat. By Mr. Burton, of California: If you are tired of the question, I will retire. I would give more for what Mr. Richardson has said than for every other word that has been uttered and read here today, not excepting what has been read from the President's message. (Applause.) That man talks right from the bat; he knows what he is talking about. Somebody says California is not the whole of this Con- gress. Of course it is not, gentlemen. We have Texas, which is bigger than California, and we have other states that are represented here, and we are very glad to meet you all. Here is the whole pith of the proposition: I rode in an automobile with a country merchant — I know something about country merchants — and I asked him if he was in favor of the parcels post. He said, "I am a small merchant in a small town, and it would kill me. My brother is a large merchant in a large town and he is in favor of it. It would kill me and put me out of busi- ness." These men know exactly what they are talking about. The President is theorizing. I am not pulling with railroad companies or express com- panies; I have no relation with them; but I have been in close relation to the country merchants a large part of my life. He is up the first of any in the community; he is in his bed last. He kindles the kitchen Are; he milks the cow; gives the baby the bottle; and meantime, while he Is cooking the break- fast and the chops, he is getting one customer a loaf of bread, another a bottle of milk, and a little bit of butter; and so he runs from the cowshed — meantime he curries the horse. I know him; he works sixteen hours a day. He has got from one thousand to twenty-five hundred dollars invested in his business; he makes as much as a street sweeper perhaps; he is lucky if he makes as much as a San Francisco carpenter. He never makes as much a day as a San Francisco plumber. CLaughter.) And will you tell me a man in any community of more importance, of more worth, than the small country mer- chant, whatever he be — grocer, or hardware man or dry goods man? He is the hardest worker, the most efficient and helpful person. We have had a great deal said about the farmer's interest. The country merchant is the one that takes the farmer's basket of eggs, and he cannot send that by a parcels post. (Laughter.) He is the man that takes the farmer's chickens, his truck and everything that he has to trade for neces- 224 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS saries of life. I do not want to occupy your time, but I want to call your attention to the fact that the parcels post will drive them out of trade as sure as the world. The rural route which carries the magazine is one thing; the rural route that carries the newspaper is one thing; but the rural route that carries the package from the big house is something else; and if there is any such thing as concentration in putting the business into the hands of a monopoly, it is this parcels post business (applause), which will give one or two big department houses in due time all the business of the whole country. The small retail stores will be closed and the landlord loses his rent. The boy who drives the grocer's goods around will be turned away here, there and yonder. You hit everybody. You kill off the butcher shop as well as the grocery house from one end of the country to the other. And you simply create a great monopoly in the hands of a few department store houses. (Ap- plause.) By Mr. Bigger, of Idaho: In deciding this important question there should he much care taken. This is not a new question; this has been before this body before. I was on the Resolutions Committee when it was introduced, last session. It was discussed fully. The great department stores were not represented there; they have nothing whatever to say. I have never determined in my mind as to the merits or demerits of this question; but I have remembered that the small merchant and the Traveling Men's Association sent their rep- resentatives from New York and Chicago before that committee. But I do not remember of seeing a representative from the great mass of the people that this was intended to benefit. (Applause.) And I recognize here that the committee in discussing this important question was divided in their opinion with regard to its merits, eleven to eight, simply a majority in opinion of three men only. I recognize that the small merchant has been well represented here, but has the great mass of the people been represented here equally as well? By Various Delegates: No. By Mr. Bigger: We must remark that it is the great mass of the people that we are here to represent, and should consult their best interest. (Applause.) It is simply an opinion and an opinion only that it will be a great damage to our small merchants. How many of you have heard it said that the free delivery was going to ruin the country? But has it done so? By Various Delegates: No. Never heard it said. By Mr. Bigger: It has been a benefit to the whole country, we all know. You want to decide without passion on a question that has before been asked for several years and is now honestly recommended by the administration of this Government at Washington. (Applause.) By Mr. II. II. Bnsford, of San Francisco: We have listened to a great many impassioned appeals. Personally I do not believe in an impassioned appeal. It is very well to talk on sentiment. Let us come down to figures. Our worthy President who has just been in- stalled said that the object of this association is the greatest good for the greatest number. Therefore, let us lay our talk along that line. Mr. Berwick — 1 believe that is tin- name of the first speaker, who offered this resolution — speaks of the man on the plains, the man in the mountains, the man some- where far off. There is no question that in such locations, where there are no towns, it would benefit those people. But are they the greatest number? At best they number but a small percentage of our country population. Con- EXECT TIVE OFFICERS. 1. TOM RICHARDSON, Portland, Oregon. '2. A. <;. LARIMORE, Larlmore, N. I). :i. \I,V\ ADAMS, Pneblo, Colo. 4. HERBERT STRAIN, Great Falls, Mont. B. HENRY T. CLARKE, Omaha, Neb. l:i rn in, of Woodward, Oklahoma: I come from a state where it is not considered a crime to disagree with the President of the United States, if necessary (applause), much less his post- master in San Francisco. I am a delegate to this Convention, and have paid my fare and can show you a railroad ticket, and therefore cannot be accused of representing express companies. It is the rural interests that we repre- sent. (Applause.) I can tell you, gentlemen of San Francisco, what will be the result of this: You destroy the energy of your noble merchant, who has begun the rebuilding of your magnificent city. All that will be necessary for you to have will be a large warehouse down on the bay, where the great centers of com- merce will ship in produce to be distributed by the rural route. You will not need to build your magnificent retail stores, because there will be no need of them. You let San Francisco remain in ashes when you vote to recommend the parcels post that they are asking for. (Applause.) Who are in favor of that measure? People who have traveled in Europe. Very few of us have enjoyed the advantages that others who belong to this association have enjoyed. Ours is a new country as yet. Oklahoma as yet has not had the honor to confer a wife upon some duke, count or prince, and we want to keep that product at home as well as to build up our local institutions. To me the little store, the schoolhouse, and the village church are a more welcome sight than a flock of mail boxes at the crossroads. You have the flock of mail boxes and you dispense with the others: you destroy the town and the village, and you kill the village high school, and your farming community that winter in the town and send their children to the high school of your little towns and cities, which we have in Oklahoma — every ten miles. You deny them that and compel the farmers' boys to have a common school educa- tion of six months in the ye&r. We want that in Oklahoma, and we make no apologies for wanting it to the postmaster of San Francisco or the President of the United States. (Applause.) We intend to keep inside of our domain the money that we produce there. 226 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: The gentleman's time is up. By Chairman Harris: I move that the gentleman have five minutes more time. By a Delegate: I second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) By Mr. Marimi: We also are not in favor of a public line running from Oklahoma to the great centers of the United States to do our business, and enable the sons of the owners of those great houses — and I am justified in saying it, because Mr. Wanamaker was held up as the great example, and we all remember the $20,000 supper that young Mr. Wanamaker gave in Paris. We do not want anything of that kind. We want to come to our town the drummer, the man who travels, who brings life, who brings into that community the news from the outside world, with his questions, and his stories, and his samples; we do not want to punish the drummer and take in his place a flock of mail boxes. I thank you, gentlemen. (Applause.) By J. H. Barker, of California: Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen of the Convention: I did not propose to talk about this subject, but I feel, not being an express company, not being a railroad — I wish I were; I would like to own one — but just an ordinary wholesale merchant, who, inasmuch as we have listened to expert advice upon what will be the effect of a parcels post bill, thinking that possibly twen- ty years of experience in merchandising may be of value — I hope it will be — as to what will or will not be the effect if a bill of this character is passed, is my excuse for taking a few minutes of your time. Fundamentally our Government has admitted and is demanding every- where that mileage shall be the basis of the cost or the measure of the cost of transportation — not the only factor, but the governing factor. Now we are told that the way to move merchandise is by a postage stamp rate; or, dis- regarding all distances, to charge the same rate for three thousand miles or one mile. (Applause.) I have heard a great many promises in my short life, and it is getting longer every day, as to what we are going to do for the people, and a great many of them have not come through. Any man that tells me that he can get done through the postoffice, or by any other means, the transportation of a package for three thousand miles, at the same rate that I can send the same package a short distance, without the taxpayer footing up the difference sooner or later, I will put my knowledge against his. If purchasing power is to be the sole power, as a wholesaler I will say it won't take me long to turn my establishment into a mail-order house. But our interests are not personal here. Though we may be able_ to take care of ourselves, whatever legislation may be enacted, I believe we are here as representatives in a republican form of government to vote and do as we feel the people need; and consequently I am going" to rise above my own profession, and I trust you will believe I am in earnest. (Applause.) I believe that if this bill goes through the paternal government will be called upon to pay the losses of transportation. If you are going to create monopoly, if that is the spirit of the time, then vote for this parcels post bill. But if it is a question merely of rural delivery, I do not believe there is a man even who is opposing this motion will say that the President of the United States is wrong when lie wants to reach out into those places that have little communication, to give them a service. Nobody is quarreling with rural delivery; nobody is quarreling with the dissemination of knowledge; nobody is quarreling with the fact that thousands of tons of newspapers are put into the mails. It is the next institution in educational purposes to our public schools. But when you attempt to move tons, which move ciieapest when moved in straight carloads — to move them in packages, and for the Government to go into the railroad business, then I say the gentleman who has the monopoly of that business is the gentleman who has the greatest purchasing power. (Applause.) By Mr. Gosper, of California: I arise, not to talk, hut to cut the talk off. Therefore, I move the previous question. There are other subjects to be considered besides this one. T give way to Chairman Harris if he wishes to talk a few minutes. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 227 By Chairman Harris: I do not desire any favors greater than any delegate has, and I will ask Mr. Gosper to withdraw his motion. Do you decline to withdraw it ? By Mr. Gosper: If it is to he continued for an hour or two when other questions are to be considered, no sir, I will not withdraw, but as a courtesy to you, if you wish to speak, I will withdraw the motion. By Chairman Harris: I have no favor to ask. By Mr. Hart, of New Orleans: I move, as a substitute to the previous question, that the discussion be put off until 1 o'clock. By Mr. Gosper: I will accept your proposition, if we will quit until 1 o'clock. By Chairman Harris: If you will allow a suggestion from the floor, the previous question cuts off all debate. By Mr. Gosper: I withdraw my motion until 1 o'clock. By Chairman Harris: I object to his setting the time at any specific moment. Either with- draw it or not. Either I fight with you or love you. I arise to make this statement as a matter of personal privilege as chairman of the committee on resolutions. Under the rules of this body no motion of the previous question can preclude the author of the motion from concluding its debate. I therefore suggest to the author of this resolution that he has the right to conclude this debate if the previous question be ordered. If it be not ordered, then we all have a right to debate the question further. (Applause.) By Mr. Gosper: I concede the right of the mover of the motion to conclude the debate. But I will not concede to my friend Mr. Harris, the right to continue this discussion until it is time for us to start for our homes. By Chairman Harris: I have yet to learn that the right of free debate depends upon the will of any man, no matter how great a friend of mine he may be. By Vice-President Pryor: The only way to do this is to vote it down if you so desire. By Mr. Gosper: I have withdrawn my motion, giving the author of the resolution the privilege of replying. By Chairman Harris: I suggest that he withdraw it for all purposes or none. Is it withdrawn, or not? By Mr. Gosper: I will make the motion. 228 REPORT. OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: It has been moved and seconded — By Chairman Harris: There is no motion. It has been withdrawn. By Mr. Gosper: If my friend from Texas will listen to me a moment he will know just what I mean. By Chairman Harris: I will listen with the utmost pleasure, Governor, but you cannot make a motion and take it back. By Mr. Gosper: I can, if I see fit. I can make a motion if I see fit, and withdraw it if I see fit. By Vice-President Pryor: It has been moved and seconded — Do you understand what the previous question means? The previous question is that this debate is closed, and that there will be no vote taken on the germane question. That is the way I construe a previous question. There will be no vote taken on the parcels post if this is carried. By Postmaster Fisk: That there will be no vote taken? By Vice-President Pryor: The previous question carries this. By Chairman Harris: I think I can make a suggestion that the Chair will accept. The only effect in the carrying of the previous question is to cut off all debate except on the part of the mover of the motion. By Vice-President Pryor: All those in favor of the previous question signify by saying "Aye." All those opposed signify by saying "No." The "Noes" have it. By >Ir. George M. Cannon, of l ; tah: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: I believe that in this matter we are to seek for that which we believe is right. I believe every delegate here will do that. I think we ought as near as possible to arrive at the facts in the case. The remarks of the gentleman who says he is a storekeeper in Oregon remind me of a story I heard in Colorado. According to this gentle- man's remark there is already a paralysis of the country storekeeper's busi- ness. The story was this: A few y> ars ago three or four men started out to the country. When they got down into one corner of Colorado an old guide who was there brought in some samples and handed these samples out to the men. They were looking at these samples at the table and they said, ''Joe. these are wonderful samples. Here is a petrified fish and different things." Leaning back against the tree, he said, "Those things may lie very strange to you, but they are very common. If yon will go with me 1 will take you to a place where you will find fields of grain all petrified, and that is not all. I will take you to a place where you will find the forests and the trees all standing in their places, all petrified; and that is not all. I will take you to a stream where the fish in that stream are all petrified." And he says, "That is not all. I will take you to the mighty Colorado, where the canyon is so deep that when you stand mi the cresl and look down to the bottom a man looks as small as an ant. There, suspended in the air, is a great sheep that tried TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 229 to jump from one side of the canyon to the other, and there it is in the air above the center of the canyon, all petrified." When he got to that point, the gentlemen said, "Now, Joe, that is too thin! When we came out here we might have believed that you had woods petrified, and what you said about the waving grain and the fishes being petrified, with the. water running over them. But we know about the law of gravity. Don't you know that the law of gravity would prevent a sheep from staying in the air?" "Well," said Joe, "in that country the law of gravity is petrified, too." Our friend would have us believe that the mail-order house has already destroyed the country mer- chants; he has felt the effects of it. But I have not seen anybody that has advocated the parcels post who was a representative of a mail-order house; or, if he has done so, he has cleverly concealed his identity. The last speaker in opposition of this matter stated that he was an favor of transportation rates in accordance with mileage. The provision provides that in these rural routes from the office that they originate pack- ages will be carried of eleven pounds weight for twenty-five cents, whereas from any of the great centers they would have to pay $1.32. Consequently, the statement was not a fact. Let us be fair about this matter. I am in favor of the country storekeeper. I am in favor of preserving the country storekeeper, but our friend from Oklahoma recognized the fact that there are great wholesale stores in San Francisco, as well as small stores, and that the drummers from those wholesale stores go into their communities and take their orders just the same as the mail-order houses. They do not pay taxes in those places. The main proposition about this thing is that it will reduce the rate for these rural deliveries, and the people who will be benefited will be something like 15,000,000 people. By Mr. Baker: He states that the rate is $1.32 for a distant hauling. Is not that rate $1.32 if hauled from Chicago to St. Louis, and $1.32 from Chicago to San Francisco, and therefore the distance is disregarded, and therefore my statement not a misstatement of fact? Mr. Cannon: Answering the question, I only desire to state, as I stated before, there is a peculiar difference made in favor of the very one for whom the argu- ment has been made, the rural country store, over the rural route. By Mr. Briggs, of California: In the interest of fair play and to allay any ill feelings that there may be or are likely to arise in this discussion, I now move you, Mr. Chair- man, that we adjourn until 3 o'clock, until the time we will have settled the question in our own minds, and thresh it out if it takes the whole night. By Chairman Harris: Why 3 o'clock? It is only 1 now. By Mr. Briggs: I thought, perhaps, your minds would get pretty well settled by that time. By Chairman Harris: I move that we take a recess until 2 o'clock. By Mr. Briggs: I ask that Mr. Harris make it 2:30. I have a reason for it. By Chairman Harris: Two-thirty o'clock. By a Delegate: I second the motion. (The motion was formally presented and carried.) THIRTEENTH SESSION At 2:50 o'clock p. m.. the convention was called to order by Vice-Presi dent Colonel W. F. Baker, of Iowa. By Colonel Baker: Have you any communications, Mr. Secretary? By Secretary Francis: I have a telegram here, reading as follows: GREETINGS FROM THE CHICAGO DEEP WATER CONVENTION. Chicago, October 10, 1908. J. B. Case, President, Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. Lakes to Gulf Deep Waterway Association in convention here with four thousand delegates sends greetings and cordial hope for successful session. W. F. SAUNDERS, Secretary. By Senator Edward F. Harris, of Texas: I move, Mr. Chairman, that the President and Secretary of this associa- tion be authorized to make the proper responses to the messages of saluta- tion we have received from the President of the United States, from Mr. Taft, from Mr. Bryan, and from other conventions and commercial bodies. The motion was duly seconded and unanimously prevailed. The responses to the telegrams were submitted as follows: TELEGRAM TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. San Francisco, California, October 10, 1908. Honorable Theodore Roosevelt, President, White House, Washington, D. C. The President and Secretary of the Nineteenth Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress, which adjourned today after a successful and most interest- ing session, have been authorized to acknowledge your valued telegram of greetings. We most heartily express our appreciation of your warm words of approval of our work and the interest you have manifested in our delib- erations. You will be glad to learn that the Congress went on record in favor of your public lands policy, forest preservation, water storage, land reclamation, harbors, inland waterways and other problems which you have commended to the people of the Nation. TIlo.MAS I'". WALSH. President. ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. (Applause.) TELEGRAM TO MR. TAFT. San Francisco, California, October 10, 1908. Honorable William H. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio. Your telegram of greeting to the Nineteenth Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress was read to one thousand delegates amid scenes of Kreat en- thusiasm. We were authorized to express the sentiment of the Congress and thank you most heartily for your good will and interest. The Congress was a success in every particular. THOMAS F. WALSH, President. ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. ( Applause.) TELEGRAM TO MR. BRYAN. San Francisco, California, October 10, 1908. Honorable William Jennings Bryan. Lincoln, Nebraska. Mention of Lincoln, Nebraska, when your telegram to the Nineteenth Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress was read, occasioned a positive ovation. We have been authorized to acknowledge the receipt of your mes- sage and to express the thanks of the Congress for your interest. The Con- gress adjourned t < >< i •• i \ after a very successful session. TIlo.MAS F. WALSH, President. ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. (Applause.) TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 231 TELEGRAM TO D. R. FRANCIS. San Francisco, California, October 10, 1908. Honorable D. R. Francis, St. Louis, Missouri. Acknowledging receipt of your telegram, the Trans-Mississippi Com- mercial Congress expresses its deep appreciation of vour kindly words and regrets exceedingly your inability to attend the most successful commercial gathering ever held on the Pacific Coast. THOMAS F. WALSH, President. ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. (Applause.) TELEGRAM TO CHICAGO DEEP WATER CONFERENCE. San Francisco, California, October 10, 1908. Wm. F. Saunders. Secretary, St. Louis, Missouri. Your telegram of cheer received and heartily appreciated. It may interest you to learn that we held the largest commercial gathering ever assembled on the Pacific Coast, and that the Congress reaffirmed the resolu- tions passed at Muskogee for a 14-foot channel through the Mississippi Val- ley, from the Gulf to the Lakes. THOMAS F. WALSH, President. ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. (Applause.) By Vice-President Baker: We will now resume the regular order of business. The question is upon Mr. Berwick's amendment. By Mr. Hart, of Louisiana: What- do I understand is the order before the house? By Vice-President Baker: It is Mr. Berwick's amendment to the parcels post resolution. Mr. Hart: Mr. President and Gentlemen: I am not here to defend the commercial traveler, though if lie need any defending from my hands, he would get it '■* he needed it. because we all know he is the most innocent man on the road, and that when he comes to the little towns and has a good time, the house pays for it. But, gentlemen, in all sincerity, the people of this country, the people particularly of the small cities and towns, owe a great deal to the com- mercial traveler, and there is no class of men which is better posted as to the wants of the people and the needs of the people than the commercial travelers, because they are always on the go; they are here today and there tomorrow. They meet all kinds of people, and under all circumstances, and their appre- ciation of what the people want and what the people need, I submit, is entitled to some weight and some consideration. Some member of this association said that California was the only state that was represented here. I do not know what he meant by that. Of course, California is not the only state that is represented here. But California is a state that has something to say on every good subject, and what California says is entitled to some weight, too. at the hands of this Congress. Now, gentlemen, if the only matter before us were the question of a reduc- tion of postage rates, of course this would be a very simple thing to discuss. It is an easy thing to get up and say, How can this body go on record as being opposed to a reduction of the postage? I say if that were the only question before us, it would not take us long to decide upon this matter. But that is not the proposition at all. We are not like the bridegroom from Kansas in the story that I heard a short time ago, who was injured in a rail- road accident, and badly injured. He made a settlement with the railroad company, and got $7,500. A friend asked him how he came out with the rail- road company and he said, "I got $7,500— $5,000 for myself and $2,500 for my wife." "Why," he says, "I didn't know your wife was hurt in a railroad acci- dent." He replied, "No, she was not hurt. But as soon as I saw the accident, I had presence of mind enough to kick her in the face," (Laughter.) If all we want is to save a few dollars of postage in the matter, let us kick the country merchant in the face, and we will save those few dollars. I apprehend we are not going to do anything of that kind. Mr. Chairman. Just think for one moment, gentlemen. When the original resolution was in- troduced into the committee, nobody knew what it meant. Nobody that read 2J2 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS that resolution could tel] what it meant. We were called upon to endorse something that Postmaster-General Meyer had endorsed, and we knew nothing at all about what it was. That has been changed today by the resolution before you. But we are not prepared, I think, at this time, to endorse anything where there is so much opposition to it, and opposition that has some weight, even if we do not endorse it all, as there is to this proposition now before us. If it be true, I say, we must give some weight to what these commercial travelers say, because they know more about it than we do; moreover, I have not seen any great call from the people for this parcels post measure. It may be that it has existed, but I have not heard of it. Certainly the press do not say much about it, and that is pretty good indication that the people are not clamoring for it. Now, as I say, there is some opposition to this matter, and it seems to me this matter ought to be further investigated, that we ought to see what the ultimate result will be. If it he true that the effect of this measure will he to destroy the small trader, I do not believe there is a single member of this organization that would vote in favor of it. For, without the small trader, where would we be? You have heard from some of these traders themselves, and they have told you that "they have to carry the farmer sometimes foi long periods, because he has not any money. He cannot order his articles by mail through the parcels post under any such arrangement as that, and are you going for a moment to endorse such a resolution, when it may have the effect that has been here described? It seems to me it cannot be possible that this Congress is going to send out with its approval something which may have such an effect on so many persons. By Vice-President Baker: Your time is up, Mr. Hart. By Mr. H. L. Judell: I move that the gentleman's time be extended five minutes. (The motion was seconded and unanimously carried.) Mr. Hart: I do not think I will take the entire five minutes. But let us go back and let us look at the matter in a sensible light. We do not want to decide this by a four to five or a seven to eight vote, or anything of that kind. It had to be decided in the committee, and had to pass the committee in some form, whether favorable or unfavorable, or whether it was a large or small majority — that is not the purpose here. But do we want to send out, with our approval, and with a small majority, a measure of this importance — because the vote either way is going to be so very small — a measure which may be fraught with the greatest disasters and the greatest losses in the future to people whom we most like? Why, gentlemen, you all know that poem written by some English poet in reference to the manhood of his country. You may build up your department stores and your corporations in this way — I have nothing to say against them, either — hut you cannot build up the small man. They do not have corporations in these little towns. The corner store is the most im- portant place in it. Don't we know that some great political questions are settled over the cracker barrels and great games of checkers there determined, the interest in which is not exceeded by the great baseball games now being played in the East? Don't let us determine these things too hastily. Lei us give some further subsequent study to this matter, our action upon which may be fraught with so much that is serious in its consequences. I happened to mention baseball. That reminds me that I saw a cartoon in the paper yesterday, I think, where Mathewson, the great New York pitcher, for whom Chicago had offered $50,000, and which was refused. After he lost the deciding game, he went down to thirty cents. Do not let us reduce the small trader to thirty cents. Let us build him up. ami let these commercial travelers count for something, be- cause they know what they are talking about. We are all talking theoreti- cally. How many of us go out into the country and see these country stores? Not one in a hundred. But all of these commercial travelers go, and I say I will take their word as soon as the word of any man in the world, and cer- tainly in this case I will take the word of these commercial travelers rather than the word of those who do not go out and see the" people. (Applause.) By Mr. Frank M. Connolly, of California! Ladies and Gentlemen of this Trans-Mississippi <'nmmercial Congress: We have heard from the officials of the Postotiice Department of San Fran- TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 233 cisco this morning-. We have heard many stories of why we should back up the commercial travelers, help them out in the parcels post matter and not endorse the parcels post. I stand before you representing- the retail grocers and merchants of the western country this side of the Mississippi River. The national association, of which I am a member of the executive board, covers all of the territory this side of the Mississippi River, and I am very much surprised to find a congress of representatives of the states and terri- tories this side of the Mississippi River arranging to endorse a parcels post that will transfer the business of this section of the country into the larger cities, such as Chicago and New York, with large mail-order houses. (Ap- plause.) You cannot build up this Western country with the farmer alone. You cannot build up this Western country with your commercial traveler alone. You must have the retail merchant, the man who helps the farmer in his time of need, the man who is a bureau of information, the man who is the manu- facturers' distributing point to the consumer, and you must not turn over to the large mail-order houses of the East the business that belongs to the country merchant. You take out of these small settlements these whistling stations throughout the West, where they have a small country store, and in that store a postoffice is situated also — you take that country merchant, where he has to write out a money order to Montgomery Ward & Company, or to Sears, Roebuck & Company, of Chicago, for one of his customers he has car- ried for nine months, and when that customer's crops have turned the money into him, he goes and pays that merchant up and sends the balance of it to Chicago, do you think that as business men, as representatives of the larger section of our country, that we should endorse anything of that kind? I want to say to you that Postmaster-General Meyer and his representatives in San Francisco are not acting properly in saying to this Congress that they should endorse anything of this kind, any more than he was when he sent those letters to our organization, asking our criticism of his style of parcels post, and in those letters included two discredited members of our organiza- tion as having based opinions in favor of this act. We answered in no un- certain terms, and asked him to use the free franking system that he used in sending those letters throughout the country, to send our criticisms out to those commercial bodies, and let them pass on them. And was it done? No. The parcels post is a hobby with the postoffice officials, just as much as it is a hobby with lots of other people who have come from foreign coun- tries. Our friend, Mr. Berwick, says it is successful in foreign countries. It is successfully carried on in a small country like Switzerland. But you de- liver packages from New York to Los Angeles at the price Postmaster-General Meyer proposes, and deliver them from Chicago to the Philippine Islands at twelve cents a pound, and instead of a deficit of $5,000,000 that we have had for many years past in the Postoffice Department, we will have a deficit of $150 000,000, that seventy per cent of the country must pay for to help out fifteen per cent of the rural members of the community. (Applause.) Mr. C. J. Hutehins, of Hawaii: Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: Perhaps the Territory of Hawaii views this matter from a different standpoint from that which you gentlemen located on the mainland may view it. It strikes me, as a representative of Hawaii at this Congress, that the one great item which seems to have been overlooked in this matter is the equity of the measure pro- posed. We in Hawaii know comparatively little of the politics and of the methods of business pursued on the mainland. We take it for what it is given, the face of it, what we read in the newspapers, and we see that there is a great fight here at the present time against discrimination in freight rates, and that where the railroads make discriminations they are immediately hauled up before the Interstate Commerce Commission and they are indicted and fined for carrying on business which works an injustice to one merchant as against another for hauling these goods at a less price for a longer haul than for a shorter haul. Suppose that a package weighing eleven pounds was manufac- tured in the city of New York, and another package in the same place. One of them was shipped to Jersey City and the other package was shipped to Hilo, in the Island of Hawaii, both packages being exactly at the same rate. The merchant in Honolulu pays freight on his goods, from New Fork to Honolulu, and to Hilo and then if the consumer in Hilo desires anything in that line, he sends to'Honolulu and orders it sent to him by mail. There are no rural deliveries over the water in Honolulu, and that merchant in Honolulu must nav the freight rate or the package rate of twelve cents a pound, the same as the merchant in Jersey City has to pay it, and yet at the same time the merchant in Honolulu has the freight to pay from New York to Honolulu on that same stuff. If there is any equity at all in this matter, why is it that you only charge twelve cents a pound from New \ ork to Jersey City or 234 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Philadelphia and then charge the same price to Honolulu? Is that equitable? Perhaps we do not understand matters down there. But if it is wrong for a railroad company to make a longer haul at the same price or a less price than it does a short haul, is it any greater wrong for the Postoffiee Department to charge the same rate on those goods on a longer haul of 6000 miles than it is for a haul of sixty miles? Am I right, or am 1 wrong? (Applause.) We may entirely misunderstand this question. There are arguments, un- doubtedly in its favor, and there are arguments against it. The way the people at Hawaii, however, have looked at that matter is this: That we consented to be annexed to the United States, and you did annex us and we have contributed since that time over $1,000,000 a year to Uncle Sam's treasury, and we received almost nothing in return until the United States Government at recent sessions of Congress voted a sufficient amount to build up Pearl Harbor — and you put into force at Hawaii a coastwise shipping bill, and it caused me and my wife in the month of January last to travel on a freight boat between the Islands and San Francisco. We ask you, in Heaven's name, not to stick a knife into our backs, and not to recommend something to Congress that will ruin our merchants, for we say it is not right. If the merchants in Honolulu must compete at the same rate and upon the same terms with some- body six or eight thousand miles away in New York City, we can see how the merchant of Honolulu or of the Hawaiian Islands is going to suffer. In fact, we do not see how he can live. But, as I said before, we do not view this thing as you people view it. We may be all mistaken in our views. But, as we now look at it, those are our views. (Applause.) Mr. Arthur G. Fisk, Postmaster, San Francisco: Mr. President, I do not desire to speak to the question, but simply rise to a question of personal privilege. My attention has been called to statements appearing in the press this morning, to the effect that I was here directed by the Postmaster-General by wire to advocate this measure. I simply wish to state that that is not so. I do not know anything about what the Postmaster- General wants. I have received no instructions from him in this connection whatever. I simply know that he has sent these recommendations to the Congress, that I am accredited here as a representative of the Postoffiee De- partment, and that they stand for these recommendations. I therefore desire that it be known that I am not acting: under directions of the Postmaster- General at all in this matter. Mr. Fred Moore, of the San Francisco "Examiner": Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Press Committee here, I would like to ask for the opportunity of making a little explanation of that question about what appeared in the paper this morning. 1 do not want to question Post- master Fisk's veracity, but I think he has questioned mine, because I made that statement in the "Examiner" this morning, that Postmaster Fisk was here under telegraphic instructions from Postmaster-General Meyer to take up this matter. I would have no reason whatever for making that statement of the matter, unless I supposed it was true, and to the best of my recollection, I understood Postmaster Fisk to make that statement tome yesterday, just about where he is sitting, and I know that the rest of the men of the newspapers understood the statement in that way; but we may have misunderstood him. By Mr. Fisk: You certainly did misunderstand me. What I intended to convey was that I had been appointed by telegraphic orders, accredited to this con- vention, that I have no instructions whatever relating to the parcels post, postal savings banks, or anything else — my appointment was made some time ago, and I presented my credentials to this convention, as the Sec- retary will inform you, early the day that they first convened. I had no orders of any kind in connection with the matter — I was simply accredited to represent the Postoffiee in this convention. Yon certainly misunder- stood me. By Mr. Moore: Mr. Fisk, the misunderstanding came about in this way: The Associated Press and other papers had the same story practically that I did, and the question that was asked you first was if you were here at the Congress in connection with the parcels post, and we understood your answer to TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 235 be that you had been delegated by telegraph from Postmaster-General Meyer to take the matter up here. That is the way we understood it. By Mr. Fisk: You may have so understood it, but you misunderstood it. I certainly did not intend to convey any such meaning as that. By Mr. Moore: So, if there was a misstatement in the paper, it was not because the newspapers sought to put a misstatement in their report, but simply that there was a misunderstanding. I want to put the newspapers right, that we do not want to make a statement that would in any way mix things up with you in the Postoffice Department, or deceive the public. By Mr. Fisk: I do not wish to imply that you did. I am satisfied that you misunder- stood my answer to you when I said I was here under telegraphic creden- tials simply as representing the Postoffice Department as a delegate to this convention, and not representing the parcels post matter at all. By Mr. Berwick: I believe, Mr. Chairman, that I have five minutes to reply to the argu- ments that have been made. By Vice-President Baker: The gentleman, under the rules, has a second reply of five minutes. By Mr. Berwick: Mr. President and Gentlemen: The point to which I reply in the main is this mail-order house argument. I think I can prove to you, perhaps, that the lack of a parcels post tends to injure the country merchant far more than the parcels post at the lower rates proposed would injure him, and I will tell you why. The gentleman from Oregon has told you that the farmer is not entirely a fool. He is something of a keen trader. He knows the value of his hard-earned dollars. He is not confined to sending through the postoffice to Chicago. He can get his goods from Chicago by freight. You have heard that he does so, and frequently. These gentlemen have testified here that goods come in in large quantities from Chicago by freight. I took the pains, only last week, in looking over the catalogue of Dover & Co., some large house in Chicago, to see what the average weight per hundred pounds was between Chicago and the average point in the Union, including Alaska and California. I found that the average rate was sixty-three cents per hundred pounds. But, as you know, to avail himself of that rate, he must pay for a minimum of a hundred pounds. If he gets only four pounds, or one pound, or if he gets five pounds by freight, he pays the full sixty-three cents — pays for the carriage of the hundred pounds. Now, I am not conjuring up any fictitious instance, or raising any bugaboo to fight, gentlemen. You know that he gets his goods when he wants to from Chicago. You have come here and said so yourselves. What does he do now if he wants a five-pound or a ten-pound article in Chicago, that his local merchant does not carry, and there are lots of those things that local merchants do not always carry? He says, "I must send to Chicago for this five-pound article. I can't get it through the mail — they won't carry five-pound articles. Four pounds is the limit. By express it will cost me quite a lot of money." I asked in Pacific Grove what the rate from here to New York for ten pounds would be, and they said $2.35 — or rather, eleven pounds, from Pacific Grove to New York. That is where I live, in Pacific Grove — the best place in the world to live in, too — $2.35 was the rate. So the person says to himself, "Look here. I can get my goods by freight, waiting two or three weeks longer, for a mere trifle. What I will do is. I have to pay for the hundred pounds, and I will make my order for- a full hundred pounds." So, instead of sending for the one desired article, he looks up and down these catalogues, and he makes up his bill to a hundred pounds of goods. He gets the ninety-five pounds practically free, so far as transportation is concerned — pays nothing on it. If he could have sent for the five-pound article the country merchant would have lost that five pounds, but the five pounds would have been all that he would have lost. 236 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Because there is no parcels post he makes up a bill for a hundred pounds of freight, and the country merchant loses ninety-five pounds of goods of some sort. Now, that is an instance that you men who live in the country can dupli- cate from your own experience. You know the case is so. It is really detrimental to the retail trader that there is no parcels post. There would be far more goods received from Chicago by freight, if the postoffice would carry packages up to eleven pounds at reasonable rates. Now, it is said about this expense that the expense will be very large. Gentlemen, the expense will not be very large. It does not cost the department any twelve cents a pound for carrying goods. It costs them much less than that. And if the rural free carriers were allowed to take packages from the initial point on their routes to the end of their routes, you would make money on those rural free delivery routes, instead of losing money upon them. You all know, you men who are merchants, if you have a hundred clerks em- ployed, each of them doing one-third of a day's work in a day, you are going to lose money. If you have business to employ them the whole day you will be making money. That is the condition on the rural free delivery routes. They lose money because the average carrier does not carry anything like his full capacity. If he carried his full capacity, I do not mean of whisky or anything of that sort, but I mean his full capacity of mail matter, on his route, he would then reimburse the department and leave a profit with the department. So you need fear no bogy of that kind. As to what is being paid from New York, what the cost is from the Pacific Coast, I told you the other day that to my certain knowledge, and to yours if you care to verify this thing yourself, the express companies are carrying at this very minute, for the British public, packages from nothing up to eleven pounds at the flat rate of twenty-five cents per package, from New York to any point of the Union on the mainland. If they can do that for the British Government, it is done at a profit. They do not do it for love. If they can do that for the Government, they can carry goods equally cheaply for you. Do you really think, you country merchants who are here, that it would have hurt your customers if you paid less freight on your goods and less express? I suppose the law is in trade, the cheaper you can get the goods the cheaper you can sell them. Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the privilege granted me, and, gentlemen, I leave the matter to you, as to how you shall vote. But do credit to the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress. (Applause.) By Chairman Harris: Members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress: I shall hold my watch open this time, as it is not my desire, nor is it my intention to consume more than five minutes of your time. I reluctantly made myself conspicuous this morning in insisting upon an open forum and a free debate. I did that, not alone because that speaks my inner consciousness of right, but I did it. representing in my official capacity, the Committee on Resolutions. Unfortunately, the impression went out of the committee room that unfair play had been or might be indulged in. In behalf of all the members of the Committee on Resolutions, and as their chairman, I have done all I could to dispel that misunderstanding. One of my dearest friends, in moving to adjourn, suggested that his motion was prompted somewhat with a desire to avoid any ill-feeling. There is upon my part no ill-feeling. I am sure that upon the part of my friend, the Governor, there is no ill-feeling — By Mr. J. J. Gosper, of California: You love me, do you? Chairman Harris: I do right now, and I could fight you. by the way, and if you outvoted me, I could love you then. Speaking now just for a moment to the merits of the resolution, T call attention of each of you to the fact that this resolution is not one intended to, or in my judgment calculated to, injure the retail merchant. I live in a small city in the great state of Texas. Our population is more than eighty per cent rural. If I were a candidate for office, 1 should want the support of the retail merchants of the country, and I should ask it, based particularly upon my support of this resolution. (Applause, i If I sought still more active support, if I were very anxious to get right before the puhlic, I should cer- tainly establish most intimate and cordial relations with those distinguished advance agents of civilization, the commercial travelers of America. If I tbought that this resolution would take the bread from out of the mouth of a TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 237 single commercial traveler, if I thought it would deprive the wife of an additional silk dress, if I thought it would deprive the child of a month's attendance at school, I should come to a different conclusion. My judgment, after some investigation of the subject, after hearing it debated for hours and days at the Muskogee and other conventions, is that were the law fully enforced as proposed by the Postmaster-General, we would see the commercial traveler just as prosperous, just as smiling, just as happy and after 6 p. m. just as jovial, and if he chose, just as full, as he would be were this resolution turned down. (Applause.) I challenge the theory that this resolution is destructive of his rights, that it is destructive of his prosperitj r , or that it will put him out of business. I do not believe, as a philosopher of some years' standing, that you can ever eliminate the personal equation from matters of commerce and trade. (Ap- plause.) I do not believe the silent and swift messenger, the mail, can ever take the place of the high-grade talk and the persuasive tongue of some mem- ber of the United Commercial Travelers' Association or the Travelers' Pro- tective Association. Do not vote upon this resolution as if we were attempting to put the knife to honorable men engaged in honorable enterprises. Do not treat it as being destructive of the welfare of that very important branch of our business and the people engaged in it, the retail trade. It is nothing of the sort. You are misled. You are laboring under misapprehensions, and the mother of every misapprehension is fear in the human heart. You are afraid that you will be hurt, and therefore you believe that you will be hurt. The colliers of Newcastle, and the coal diggers of Cornwall, opposed the opening of shafts for air and light. The scythe and cradlemen of Ohio and Virginia dashed in pieces the first mowing and reaping machines. Advance has. always been met and stopped temporarily, but never permanently checked, always by the demand of fear. (Applause.) There is in history a certain Mother Partington, who even sought to check the advance of the tide with the im- plement of the household, the broom. It cannot be done. You might as well get in line. We are living in a progressive age, in the most progressive section of the United States, and I should much regret that these men of thought, these men of action, these men who are of importance in their homes or they would not be here — I should much regret to see them take a backward step and attempt to throttle the administration, which is seeking, in my judgment, to confer a boon and confer benefits upon the whole people. (Applause.) I do not know whether I am with the majority or with the minority, and so far as my sentiments are concerned, I do not care. By Mr. J. J. Gosper: I am not going to call the gentleman to order, but I note that his time is up. I am in the habit of heaping fire upon the heads of my enemies. The gentleman's five minutes have expired, and therefore I move you that this eloquent orator be permitted to take another five minutes. (The motion was seconded and unanimously prevailed.) Chairman Harris: Mr. Vice-President, I am willing to accept the fire or the baptism of blood, if necessary, but I object to being described and will not submit to being described as'the enemy of the gentleman from Los Angeles. I know I have talked as much as I should. NotTiing could give me, I believe greater satisfaction than t"d convince the opponents of this resolution that it' does not and can not have the effect which they assume. I am in sympathy with the gentlemen who oppose the parcels post to the extent that I sympathize with their fears, sympathize with their doubts, sympathize with your dreads sympathize with your doubts. Your dreads are without founda- tion' your fears have no basis in fact;_and your doubts shouM disappear with your fears and your dreads. Do not be afraid there will ever come a time in the economy of nature that men of the ability, men of the action, and men of the determination of men of the commercial travelers, call them by whatever name you will— there never will come a time when your services, gentlemen, will not be sought and wanted, and claimed and demanded at a fair compen- sation and an honest wage. (Applause.) Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid of a hidden something, which lays its finger upon your heart, and places upon vour brow or seeks to place the cold finger of commercial death. Vote as you see it As for me, it will be but one vote in favor of the parcels post — that vote shall be registered by me. If there be another here who feels as I do about it I hope he will have the courage to show it, though he looks into the most active delegation opposed to it, possibly to be conjured upon this or any other coast. L'Ms REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS I have no inure fear in my heart that you will he able to check the ad- vance of this administration, and I personally am a life-long Democrat — I have no more fear that you will be able to check t he economic forward move- ment of this, and I hope, the coming administration, than I am afraid that earthquake and fire shall destroy this city forever and ever. I have no more dread, no more apprehension of that than I have that you can hide the beauties of the women of San Francisco and of the Pacific Coast by the tergiversations of a Merry Widow hat. (Applause.) (Cries of "Roll call.") By Mr. D. P. Marum, of Oklahoma: I would make this as a motion, Mr. Chairman, that the states who have sent more than thirty delegates, and therefore are entitled to thirty votes, whether they are represented here or not, be entitled to that number of votes in the record, if the record of the Congress shows that they are en- titled to them, and that all other states be entitled to the same votes that we had on other questions — when we had less than ten, that we have ten votes for a state, but any of the states that had more than thirty people here and were entitled to thirty votes, whether they have them on the floor at this time, or not, be entitled to cast the thirty votes now as they would be if present. By Vice-President Baker: Do you want a man to vote whether he is here or not? By Mr. Marum: I want the states that sent their delegates to this convention, whether they have them present or not, to vote the thirty votes as shown by the roll of the Secretary. He has the delegates from every state, and can announce the votes to which each state is entitled. A great many are not here from Kansas and from Colorado, who had more than thirty votes, and I would not like to see their votes cut down. California, of course, will have the thirty votes here. By Vice-President Baker: Is there a second to that motion? There is no second to the motion. By Secretary Francis: Before the vote is taken, it should be explained that there is a provision of the by-laws which regulates our procedure; that no state has more than thirty votes, and no state less than ten votes, and should there be more than thirty in the delegation, but only seventeen or twenty in their seats, the state having that seventeen or twenty has only seventeen or twenty votes, as the case may be; that the delegates seated and present are to be counted only. By Vice-President Baker: You have heard the Secretary's explanation that a man must be here to vote. I think that is correct, above the ten. Of course, if there are not ten here, the state has the ten votes in any event. By .Mr. Arthur It. Brlggs, «if California: .Air. Chairman. Ladi< s and Gentlemen and Members of the Congress: 1 have listened with extreme patience to the discussion of this important <|ties- ii. in, and must say that I am amazed at the efforts that have been made to call it cowardice to vote for or against it, or bravery to do likewise. This is not a question of bravery or cowardice. Bach of us has taken the matter under consideration, and whatever our action may be, it will be a matter of conscience and of judgment. I have also been amazed at the attempt to foist an expression which comes from the President of the United States, that this TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 239 meeting might be influenced thereby. I have also been amazed that the Post- master-General, Mr. Meyer, has been quoted here to show what we ought to do, because he thinks so and so of it, or what he thinks of it. The fact of it is, the responsibility rests upon us. I. for one, shall act upon my own judgment, and on my conscience I am opposed to this parcels post. (Applause.) And I believe — I do not care whether my friend from Galveston thinks it is cowardice for me to stand against it, or whether it is bravery to stand for it — I say that if we pass it up to ourselves individually to settle this question, that we will come to a fair and a right and a proper conclusion. It was this very feature that led me to ask to have this matter postponed until 12:30 o'clock this afternoon. Now, Mr. Chairman, before taking my seat, and per- haps I have exhausted my time, I want to say that it is evident that there is a very wide division in this Congress upon the subject, and whatever we may do now, it will perhaps be a close vote, and I believe that if we act upon it at all, that we will act to our disadvantage, because we shall not express the sentiment of this Congress. By Mr. Orrin Henderson, of United Travelers' Association: Mr. Chairman: Personally I am against this bill, and I am not going to make any talk along those lines. I am going to quote you the actual facts that exist today under the parcels post, as expressed by Mr. Darling, at your eighteenth convention. He said: "Gentlemen of the Convention: We have had an example that: we will remember as long as we draw the breatli of life of the — By Mr. Berwick: I rise to a point of order. By Vice-President Pryor, in the Chair: This is entirely on the question. By Mr. Berwick: Have I not the closing address upon the subject? By Mr. Henderson: (Continuing.) centralization of capital. "VVe are having it today, and this parcels post will only aid in the centralization of merchandise and capital. There is no ques- tion about it, and I cite you to England as an example. There you have an argument to support the position I take, for you cannot go into a town of six thousand people in the country of England today and buy a decent suit of clothes or a wearable pair of shoes, or a hat that would be presentable, but you must send up to the great centers, like London or Liverpool, where they operate what is known as co-operative stores, but they are co-operative in name only, where the people work for a pittance in order to get them." That is all, gentlemen. It expresses it very forcibly — I can add nothing whatever to it. By Governor Rickards, of Montana: I rise to a point of order, Mr. Chairman. By Vice-President Pryor: "What is the point ? By Mr. Rickards: That, under the rules, the mover of the resolution has a closing speech of five minutes allowed him, after which the Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions has five minutes allowed him. Now, we have had the matter up again for discussion after both of these addresses have been made. My point of order is that we have exhausted the matter, and that my dear friend, Mr. Briggs, was out of order. 240 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Mr. Henderson: I aru satisfied. By Vice-President Pryor: I don't believe that I was in the chair when that order was made, or I would probably have stated the question fairly and asked if there was any more discussion before I let the mover of the resolution go on. If that was the ruling, I will sustain the point of order. I was not in the chair when that was done. By Mr. Berwick: The order was made, sir. (Cries of "Vote, vote, vote.") By Secretary Francis: Alaska. By Mr. Marum, of Oklahoma: If I vote "No", which way do I vote? The substitute is what we are voting on, and I want to inquire whether a vote is for or against the parcels post. By Vice-President Pryor: I will explain. I hold in my left hand the original resolution. I hold in my right hand the substitute. The vote you take now is whether or not we will substitute the right hand for the left hand. If you vote "Aye" and carry this vote, this becomes the sense of the convention. Do you want this read? This is the substitute for the original resolution. By Mr. Briggs: Is it the report? By Vice-President Pryor: We are working on the substitute altogether. There was a motion made to substitute for the original this document. By Mr. Briggs: Mr. Chairman, I would like to know if we can not now have a recess long enough so that the delegations can determine how they want to vote. California has thirty votes, and I am thoroughly unable, in this room, to cast the vote one way or the other. Therefore, I move now that we take a recess ^f ten minutes, in order that the delegations may determine how to cast their votes. By Mr. Frank H. Gould, of San Francisco: Before the motion is put, I would like to ask a point of information. I would like if the Chair would inform us if the left hand knoweth what the right hand doeth? By Vice-President Pryor: Would you like to have this read? By Mr. Briggs: If I may be permitted to renew my motion after the reading, I will withdraw the motion for the present. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 241 By Vice-President Pryor: I will read the substitute for the original, or direct the Secretary to read it. By Secretary Francis: This is offered by Edward Berwick, President of the Postal Progress League of California, and reads as follows: WHEREAS, All improvements in methods and lessening of the cost of production and transportation tend to enlarge the boundaries and increase the volume of commerce; and WHEREAS, Postmaster-General Meyer has proposed to reduce the rate per pound on parcels post sent through the domestic mails from sixteen to twelve cents a pound, to increase the maximum weight from four to eleven pounds, and also to permit packages to be carried on all rural free delivery routes from their initial point to any other point on the same route at the rate of five cents for the first pound and two cents additional for every pound added up to eleven pounds; be it RESOLVED, That this Congress heartily endorse the Postmaster-General's recommendation, and urges on the United States Congress to take the neces- sary steps to make these recommendations effective. By Mr. Briggs: I move that the resolution be laid on the table. By Chairman Harris: I make the point of order against that, that the gentleman was only to be recognized for the purpose of moving a recess. By Vice-President Pryor: I take that view of it. By Mr. Briggs: I am not going to put myself against my friend Harris on the question of the point of order. It is an interesting point of order. By Chairman Harris: I not only state it, but it has been sustained. Do you move a recess for five minutes? By Mr. Briggs: Yes. By Chairman Harris: I second the motion. By Mr. Briggs: The motion is that we now take a recess of ten minutes. (The motion unanimously prevailed, and a recess for ten minutes was declared, at the end of which the Chairman called the convention again to order.) By Mr. Wright, of California: Mr. Chairman, is a motion in order at this time? By Vice-President Pryor: I do not think it is. By Mr. Wright: What is before the house? 242 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: The roll call. By Mr. Wright: No portion of the roll is called as yet. By Vice-President Pryor: The debate is closed. By Mr. Briggs: Is the recess over? By Vice-President Pryor: Yes, sir. By Mr. Frank H. Gould: A point of information before the vote is taken. By Vice-President Pryor: I will make a few remarks upon the matter for the information of the house. In the first place, I want to ask as a special favor of each and every one here, after this vote is taken and the result is announced, and this measure has passed the vote, to please remain and not leave us, because there are some other resolutions that we want to have acted upon, and we have stayed with you, and now we want you to stay with us. What is your point, sir? By Mr. Gould: It is in relation to the question now before this assemblage. My under- standing of the question now is that the motion is upon the adoption of the substitute. By Vice-President Pryor: That is right. By Mr. Gould: The adoption of the substitute means that this assemblage favors the parcels post as the same has been recommended by the Postmaster-General. By Vice-President Pryor: No. The adoption of the substitute is not final, the way I take it. By Mr. Gould: I see, a vote "Aye" on the present matter indicates that the party favors the parcels post, and the man who votes "No" votes against the parcels post. By Vice-President Pryor: Yes. Yet a man could vote — By Mr. Wright, of California: I yield to the floor, Mr. Chairman, and I desire now to make a motion, and that is that the substitute and the entire matter be referred to a special committee to investigate, the committee to be appointed by the Chair and report at the next session of this Congress. By Chairman Harris: 1 make the point that that is out of order. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 243 By Vice-President Pryor: I think you are out of order, and I so rule. By Mr. Wright: I appeal from the decision of the Chair. The motion is not out of order, because the roll call has not commenced. By Chairman Harris: The roll call has commenced. Possibly the gentleman from California ha* forgotten that the roll call was ordered, and that at the request of one of your delegation a recess was taken in order to allow you to poll your votes. I now make the point of order that we have proceeded too far to permit the Chair to entertain a motion before the roll call. By Mr. Wright: My memory is not the same as yours. By Chairman Harris: I ask what the Secretary's memory is on the question. By Secretary Francis: A roll call was asked for, and the Secretary had proceeded with the roll call, as far as Alaska. By Mr. Briggs: Mr. Chairman, for information, I have been asked, and I would like to have the Chair explain how it would be if there is but one delegate from any state or territory on this question. Will he be entitled to ten votes? By Vice-President Pryor: Yes. By Mr. Briggs: Suppose there are nine delegates from any state, and there is only one represented here, and they have caucused, and that one declares himself for or against. Would he be entitled to ten votes? By Secretary Francis: He has ten votes, under the rule. By Mr. Briggs: You can see what I am getting at. It is the injustice of permitting one delegate, because he happens to be here, to cast the full ten votes for his delegation, where perhaps eight of them are against it. By Chairman Harris: I understood the gentleman from California rose to a point of informa- tion. By Mr. Briggs: I have asked it. By Chairman Harris: I object to his making an argument. I do not mean that to apply to my friend Briggs, but I just want to stop any other matters, so that we may proceed with the roll call. 244 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Vice-President Pryor: Proceed with the roll call, Mr. Secretary. By Secretary Francis: Alaska: For the substitute, 10. Arizona: Against the substitute, 10. By Chairman Harris: A question of information. I want to know if a member of the United Commercial Travelers, or the Travelers' Protective Association, or a mem- ber of any other body here, having accredited delegates, is to be permitted to vote more than once? May he vote in his capacity as a delegate from the state of California, for instance, and then when the roll is called of the Commercial Travelers, may he vote again? If he may, then I want to vote first as a Democrat, next as an Episcopalian, next as a Texan, and next as a married man, and so on, down the line. I challenge any such votes as that. No man has a right to vote twice. By Secretary Francis: California: For, 13; against, 17. By Chairman Harris: I ask to be advised before that vote is registered, whether in that vote of 13 or 17 there be any members of the various accredited commercial bodies voting. By Mr. Judell: The representatives of the Commercial Travelers' Association came forward like men and said, "We don't want to vote twice. We will go and vote where we belong." By Chairman Harris: That is just exactly what I expected of them. It is precisely the an- nouncement that I expected to have made. I expected nothing else, but I did want that. By Mr. Orrin S. Henderson: I am the gentleman to whom they refer. By Chairman Harris: I do not refer to anybody. By Mr. Orrin S. Henderson: There are over two hundred members from California in this conven- tion, and there are over forty of them here, and there are over thirty voting, so do not count me. By Secretary Francis: Colorado, 5 for and 5 against. Hawaii, 10 against. Iowa, 10 for. Kansas, 10 against. Louisiana, 10 against. Montana, 10 against. Missouri, 10 against. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 245 By Mr. W. J. Evans, of Ogallala, Nebraska: At present I am here alone, and I do not like to cast the vote of my State for fear that I may be criticized for it. By Secretary Francis: Mr. Chairman, Nebraska asks to be passed. By Vice-President Pryor: We will pass Nebraska if there are no objections. By Mr. Briggs: Do I understand that Nebraska desires to be released from voting? By Vice-President Pryor: Yes. By Mr. Briggs: I don't know but that will take a motion. By Vice-President Pryor: He has a right not to vote. By Mr. Briggs: I move that Nebraska, at the request of her delegate, be relieved from voting. By Chairman Harris: I understand that Nebraska has not asked to be relieved from voting, but to be passed. (The motion was duly seconded and put by the Chair and unanimously passed.) By Secretary Francis: Nevada, 10 against. Oklahoma, 10 against. Oregon, 5 for and 5 against. Philippines, 10 against. Texas, 10 for. Washington, 7 for, 3 against. Travelers' Protective Association, 10 against. United Commercial Travelers, 10 against. By Chairman Harris: Before the vote is announced, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask if the members of those two commercial bodies do not feel that they ought not to vote here at all, since they have their interests at stake? By Mr. H. R. Basford: I object to any man rising and making this a class issue. The com- mercial issue — By Chairman Harris: My dear friend, that was merely a jocular statement. By Mr. Basford: All right. Make it so, sir. 246 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS By Mr. Briggs: I was in hopes our friend Harris would move to make this vote unani- mous, but he does not seem to have reached that point yet. By Secretary Francis: The vote upon the substitute stands 60 votes for, and 140 votes against. The vote by states results as follows: Aye. Xay. Alaska 10 .\ rizona 10 California 13 17 Colorado 5 5 Hawaii 10 Iowa 10 Kansas 10 Louisiana 10 Montana 10 Missouri 10 Nebraska (relieved from voting) Nevada 10 Oklahoma 10 Oregon 5 5 I ' 1 i i 1 ipp i n es 10 Texas 10 Washington 7 3 Travelers' Protective Association 10 United Commercial Travelers 1 o 60 140 By Vice-President Pryor: The substitute is lost. By Mr. D. P. Marum, of Oklahoma: Mr. Chairman, I move the adoption of the committee's report adversely to the proposition. The motion was duly seconded, and on being put to viva voce vote, was adopted. By Vice-President Pryor: I desire to introduce to you the gentleman who brought this Congress to California. I want him to find out whether or not he has made good his promises made at Muskogee a year ago. I introduce to you Col. H. D. Love- land, of California, our former President. Colonel Loveland: Mr. Chairman and Fellow Delegates: 1 w;uit to speak to the few delegates who are left from our sister states. One year ago at Muskogee, Oklahoma, where Mr. Briggs and myself went as delegates from California — I beg your pardon, madam, but do you desire to be heard? By Mrs. Mary Lynde Craig: I want to introduce this resolution before Mr. John Henry Smith goes. By Mr. Loveland: I gracefully yield to the lady of California. By Mrs. Craig: Mr. President, I have a resolution that I would like to have the Secretary read. By Secretary Francis: (Reading:) TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL COxNGRESS 247 WO MA \ S l IK R v <; B. Believing that the natural resources of the country should be conserved therefore be" i? valuable natural resources are the men and women in i,. RESOLVED, That as the natural conservators, both of the race and of our material resources, women should be protected equally with men in II,,, property and labor rights, and that they are justly entitled to a the rights and privileges of American citizens. By Mr. Donald, of Arizona: I move the adoption of the resolution, Mr. Chairman. The motion was duly seconded. By Chairman Harris: I suggest, Mr. Chairman, that we hear from the author of the resolution. By Vice-President Pryor: Mrs. Craig has the floor. By Mrs. Mary Lynde Craigr, of California: Ladies and Gentlemen: I had the honor to be a member of this Congress in 1894. We introduced a resolution similar to this at that Congress and it was introduced by Judge Lowell, of Oregon. After that I was invited to address the Congress, and an hour was set apart for my address from half past 7 to half past 8 in the evening. I made the address to a 'full house, received good attention, and afterwards a vote was taken upon whether my address should be received and printed with the report of the Congress and be sent on with the report to Washington, and, after quite a long dis- cussion of the matter, perhaps an hour, it was received and printed and sent on to Washington. At that time, as at .this time, our resolution in the Committee on Resolutions was voted down. Then we brought it out on the floor of the house. We had some excellent friends there, and it was passed. Now we are trusting to the fact that we probably have a good many friends here who will come to our rescue, just as we did before. My friend, Honorable John Henry Smith, of Utah, and quite a number of distinguished men. have offered to speak in favor of the resolution. I hope you will pass the resolu- tion as adopted. I thank you, gentlemen. (Applause.) By Mr. D. P. Marum, of Oklahoma: In Oklahoma, we are willing at any time, whenever the women demand it, to give them the right of suffrage, and Oklahoma now asks this Congress to pay the compliment to the brave little women who have come here asking for their rights. We always stand by the ladies in Oklahoma. By Mr. Greene Majors, of Alameda, Cal.: In answer to this, I will say, Mr. Chairman, that I was a member of the Congress of 1894, in which that gallant fight was made for equal suffrage. The matter was carried by a big majority after the question was properly threshed out. For one, I believe that woman has a right to the ballot as a matter of right. As to what she will do with the ballot, it is nobody's busi- ness. Suppose we men were asked what we were going to do with our ballots when we go up to register. We would be incensed and outraged. The great ruling spirit, gentlemen, of the Americans of this country is stated in the Declaration of Independence, where it says that all governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. I ask if women are no1 gov- erned under the laws of this country the same as the men? I hope that this Congress will endorse this resolution by an overwhelming majority. Hon. John Henry Smith, of Utah: Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen: I want to endorse with all my heart the proposition involved in the resolution introduced by Mrs. Craig. I have lived in a land where woman suffrage has existed for many years, and to the credit of the womanhood of my State, in honor of the mother who bore me and of the women who have called me husband — lam one of thai kind who has been called husband by more than one — I endorse the proposition of bestowing upon the ladies of the American people the full-grown privileges of manhood, that with all the labors she has today, her womanhood shall be manifest in the exercise of those rights and privileges that her suns and her husbands have, and that she with us exercises so wisely and so well, 248 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS I remember, my friends, being recently in a Tittle meeting- where a brother got up and bore testimony to the fact that he had his family under good control, that he guided their destinies wisely and prudently, and that he stood (irmly and rightly at the head of his house. His wife followed him in her testimony to the good character of her husband, his fidelity, his faith, his kindly labors, but while she recognized his headship, she would have that body of ladies and gentlemen know that she was the neck, and she turned that head whichever way she wanted it to go. (Laughter and applause.) " My friends, I ask you to pass this resolution, and to see to it that American womanhood that we have sought in counsel, and that has counseled with us, shall be honored and sustained in its effort to secure the rights of women along all lines, just as we have them for ourselves. I was trained by a mother whose capabilities of statesmanship should have entitled her to the esteem and respect of the people where she lived; and yet she, during many years of her life while she taught me, her child, to become a true man. could not exercise the rights that were exercised by that child when he had barely become of age. "While I am on my feet, I desire to say that I think it is proper that a resolution should be passed thanking all the people of this city for their care of us, and that we trust that the peace of Heaven and the blessings of our God shall be upon this State, and upon this Nation of ours, that the flag that we love and upon which we gaze with pride shall ever be maintained, and that her sons and daughters shall continue to grow and increase in power and wisdom, that among the children of the earth shall ever be the manhood of the United States and the womanhood of this glorious land that we love so well. (Applause.) Mr. Hugh Craig, of San Franoisco: Mr. Chairman, for several days we have heard of the conservatism of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, and that of the nineteenth session, at which we have met and looked into each other's faces; we have heard that the motto of the Congress should be to conserve for the generations that are to come what has not already been alienated of public property. Now, then, if there is one interest more sacred than another, and I claim it is the most sacred interest, not only in this State, but in this continent and in all the world, it is that of the American mother and her child. When we ask you to confer upon her the franchise and to vote in favor of this resolution, we can safely leave to her conservatism the issue, and believe that she will use that ballot and that vote in the best interests of those who are to follow after her and after us. I heartily endorse the resolution. (Applause.) Mr. Arthur R. Brigs;*: Just one word, Mr. Chairman. I cannot help thinking of what would be the sentiment of Susan B. Anthony and all the other women who followed her. clear down to Kate Field, all of whom have passed away except Julia Ward Howe, if 'they could see the sentiment applauded in this Congress to give to women the suffrage in this Nation. The memory of such women as those I have mentioned, the work they did year after year and for quarter century after quarter century, until it had reached nearly three-quarters of a century, makes us feel proud of the women of this country. I sincerely hope that the resolution will pass. Mr. J. J. <;osi»cr: Gentlemen of the Convention: I have not appeared before you until this moment in a formal manner. I said to this good lady sitting here in front of me that I would not only second, but take a moment Id speak upon that resolu- tion. I am performing my pledge, and pleasantly. You see that log-house pictured upon the curtain up there, gentlemen? That painting is as nearly a genuine imitation of the real thing as I have ever seen. One of the grandest women that ever .lived upon this earth gave birth to her boy, your speaker* in a log house. She taught me the fear of God and to love my country and that flag, and when the time came for men to go to war, that mother who taught me to love the tlag, when I talked with her about going down into the South as a soldier, said, "My boy, I can say nothing. 1 have' taught you sentiments of patriotism, loyal sentiments to your flag and country." And she said to me, "John, go — but may God bring you back to your mother." Now; I say to you, that a woman that had intelligence enough, loyalty enough, to teach her boy to love his country and his God and his flag, was certainly as well qualified to vote when her boy reached his twenty-first birthday as he was. (Applause.) You have mothers, or have had, most of you that are here, with the same sentiments. And I want to say to you something that will be original, but I mean what I say. If I had the power to enact a law, not to be President Roosevelt, or anybody else, I would accord the privilege and the duty of vot- ing to every woman that would bring a baby boy Into existence, who would become a member of this Government — let her vote at the next election fol- TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 249 lowing - the birth of her baby boy, and for all time after that. What do you think of that? That would increase the population of our country. Now, I want to say another thing 1 . There is the sin of commission on the part of you men, myself included, as voters. Then there is the sin of omis- sion on the part of ourselves as voters. A man that votes twice is guilty of a political and an official sin. He that does not vote at all is as guilty as the fellow that votes twice. I would be in favor, if no other motive could be offered, to give to the women of the locality or the state, in numbers at least sufficient to take the place of the men that I would disfranchise for voting twice and the men that I would disfranchise, if I could, for not voting at all, just as quickly. I want to say that I am most emphatically in favor of female suffrage— not for the blessed women themselves, gentlemen, but in the interests of my country. And if I had the power to compel the woman and the man that do not vote at all to go to the ballot box, I would do so, as it is the duty of every American citizen to do — I would compel them to go there and vote, so help me God. (Applause.) The question was then called for, and, on being put to a viva voce vote, the resolution unanimously passed. By Mr. Herbert Strain: I desire to offer the following resolution, Mr. Chairman: VOTE OF THANKS. RESOLVED, That the members of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Con- gress do hereby extend to the people of California in general, and of San Francisco in particular, their sincere thanks for the generous and hearty wel- come accorded to them during this session. We express particular apprecia- tion of the work of the San Francisco reception committee, the newspapers of San Francisco, the Associated Press, the United Press, and other press associations, all of which have helped to make this nineteenth session suc- cessful and profitable for all interested. We express our appreciation of the services of the retiring President, Honorable J. B. Case, and of Secretary Arthur F. Francis, whose labors and energy have made this meeting one of which every member is proud; also to other officers who have given generous and abundant assistance in accomplishing good things for the Trans- Mississippi country. The motion was duly seconded and unanimously passed by viva voce vote. By Mr. Briggs: I desire to announce that the reception at the Fairmont Hotel will begin at 8:30 o'clock this evening, and continue until 11 o'clock. It is an informal reception, and we desire to see every delegate and the friends they have with them, and the people of San Francisco generally at that reception. I hope you will not forget it, and that you will be sure to be there. By Vice-President Pryor: We will now hear from Colonel Loveland, an ex-president of this Association, and the gentleman who brought this Congress to San Francisco. REMARKS OP COL.. H. D. LOVELAND. Col. H. D. Loveland: Gentlemen, I am going on a fishing excursion, or I intended to, but my friend here fouled mv line, and I have lost my bait. I wanted to say to the delegates from our sister states, that one year ago at Muskogee, when I asked you to come to California, I made certain promises to the delegates from other states. All Californians know what those promises must have been in the way of what a hospitable welcome we would give them. I want to ask you if we have made good ? Delegate: Sure. You have. Continuing: Col. Loveland, continuing-: I spoke to you at that time of a city that had been destroyed by the 250 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS elements, and I t<>hl you what we were doing- to rehabilitate it, and I told you that Californians, like all good Christians, understood the meaning of B. C, and that after our great earthquake and fire, we understood the mean- ing of A. ('.. which meant after the catastrophe; and I told you then that when you came here for this Congress, we would show you the meaning of R. C., and that that meant Risen City. Have we made good ? Delegate: You have. Col. Loveland, continuing: There are only a few of you here to answer, but I am satisfied that if you were all here it would be answered in the same way. Gentlemen, we have tried to welcome you as Californians. And I want to say that when we go East, it is my experience that you repay us in kind. We have had, while you have been here, fortunately, clear skies and beauti- ful weather, and for that we are thankful. And let me say to you that not more expansive and expressive are the magnificent valleys of California, not purer is the snow that crowns her eternal mountains, not warmer is the gorgeous sunset which you may have seen last night if you glanced to the westward, than is California's welcome to you. I thank you. (Three cheers and a tiger were given for Colonel Loveland and San Francisco.) By Vice-President Pryor: I am now going to ask your President, Mr. Walsh, to take the chair and close the meeting. I want to announce, before I turn the chair over to him, that the Executive Committee meets at 5:30 o'clock in the St. Francis Hotel. Will they please be on hand at that hour? Mr. Walsh will close the meeting — if there is anything else in the way of business to come up, will you present it to him? (President Walsh here took the chair.) By President Walsh: I want to thank Mr. Pryor for steering my bark, not over the boisterous waters, but over the calm waters. I am very glad to take the chair and to close the meeting. What is before the meeting now, Mr. Secretary? By Capt. Marston, of California: I desire to introduce this resolution. By Secretary Francis: This matter was sent to the Committee on Resolutions and referred back to the Congress. It was understood that the gentleman presenting it was to appear before the Committee on Resolutions this morning, and the chairman explained that for some reason he failed to appear, and he calls it. up now to be disposed of. It is a resolution relating to the extension of the coastwise navigation laws to the Philippine archipelago. By Capt. Marston: That is the whole of it. By President Walsh: Do you desire to have the resolution read? By Mr. L. E. Pinkham, of Hawaii: Mr. Chairman. I move that the resolution be laid on the table. By Mr. Max L. McCollough, of the Philippines: I second the motion. 3. L 5. «. LOCAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. ARTHUR R. BRIGGS. 7. FRANK J. SYMMES. PERCY T. MORGAN. 8. ANDREW M. DAVIS. CHESTER W. BURKS. 9. R. B. HALE. H. D. LOVELAND. 10 ANDREA SBARBORO. 11 A. C. RULOFSON. 12 RUFUS r. JENNINGS. FRANK W. MARSTON. JAMES WOODS. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 251 By Mr. Frank H. Gould: Before a vote is taken, it seems to me that out of courtesy to the gentle- man who presents this resolution, it ought to be read in this assemblage. By Mr. Pinkham: As Chairman of the sub-committee, we gave the gentleman every oppor- tunity to appear before us, and it was delayed time and time again, and the general committee did the same thing, and it seems to me that it is his own negligence that the matter has not been brought up and attended to. Now, at this late hour, just as we are about to disperse, and with a matter to which the committee has not been able to give the proper attention, it seems to me that it is improper to give our time to it. The motion to lay the resolution on the table was put to viva voce vote and carried. By Mr. J. J. Gosper: We are about to adjourn, I presume, Mr. Chairman, but before doing so, I want to offer a motion on behalf of the delegates of this convention, com- plimentary to the President and to those who have by ^courtesy occupied the Chair, and to our good looking and ever-present Secretary, the best looking man here, save one, and you can guess who he is, and to the other officers, the chairmen of the committees, for the very efficient manner in which they have discharged their duties. By Mr. Strain, of Montana: That was included in my resolution. By President Walsh: And it was acted upon. By Mr. Gosper: I did not know that was the case. I withdraw the resolution. Mr. Briggs, a very modest man himself, suggested that I make that sort of a motion. By President Walsh: It was embodied in a previous resolution. By Mr. Hart, of Louisiana: Mr. President, I move that we do now adjourn. By President Walsh: Gentlemen: Before putting that motion, I would like to say a very few words. You have come here many miles to attend this Congress. You have left your homes and come to work in an- unselfish way for the advancement of your country. I hope and trust that each one of you will have a pleasant voyage home, that you will find your families who await you happy and well, that the friendships that have been formed in this Congress, and they are not the least of the good effects of our work, will live during your lives, and that we will have the pleasure of seeing you all in Denver next year.' And until that time, and for many years to come, I wish that every happiness may be yours. (Applause.) ■ By Secretary Francis: May I announce that, in reference to the permanent membership, those who wish to renew for the ensuing year can do so at the table before you go away. _ ,. The motion to adjourn was then put, that the Congress do adjourn, subject to the call of the Executive Committee, and unanimously prevailed. 252 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE San Francisco, California, October 10, 190S. The Executive Committee met in the green room of the St. Francis Hotel. All the states and territories west of the Mississippi River were represented, including' representatives from Hawaii, Alaska and the Philippine Archipelago. Organization was effected by a motion to adopt the suggestion made by the Committee on Permanent Organization and accepted by the Congress. Officers were thereupon elected as follows: Chairman, Col. Ike T. Pryor, San Antonio, Tex; vice chairman, S. F. Dutton, Denver; secretary, Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, Colo.; treasurer, James C. Dahlman, Omaha. Inasmuch as Denver and not Omaha had secured the honor of entertaining the session of the Congress for 1909, at the suggestion of Sec- retary Francis the name of Fred Moffat of Denver was substituted for that of James C. Dahlman, in conformity with the practice which retains the treas- urer in the city where the Congress is held. This suggestion was accepted and the secretary was instructed to make the change in the official record. Congressional Committee — F. W. Fleming, Kansas City, Mo.; J. B. Case, Abilene, Kan.; Col. H. D. Loveland, San Francisco; Hon. E. F. Harris, Galveston, Tex.; J. D. Phelan, San Francisco; L. Bradford Prince, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Alva Adams, Pueblo, Colorado. Advisory Committee — Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco; J. H. Brady, Poca- tello, Idaho; W. O. Hart, New Orleans; John Henry Smith, Salt Lake, Utah; J. W. Creech, Herington, Kan. Special Committee of Invitation — Thomas F. Walsh, Denver; Col. Ike T. Pryor, San Antonio, Tex.; Arthur R. Briggs, San Francisco; Fred W. Fleming, Kansas City, Mo.; Hon. John Barrett, Portland, Ore. The last named committee was given authority to add to its number as emergency requires. It was decided to inaugurate the preliminary work of the Denver session as soon as possible and to this end the state executive boards will be furnished with stationery and other incidentals at once. Upon motion of President Walsh, seconded by Col. Pryor, the secretary was instructed to notify Vice-Chairman Dutton that it was the sense of the General Committee that work upon the Denver session should not be deferred later than January 1 of the coming year, and that headquarters be at once provided the secretary, with other necessary expenses. To meet the postage and other office expenses of the Executive Committee, the secretary was instructed to commence a vigorous campaign for the en- rollment of more permanent members of the Congress. The president and secretary were instructed to revise and strengthen the executive boards in the various states and make such changes as they may deem necessary in order to secure effective co-operation the coming year. The committee then adjourned to be called together in Denver in Janu- ary. ISigned] ARTHUR F. FRANCIS, Secretary. RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE NATIONAL CONGRESS. ADOPTED BY THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS HELD IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 6-10, 1908. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress points with pride to what it has accomplished since its organization, and particularly to the fact that many of its recommendations have been adopted by the National Congress demonstrating its great and growing influence for the betterment and sub- stantial progress of the people of the Trans-Mississippi region embracing twenty states, two organized territories of the mainland, Alaska, Hawaii and the Philippine Islands. In accordance with its custom, this Congress presents the following as important subjects to which it invites the earnest attention of the President of the United States and the members of the National Congress. RIVERS, HARBORS AND CAXALS. We emphatically reaffirm the clear and comprehensive resolutions passed at former sessions of this Congress in regard to the improvement of the waterways and harbors of our entire country. Speaking more especially for the Trans-Mississippi region, which is far more than half of the United States, we recognize that within the last year our transportation necessities have greatly increased. The time has come when we should push with all possible expedition the perfect improvement, ample extension and efficient maintenance of these natural facilities, by which alone can we get the cheap- est transportation and adequate outlets for our products; hence we again most earnestly commend to our members the movement more especially repre- sented by the National Rivers and Harbors Congress, and adopt as ours its slogan — an annual appropriation of at least $50,000,000 — to be expended in the furtherance of the pressing and indispensable work. We again endorse the project of deep water from the Great Lakes to the Gulf oi Mexico, so that the sea shall virtually be carried to Chicago, that our teeming products may find water transportation at convenient ports all through the center of our great country instead of being subjected to long and expensive hauls over congested railroads to the coast. We favor the perfect and permanent improvement to the highest points of navigation of such channels of travel as the Missouri and other rivers, penetrating to the heart of the great Trans-Mississippi country. We find that even our most extensive works are soon inadequate, both in depth and space, for the wants of commerce. The older nations, though of smaller area and with productions near to the sea, have long since found it indispensable to avail themselves of the most perfect capacity of all classes of transportation. What was indispensable for them is now even more vital for us with our great territory and far more productive population. Hence we urge that improvement keep pace with and anticipate our commercial wants. We hail with satisfaction the progressive, statesmanlike and patriotic utterances and actions of the President of the United States in regard to these great measures. We call upon our Senators and Representatives in Congress, regardless of party, to support him in this policy, which we wish advanced to the very first rank of our public policies. If necessary in the construction and maintenance of the great system of works of which our whole country now stands in most urgent need, we favor the creation of a department of public works, and, so far as requisite an increase of the public debt. We wish no waste, nor do we wish to antagonize any other proper public interest; but we demand prompt and efficient attention to these com- mercial needs; provided the projects proposed are found to be practicable and of public use by the United States engineers. CALIFORNIA RIVERS AXD HARBORS. As we believe in equal development of the whole country, ami knowing the urgent need of more water transportation, we favor the proposal now 254 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS before the Government authorities for the construction of a breakwater to make yet more available the splendid natural harbor of Monterey. This Congress recommends to and urges upon the Congress of the United States that immediate appropriation be made in the following amounts, and for the following purposes, to wit: (a) That an appropriation of at least $259,250.00 be made for the purpose of deepening the water over the outer bar at the Harbor of San Diego, and for removing the middle ground in said harbor, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, dated May 11, 1908, in order to accommodate the naval vessels desiring coal at the Government coaling station, now being constructed. (b) That an appropriation be made for the purpose of repairing and ex- tending the twin jetties at the entrance of Humboldt Bay, in order that the channel of the bay may be rendered safe to commerce, and that an appropria- tion also be made for the purpose of removing the hogbacks formed by the deposit of sand in the interior bay. (c) That the amount of $250,000 be appropriated, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1st, for works of improvement in Oakland Harbor, from the appropriation authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1905, in com- pliance with recommendation of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. (d) That the sum of $400,000 be appropriated for the purpose of perform- ing the work specified and recommended in the special report of the California Debris Commission, in regard to the further appropriation for the control of mining debris, included in the navigability and providing for the control of the flood waters of the Sacramento and Feather rivers, California, dated June 30th, 1907. (e) That an appropriation of at least $284,800.00 be made for the purpose of extending the breakwater at San Pedro Harbor from its present terminus to the shore line, in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, made February 17th, 1908. PROVIDED, That before entering upon any work on the Sacramento and Feather rivers, the state of California have appropriated ^and that there be available from the funds in the California state treasury) an equal sum of $400,000.00, for the same purpose. "We urgently recommend to the Congress of the United States that im- mediate action be taken for improving the channel of the Sacramento River, so that its navigability to Red Bluff may be maintained during all seasons of the year. COOS BAY. We recommend that a board of skilled engineers be appointed by the United States Government to revise the projects for the improvement of the Harbor of Coos Bay, with a view of fortifying the entrance and making the harbor a coaling station. BAYOU LAFOURCHE. W|e recommend that the Congress of the United States be requested to compel the opening of Bayou Lafourche, in the state of Louisiana, by the construction of locks or the removal of the dam. ARKANSAS RIVER. We earnestly recommend that the United States Government appropriate sufficient funds for the improvement of the Arkansas River, so that same may be navigable from its mouth as far as Muskogee, Oklahoma. INTER-COASTAL CANAL. We endorse the proposed inter-coastal canal from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande, as a needed and most beneficial waterway improvement, and we respectfully urge the Senators and Representatives of the Trans- Mississippi States in Congress to favor a canal of not less than nine feet in depth and not less than one hundred feet in width. SIUSI.AVY HARBOR. In view of the approaching completion of the Panama Canal, every harbor of the Pacific Coast, which by a reasonable expenditure can be made prac- ticable for ocean commerce, is of national importance and the Siuslaw Harbor of Lane County, Oregon, appearing for such worthy and the natural outlet to the sea for a large timber and agricultural district, it is recommended that the said harbor be restored to the position formerly occupied in the harbor and river appropriations and that the improvements there commenced be carried to completion. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 255 SUGAR. The Domestic Sugar industry merits and is entitled to complete and ample protection, and that this Congress is opposed to anv measure that tends to increase the importation of free sugar grown by cheap labor. NAVY YARDS. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress commends the Congress of the United States for the liberal policy it has heretofore adopted in the pro- tection and development of the National interests in the interior territory and coast lines of the Trans-Mississippi States. Inasmuch as the dock facilities of the Pacific Coast are inadequate to care for a strong defensive fleet of battleships and cruisers, it is of paramount importance that two Government docks be maintained, one at Bremerton, Washington, and one at Mare Island, California. We recommend that a commission be immediately appointed to investigate and report, not only in respect to needed appropriations for the Mare Island Navy Yard, but also of the conditions at present prevailing, and to recommend a plan under which a channel of sufficient depth to permit the passage of ships of the deepest draught to the yard can be maintained, and adequate facilities be provided to care for a battleship fleet of such size as may be required upon the Pacific Coast. GRAPE INDUSTRIES. The policy of our Government has been to promote agriculture and horti- culture. As a result, in the Trans-Mississippi States, hundreds of thousands of acres of land and hundreds of millions of capital are devoted to the culti- vation of the grape, and many thousands of families depend upon that indus- try for a living. One great source of profit to the grapegrower has been the use of American sweet wines as medicinal components. The ruling of the Internal Revenue Commissioner, ratified by the Secretary of the Treasury, forbids such use of American sweet wines to the great loss and distress of the grapegrower. Our domestic sweet wines are outlawed and their place is taken by foreign wines, imported under reciprocity at a rate of duty per alcoholic content which is only two-thirds of our internal revenue tax on domestic spirits. The Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress respectfully requests the President of the United States as the only competent legal author- ity to reverse and cancel the ruling against American sweet wines. This Congress also requests that in the revision of the tariff there be no reduction of the duties on the products of the vineyard, either directly or by reciprocity. American agriculture demands the right to live by such diversity of products as our varied climate permits, and this Congress asks that there be no discrimination against the grape and its products. ELECTRIC POWER. This Congress recognizes the growing importance of the development of electric power, not only for the purposes of lighting, manufacturing and com- merce, but also in aid of irrigation by pumping from subterranean sources. Developments already accomplished in this direction warrant the assumption that, in the not far distant future, the lands irrigated by water pumped from such sources will equal, if they do not exceed, lands irrigated from the natural flow of streams. The development and use of our streams for the generation of electric power not only aids and increases irrigation directly, but is beneficial in many other ways. First, it renders possible and profitable the construction of reservoirs in the high mountains withholding excessive floods, thus aiding reclamation and also conserving this injurious flow which is later added to the beneficial flow of water available for irrigation. Second, it is the one great source of supply immediately available for lighting, heat and power as a substitute for other fuels, thus limiting the rapid destruction of our forests and also conserving and saving our supplies of coal and other fuels. Third, the use of electricity for pumping renders it possible perma- nently to reclaim and irrigate vast sections of our arid land otherwise impos- sible of reclamation or irrigation. Fourth, its extensive development will cheapen and extend manufacturing and commerce, thus affording an immediate home market for the products of our irrigated farms and also cheaper trans- portation to other markets. RESOLVED, That the necessary right of way and rights for the con- struction of reservoirs, and of uses of the public lands, for the development of electric power, should be aided and encouraged in every reasonable way. And no burdensome charges or discriminations should be exacted or imposed, as a result of which such beneficial developments may be delayed and the investment of capital therein prevented, and the cost increased to the con- 256 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS sumer. Such uses being public uses should be controlled and regulated by the state or nation, as the situation and use may require. CLOSER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE LATIN- AMERICAN REPUBLICS. We strongly endorse the work and propaganda of the International Bu- reau of American Republics in Washington, an official institution supported by the twenty-one American Republics, including the United States, and de- voted to the encouragement of Pan-American commerce, friendship and peace. We congratulate the Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States, on the policy which he has initiated of fostering more intimate rela- tions with our sister American Republics, as outlined in his speech before the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress at Kansas City, in 1906, and recom- mend not only organized effort among the business interests of the country for the legitimate commercial development of this field, but legislation by the National Congress of the United States favorable to the improvement of steamship and mail facilities between the principal ports of the United States and these Latin-American Republics. GOVERNMENT STEAMSHIPS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST. Unless assurances can be given of an improved service between San Fran- cisco, Central American ports and Panama, we recommend and urge the United States Government to establish its own lines between all important Pacific Coast ports, thereby giving us a thorough Government-owned line via Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific seaboards. ^TRANSPORTATION OF PERISHABLE FREIGHT. We recommend to the Congress of the United States the enactment of adequate laws defining the duties of railroad companies with respect to fur- nishing with reasonable promptness cars for the transportation of freight, and especially perishable freight like live stock, fruit and vegetables, and to require prompt transportation of all perishable freight, fixing penalties for disobedience of such law, and empowering the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion to make rules and regulations concerning the same. TARIFF RECIPROCITY. We endorse the principles of reciprocity to the end that tariff schedules shall be made so adjustable that the President of the United States shall be enabled to enter into reciprocal trade agreements with foreign countries which will admit to the widest possible market, consistent with the main- tenance of the industries of this country, the products of our country and its manufactures, and that in the event of the establishment of a minimum sched- ule of duties, the same be made upon a truly reciprocal basis, so as to give opportunity to negotiate commercial agreements. GRAZING ON PUBLIC LANDS. We recommend to the Congress of the United States the enactment of laws which shall reasonably provide for the regulation of the use of the public grazing upon the public lands of the United States, with a view to a just and reasonable apportionment among the users of the public lands so as to stimulate and encourage the improvement of the grazing and providing water and other improvements, subject always to the right of the homesteading and other acquisitions of title to the lands under the land laws of the United States; and that the rental charged for the use of the grazing upon such lands be made as low as the administration of the law will permit, the profits to accrue as nearly as may be to the localities where the land is situated for the public school purposes. PANAMA CANAL. In view of the approaching completion of the Panama Canal every har- hor of the Pacific Coast and of the Gulf of Mexico, which by reasonable ex- penditure can be made practicable for ocean commerce, should be considered of National importance, and adequate appropriations and continuing contracts by the Federal Government for increasing the number and enlarging the capacity of these harbors, are recommended. PACIFIC COAST TBADE. RESOLVED, That the interdependence of the Pacific Coast States necessi- tates united action in efforts to secure Federal legislation favoring the har- monious and successful expansion of Pacific Coast trade, and the natural de- velopment of coast reserves. RESOLVED, That two pressing needs of the Pacific Coast admittedly involving the commercial welfare of the whole country, are the maintenance ^ TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 257 of a large fleet of naval vessels in Pacific waters, and Federal legislation that will stimulate American shipping- and send our flag into every foreign port. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. RESOLVED, That in the United States Geological Survey this Nation has a bureau that has and is gathering absolutely necessary data of in- estimable value, that is required in the study of the best methods to be em- ployed in bringing into the highest degree and usefulness the unlimited natural resources of the United States. Further, the water resources branch of the United States Geological Sur- vey is requested to lend its aid to the development and conservation of our desert water supplies, giving special attention to their accurate location, maintenance and preservation, and to the preparation of maps and reports, and the dissemination of information about them; and the members of our State and National legislatures are urged to make proper provision in their annual appropriation bills for carrying out the work herein outlined. NATIONAL PARKS AND FOREST RESERVES. "We favor the enactment of Federal and State laws which will establish trails in National Parks and Forest Reserves, not only as a means of trans- portation and communication, but as a preventive against forest fires. We favor the enactment of Federal and State laws which will compel persons engaged in timber or lumber operations to so conduct such opera- tions that the rights of others will not be endangered; and we recommend that the United States Forest Service shall formulate such drafts of laws, and the same shall be presented at the next session of Congress. We also suggest to the state foresters of the different states that similar laws should be presented to the legislatures when next in session. INTERSTATE COMMERCE. We urge upon the Congress of the United States that it enact an amend- ment to the Interstate Commerce law, whereby the Interstate Commerce Commission may, at its discretion or upon proper complaint, suspend ad- vances on freight rates or changes of classification before they become effective, pending an investigation as to their reasonableness; and that all rates be submitted to the Commission before becoming effective. PUBLIC DOMAIN. RESOLVED, That the rights of way granted by the Federal Govern- ment for power development on the public domain should be conditional upon continued construction work in good faith and sincerity, with a prompt com- pletion of the works for which the rights are requested. PHILIPPINES. We recommend to the American people a more thorough study of the opportunity of utilizing the vast resources of the Philippine Islands, and that the Federal Government be asked to facilitate, in every possible way, legis- lation for such a revision of the insular public land and tariff laws as will be conducive to the economic prosperity of the Philippines. BUREAU OF MINES. We heartily endorse the movement to create a Bureau of Mines, and we urgently urge upon the Congress of the United States that a law on that subject be enacted at the earliest day possible and that ample appropriations be provided for its maintenance. AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE. The Congress of the United States should, at its next session, provide liberally for the expansion and maintenance of the American merchant marine engaged in foreign trade, because its existing condition is dangerous to both our naval, military and commercial strength, and national progress; that we recommend action be taken at once before greater or insuperable difficulties present themselves; and the delegates here assembled pledge themselves unitedly to urge upon their respective Senators and Representa- tives in Congress such prompt action as will insure the supremacy of Ameri- can shipping, and thus safeguard national defense and commerce. UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH AND MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE. We endorse the work of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, and desire to express to the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, and Surgeon-General Wyman. thanks and appreciation for their efficient services in protecting the health and improving the sanitary conditions of the Trans- Mississippi country. 258 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS ALASKA - YUKON - PACIFIC EXPOSITION. "We earnestly request the transcontinental railroads of America to grant a one-way round trip rate to Seattle during the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Ex- position, in order that the people of the country may have every opportunity to become acquainted with the resources, development and destiny of the great "West. GOOD ROADS. The enormous cost involved in the transportation of farm products and other materials over imperfect roadways warrants the investment of large sums by the National and State governments, to encourage the construction and aid in the maintenance of improved highways, to reduce that cost; and this Congress requests such attention and appropriations by the Congress of the United States, and by the Legislatures of the various Trans-Mississippi states, as will induce the construction, and guarantee the maintenance of permanent thoroughfares; and such legislation as will compel scientific and specialized engineering, economic administration, strict accounting, and faith- ful service in this very important public utility. INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES. RESOLVED, That we approve the work of the International Fisheries Commission, and of the efforts of the National Government to co-operate with the different states in the protection and propagation of fishes in the interstate and boundary waters. INDIAN LANDS. We favor the removal of all restrictions upon the allottees of Indian lands within the limits of Oklahoma, and respectfully request of the Congress of the United States that a law to accomplish this be adopted during the next session. NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA. "We urge that the Congress of the -nited States, at its next session, take the proper preliminary steps providing for the admission into the Federal Union, as separate states, the territories of New Mexico and Arizona. SUBMITTED TO WASHINGTON. In conformity with the by-laws, the above recommendations were cer- tified and forwarded to the President of the United States. Honorable Theodore Roosevelt; the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States, Honorable C. W. Fairbanks, and Honorable Joseph G. Cannon. Speaker of the House; and also to the Senate and House, to whom the recommendations were certified separately, and forwarded to the committees to which they specifically relate. Replies were received as follows: President Roosevelt. The White House, Washington. Oct. 28, 1908. Mr. Arthur F.. Francis, Secretary Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, California. My Dear Sir: The President thanks you cordially for your letter of the 22nd inst. and was delighted to hear what a success the Congress was. Very truly yours, WM. LOEB, JR., Secretary to the President. Vice-President Fairbanks. The Vice- President's Chamber, Washington, Nov. 2, 1908. Mr. Arthur F. Francis, Secretary Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, California. Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 22nd ult. transmitting a copy of recommendations adopted at the nineteenth annual session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, held in San Francisco October 6-10, and to say that the recommendations will be brought to the at- tention of the Senate at its next session. Very respectfully, CHAS. F. FAIRBANKS. Speaker Cannon. Danville. 111.. Oct. 31, 1908. Mr. Arthur F. Francis, Secretary Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, San Francisco, California. Dear Sir: Acknowledging receipt of your favor of the 22nd inst. inclosing a copy of the recommendations adopted at the nineteenth annual session, held in San Francisco Oct. 10, 1908. I beg to state that in compliance with your re- quest the resolutions of the Commercial Congress will, on the assembling of the National Congress be referred to the proper committees for consideration. Verv trulv yours, JOS. G. CANNON. Speaker. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS. PERMANENT MEMBERS, 1908. 1 J. B. Case, President Continental Creamery Company, Abilene, Kansas. 2 R. M. Bressie, President Oklahoma Live Stock Association, Bressie, Oklahoma. 3 Col. Ike T. Pryor. President Southwestern Stock Raisers Association, San Antonio, Texas. 4 R. G. Spaulding, Secretary Commercial Club, Ardmore, Oklahoma. 5 Honorable Geo. A. Swink, President State Bank, Rocky Ford, Colorado. 6 John Henry Smith. Salt Lake City, Utah. 7 George A. Smith, Salt Lake City, Utah. 8 Richard W. Young-, Salt Lake City, Utah. 9 George Romney, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10 S. O. Bennion, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1 1 Col. W. F. Baker, Council Bluffs, Iowa. 12 Levi Baker, Shenandoah, Iowa. 13 H. McCartney, Thurman, Iowa. 14 Honorable James V. Tully, Glencoe, New Mexico. 15 B. Magoffin, Duluth, Minnesota. 16 W. R. Pace, Pace Real Estate & Abstract Company, Laredo, Texas. 17 Honorable Ed. F. Harris, Galveston, Texas. 18 Honorable "Walter F. Frear, Honolulu. Territory of Hawaii. 19 Geo. H. Monroe, Monroe Bros. & Company, Mortgage Brokers, Joliet. Illinois. 20 D. P. Marum, Woodward, Oklahoma. 21 John J. Gerlach, President Bank, Woodward, Oklahoma. 22 Henry T. Clarke, President Upper Missouri River Improvement Associa- tion, Omaha, Nebraska. 23 J. M. Guild, Commissioner Commercial Club, Omaha, Nebraska. 24 Honorable Alva Adams, President Pueblo Savings Bank, Pueblo, Colorado. 25 Tom Richardson, Manager Commercial Club, Portland, Oregon. 26 J. S. Kerr, Secretary Maritime Association, Galveston. Texas. 27 E. L. Whitney, Secretary Herington Commercial Club, Herington, Kansas. 28 T. W. Tomlinson, Secretary American National Live Stock Association, Denver, Colorado. 29 Geo. H. Morgan, Secretary Merchants Exchange, St. Louis. Missouri. 30 H. P. Wood, Secretary Hawaiian Promotion Committee, Honolulu, Terri- tory of Hawaii. 31 W. H. Lape, General Manager Cofferville Furniture Company, C'offey- ville, Kansas. 32 Honorable F. A. Williams, Attorney-at-law, Denver, Colorado. 33 Lawrence M. Jones, President Missouri River Valley Improvement As- sociation, Kansas City, Missouri. 34 Amedee B. Cole, President John Jackson Investment Company, St. Louis, Missouri. 35 Anton H. Classen, President Oklahoma Railway Company, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 36 Herbert Strain, Strain Bros., Great Falls, Montana. 37 Walker Hill, President Mechanics-American National Bank, St. Louis, Missouri. 38 Frank E. Schlater, County Treasurer, Plattsmoutn. Nebraska. 39 Bruce M. Priddy. Secretary Real Estate Exchange, Kansas City, Missouri. 40 H. A. Tukey, Secretary Omaha Real Estate Exchange, Omaha, Nebraska. 41 Col. Geo. M. Perine, San Francisco, California. 42 "Wm. J. Tod, Maple Hill, Kansas. 43 Honorable W. W. Turney, Attorney-at-law, El Paso, Texas. 44 Honorable F. B. Thurber, President Export Association, New York City. 45 Arthur F. Francis, Cripple Creek, Colorado. 46 J. B. Whittier, President, First National Bank. Decatur, Nebraska. 47 "W. L. Wright, Wholesale Grocer, Pomona, California. 4S F. C. Drescher, President Mebius & Drescher Company, Sacramento, California. 49 E. R. Lilienthal, Lilienthal & Company, 19-29 Minna Street, San Fran- cisco, California. 50 F. J. Koster, 678 Monadnock Building, San Francisco. California. 51 D. R. Francis, Francis Bros. & Company, 214 North Fourth Street, St. Louis, Missouri. 52 L. 53 W 54 N. 55 M. 56 57 X. W 260 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS A. Desmond. Secretary Chamber of Commerce, Highland. San Ber- nardino County. California. . L. Steinweg, President First Xational Bank of Yakima, Xorth Yakima, Washing-ton. H. Latimer, Manager Dexter Horton & Company, Bankers, Seattle, Washington. F. Henderson, Vice-President Eastern & Western Dumber Company, Portland. Oregon. G. Larimore, Larimore, Xorth Dakota. William F. Herrin, Chief Counsel, Southern Pacific Company, San Fran- cisco, California. 58 Henry G. W. Dinkelspiel, Dinkelspiel & Schlesinger, San Francisco, California. 59 Richard A. Riepe, Mines & Mining, Ely, Nevada. 60 W. D. Simmons, President Simmons Hardware Company, St. Louis, Missouri. 61 A. L. Stetson, President Stetson-Barret Company. Wholesale Grocers, Los Angeles, California. 62 W. F. R. Mills, Secretary Denver Chamber of Commerce & Board of Trade, Denver, Colorado. 63 Theo. B. Wilcox, President Portland Flouring Mills, Portland, Oregon. 64 X. M. Tabor, Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colorado. 65 S. L. Kline, Wholesale & Retail Clothing, Dry Goods, Etc., Corvallis, Oregon. 66 C. H. Bessent, Cashier First Xational Bank. Norman, Oklahoma. 67 Robert Newton Lynch, Secretary and Treasurer Xorth of Bay Counties Association. Petaluma, California. 68 E. E. Brehm, 301 Oriental Building, Seattle. Washington. 69 Phineas F. Ferguson. 2027 Vallejo Street, San Francisco, California. 70 P. H. W. Ross, Secretary Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce, Ellensburg. Washington. 71 A. B. Poole, Secretary Commercial Club of Topeka, Topeka. Kansas. 7 2 J. T. McChesney, Everett Improvement Company, Everett. Washington. 73 Honorable John W. Xoble. Former Secretary of Interior, President Har- rison's Cabinet, St. Louis, Missouri. 74 J. H. Brady, President American Falls Power Company, Ltd., Pocatello, Idaho. T.", A. M. Conard, President Sonora Copper Company, Xogales, Arizona. 7»; Aaron Gove, Great Western Sugar Association, Denver, Colorado. 77 L. L. Northrup. President Xorthrup Xational Bank. Iola, Kansas. 78 James M. Brinson, City Attorney. Cripple Creek, Colorado. 79 J. W. Creech, President Bank of Herington, Herington, Kansas. 80 Honorable Jas. C. Morrow, Washington, Kansas. 81 C. S. E. Holland, President Interstate Inland Waterway, Victoria. Texas. 82 Col. R. C. Kerens, Salt Lake, Los Angeles & San Pedro Railway Company, 401 Times Building, St. Louis, Missouri. 83 Will. C. Barnes, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Albuquerque, Xew Mexico. 84 W. S. Collins, President Big Horn Investment Company, Basin. Wyoming. 85 B. Rockwell, 708 East Forty-Sevent li Street, Kansas City, Missouri. President First Xational Bank, Junction City. Kansas. 86 Charles A. Stokes, Stokes & Sherman. Lawyers. Denver, Colorado. s7 E. H. Forney, President Belle Springs Creamery Company, Abilene, Kansas. 88 Truman G. Palmer, Secretary American Beet Sugar Association, Wash- ington. District of Columbia. 89 Jesse Knight. Knight Investment Company, Provo, Utah. 90 G. J. Tansey, President and General Manager St. Louis Transfer Company, St. Louis. Missouri. 91 M. B. Augustine, Augustine & Keyer, 815 First Avenue, Seattle, Wash- ington. 92 W. M. l.add. Ladd & Tilton Bank, Portland. Oregon. 93 R. L. Darrow, Manager John Deere Plow Company, Portland, Oregon. 94 Honorable W. \Y. Cotton, Attorn ey-at-Law, Portland. Oregon. 95 Simon Guggenheim, United States Senator, Denver, Colorado. 96 Geo. T. Odell, General .Manager Consolidated Wagon & Machine Company, Salt Lake City. Utah. 97 James F. Callbreath Jr., Secretary American Mining Congress, Denver, Colorado. 98 B. A. Lockwood, The B. A. Lockwood Grain Company, Des Moines. Iowa. 99 Honorable Thomas Burke. Burke Block, Se.-niie. Washington. 100 L. B. Seeley, President and General Manager Columbia River & Puget Sound Xavigation Company, Portland, Oregon. litl Geo. F. Fry. .Manager Cripple Creek Ore Sampling Company, Cripple Creek, Colorado. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 261 102 E ' ?«i?f2i!? mln ' Presiden t California State Mining Association, Oakland, 103 J. M. Wright General Manager The Joe Dandy Mining Company, Cripple 104 Henry T. Oxnard, President American Beet Sugar Company, Oxnard California. * "' w -^" a ' lu > 105 Thomas F. Walsh, Denver, Colorado. 106 Peter Loggie, Standard Investment Company, North Bend, Oregon. ,«o Chas. A. Fellows, General Contractor, Los Angeles, California. 108 Darwin P. Kingsley, President New York Life Insurance Company, New x or it (_-iLj r . AUXILIARY ORGANIZATIONS. The organizations whose officers hold permanent membership cards in the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress are as follows: Oklahoma Live Stock Association. R. M. Bressie, Bressie, Oklahoma Presi- dent. Southwestern Cattle Raisers* Association, San Antonio, Texas Col. Ike T Pryor. President. Ardmore Commercial Club, Ardmore, Oklahoma. R. G. Spaulding, Secretary. Upper Missouri River Improvement Association, Omaha, Nebraska. Henrv T. Clarke, President. Omaha Commercial Club, Omaha, Nebraska. J. M. Guild, Commissioner. Commercial Club, Portland, Oregon. Tom Richardson, Manager. Maritime Association, Galveston, Texas. J. S. Kerr, Secretary. Commercial Club, Herington, Kansas. E. L. Whitney, Secretary. American National Live Stock Association, Denver, Colorado. T. W. Tom- linson, Secretary. Merchants' Exchange, St. Louis, Missouri. Geo. H. Morgan, Secretary. Hawaiian Promotion Committee, Honolulu, T. H. H. P. Wood, Secretary. Missouri River Valley Improvement Association, Kansas City, Missouri. Lawrence M. Jones, President. Omaha Real Estate Exchange, Omaha, Nebraska. H. A. Tukey, Secretary. Real Estate Exchange, Kansas City, Missouri. Bruce M. Priddy, Secretary. United States Export Association, New York City. Hon. F. B. Thurber, President. Chamber of Commerce, Highland, San Bernardino County. L. A. Desmond, Secretary. Clearing House Association, Seattle, Washington. N. H. Latimer, Secretary. Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade, Denver, Colorado. W. F. R. Mills, Secretary. North of Bay Counties Association, Petaluma. Robert Newton Lynch, Sec- retary. Comprising the promotion organizations of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Men- docino and Marin counties, north of the Bay of San Francisco. Chamber of Commerce, Ellensburg, Washington. P. H. W. Ross, Secretary. Commercial Club, Topeka, Kansas. A. B. Poole, Secretary. Everett Improvement Company, Everett, Washington. J. T. McChesney, President. Great Western Sugar Association, Denver, Colorado. Aaron Gove, Sec- retary. Interstate Inland Waterway Association. Victoria, Texas. C. S. E. Holland, President. American Beet Sugar Association, Washington, D. C. Truman G. Palmer, Secretary. American Mining Congress, Denver, Colorado. James F. Callbreath Jr., Secretary. . California State Mining Association. Oakland, Calif. E. H. Benjamin, Sec- retary. American Beet Sugar Association, Oxnard, Calif. Henry T. Oxnard, Pres- ident. Chamber of Commerce, Honolulu. Hon. Walter F. Frear, Governor. Cripple Creek Mine Owners Association. J. M. Wright. General Manager the Joe Dandy Mining Co. Commercial Club, Woodward, Oklahoma. P. Marum, Vice-President. Departments of Government Represented. The following departments of the Government were represented : President of the United States, by Hon. William R. Wheeler, Assistant Secretary. Department of Commerce and Labor, with message from Presi- dent Roosevelt. Conservation of Natural Resources Commission, Hon. Geo. C. Pardee, Oak- land, California. 262 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Association of Governors, Hon. John C. Cutler, Governor of Utah. Reclamation Service, Hon. C. J. Blanchard, Chief Statistician. Department of Commerce and Labor, Hon. Oscar Straus, Secretary. Department of Interior, Hon. James R. Garfield, Secretary. Postoffice Department, Arthur G. Fisk, Postmaster of San Francisco. Department of State, Hon. John Barrett, with special rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to deliver to the Congress the mes- sage from "the twenty Latin-American Republics. International Bureau of the American Republics, Hon. John Barrett, Director-General. Venezuela, Josh H. Devalle. States Represented. Governors of the following states appointed delegates: Arkansas — X. O. Pendoth, Governor. Colorado — H. A. Buchtel, Governor. California — J. N. Gillett, Governor. Iowa — Albert E. Cummins, Governor. Idaho — Frank R. Gooding, Governor. Kansas — E. W. Hoch, Governor. Louisiana — M. J. Sanders, Governor. Montana — John A. Rodgers, Governor. Missouri — Jos. M. Folk, Governor. Minnesota — John A. Johnson, Governor. North Dakota — John Burke, Governor. Nebraska — Geo. S. Sheldon, Governor. Nevada — D. L. Dickenson, Governor. Oklahoma — Chas. N. Haskell, Governor. Oregon — Geo. A. Chamberlain, Governor. Texas — T. M. Campbell, Governor. Utah — Jno. C. Cutler, Governor. Washington — A. E. Mead, Governor. Wyoming — Bryant B. Brooks, Governor. Territories Represented. Governors of the following territories appointed delegates: New Mexico — Geo. Curry, Governor. Arizona — Jos. E. Kibbey, Governor. Hawaii — Walter F. Frear, Governor. Alaska — V. B. Hoggatt, Governor. Philippines — James F. Smith, Governor. Cities Represented. Mayors of the following cities appointed delegates: Arkansas — Texarkana, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Fayette. California — Sacramento, Korbel, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Eureka, Stockton, Oakland, Pomona, Vacaville, Fresno, Sonoma, Willows, Grass Valley, Woodland, Pacific Grove, San Diego, Placerville, Santa Rosa, Marysville, Visalia, Porterville, Lindsay, Exeter, Dinuba, Tulare, Riverside, Santa Ana, Petaluma, Ripon, Mantaca, Ukiah, Modesto, Red Bluff, Yuba City, Woodland, Alturas, Orland, Watsonville, Holtville, Slating-ton, Colusa, Santa Maria, Win- ters, Oxnard, Berkeley, Alameda, Los Minos, Santa Cruz, Chico, Oroville, Williams, Selma, San Mateo, San Pedro, San Jose, Fortuna, Napa, Merced, San Leandro, Santa Clara, San Rafael. Colorado, Leadville, Canon City, Denver. Cripple Creek, Pueblo. Fort Coir lins, Fort Morgan, Ouray, Lamar, Loveland, Berthoud, Colorado Springs, Sterling, Manzanola, Grass Junction, Trinidad, Fowler, Rocky Ford, La Junta, Las Animas. Hawaii — Honolulu, Hilo. Iowa — Shenandoah, Sioux City, Thurman, Council Bluffs, Northwood, New Hampton, Fonda, Cresco, Osage, Humboldt, Norwood, Ackley, Swea City, Bancroft, Eldora, Marathon, Iowa City. Idaho — Nampa, Moscow, Paris, Gooding, Idaho Falls. Kansas — Kansas City, Topeka, Hill City, lola. Osage City. Lawrence, Manhattan, Holton, Wichita, Salina, Atchison, McPherson, Wellington, Cof- feyville, Fort Scott, Great Bend, Peabody, Emporia, Washington, Hutchinson. Louisiana — New Orleans, Napoleonville, Franklin, Donaldsville, Morgan City, New Iberia, Crowley, Nouma, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Gueydan. Montana- Missoula, Miles City, Melrose, Glasgow, Elaina, Townsend, Helena, Anaconda, Forsyth, Lewiston, Kalispell, Bozeman, Wisdom, Dillon, TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 263 Twin Bridges. Moore. Harlowton, Thompson Falls, Virginia Citv Rntte Hamilton, Libbey, Boulder, White Hall. S wty ' autte - Missouri — Nevada, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Gower, Festus Macon Palmyra, Neosho, Sedalia, Dearborn, St. Louis, Independence, Joplin' Minnesota— Alexandria. Rochester, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Little Falls Duluth, Red Wing-, Eveleth, Wheaton. ' North Dakota— Fargo, Grand Forks. Drayton, Devils Lake, Lakota, Doyon, Lanmore, Washburn, Mandan, Bismarck, Glen Ullin, Williston Under- wood, Emmett, Wilton, Valley City. New Mexico— Santa Fe. Silver City, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Clavton, Hanover, Gallup. Clovis, San Antonio, Rosewell, Las Cruces, White Oaks Alamogordo, Bernalillo. Nebraska — Omaha, Lincoln, Beaver Crossing, Beatrice, Central City Seward, Fremont, Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings, Van (Miller Countyh Newport, Wahoo. Nevada — Carson City, Ely, Elko, Tonopah, Menden, Fallon, Winnemucca, Goldfleld. Oklahoma — McAlester, Keota, El Reno, Ardmore, Muskogee, Tulsa Pauls Valley, Fort Gilson. Oregon — Eugene, Burns, Baker City, Davton. Monroe. Princeville Union Hood River, Roseburg, Coquille, Des Chutes, Toledo, Echo. Wasco, Sumpter, Tillamook, Pendleton, Marshfleld, Portland, Klamath Falls. North Bend Junction City, Aberdeen, Wagner, Deadwood. Texas — Austin, Barstow, Victoria, San Antonio. Dallas, EJ Paso, Galves- ton. Fort Worth, Abilene. Texarkana, Port Lavaca, Corpus Christi. Rock- port, Yoakum, Seguin, Brownsville, Tyler, Sherman, Cuero, Temple, Houston. Utah — Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, Kaysville, Lehi. Washington — North Yakima, Seattle, Ellensburg, Everett, Love, Tacoma. Bellingham, Townsend, Vancouver. Wyoming — Laramie, Basin, Cody, Rawlins, Douglas, Glen Rock, Lander, Cheyenne, Sheridan, Rock Springs, Green River, Kemmerer, Uva. Organizations Represented. The following commercial organizations appointed delegates: Tulare County Board of Trade, Arthur E. Miot, Manager, Visalia, Calif. Visalia Board of Trade, Visalia, Calif. Marysville Chamber of Commerce, W. H. Parks Jr., Secretarv, Marvsville Calif. Chamber of Commerce. James H. Gray, President, Santa Rosa, Calif. Chamber of Commerce, T. R. Finley, President, Santa Maria, Calif. Commercial Club, N. J. Ludi, Secretary, Wahoo, Nebraska. Central West Texas Association of Commercial Clubs, L. M. Burie, Presi- dent. Stanford. Texas. Commercial Club, J. S. Hart, President, Aberdeen, Wash. Board of Trade, C. H. Mclsaac, Secretary, J. P. Twist, President, Santa Cruz, Calif. Commercial Club, Thomas M. Williams, President, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Commercial Club, D. L. Burnside, Secretary, Poplar Bluff, Mo. Commercial Club, J. F. Price, Secretary, Keota, Oklahoma. Commercial Club, Geo. E. Boos, Secretary, Seattle. Washington. Commercial Club, E. H. Forney, President, Abilene, Kansas. Commercial Club, W. A. Sandford. President, Joplin, Mo. Chamber of Commerce, C. F. Swiggett, Portland, Oregon. Chamber of Commerce, G. B. Ocheltree. President. Berkeley, Calif. Business League, H. L. Gueydan. President, Gueydan, La. Chamber of Commerce, R. S. Kitrick, President, Oroville, Calif. Chamber of Commerce, Wm. Hammond Jr., President, Alameda, Calif. Commercial Club. Chas. A. Beno. President, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Chamber of Commerce, W. P. Chaney, President, Holtville, Calif. Chamber of Commerce, Colusa County, I. N. Whitney, Secretary, Colusa, Calif. Chamber of Commerce, Watsonville and Pajaro Co., Edward A. Hall. Pres., Watsonville, Calif. Commercial , Club, L. H. Pierson. Secretary. Grays Harbor. "Washington. Chamber of "Commerce, Jno. M. Perry, Pres.. Stockton, California. Board of Trade, J. H. Coleman, Pres., San Mateo. California. Commercial Club, Fred C. Piel, Pres., Junction City. Oregon. Chamber of Commerce, Tehama Co., A. L. Conard, Pres., Red Bluff. Calif. Chamber of Commerce, Fresno Co.. M. F. Tarpey, Pres., Fresno, California. Chamber of Commerce, Jno. H. McGraw, Pres., Seattle. Washington. Board of Trade, H. B. Schneider, Pres., New Orleans, La. Chamber of Commerce, Jno. T. Gaffey, Pres., San Pedro. California. Merchants' Exchange, R. N. Gard, President, Oakland, California. 264 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Board of Trade, H. P. Monroe, Secy.. Fortuna, California. Chamber of Commerce, D. A. Dunlap. President, Napa, California. Business Club. N. E. Franklin, Deadwood, South Dakota. Chamber of Commerce, J. W. Knox, President, Merced, California. Board of Trade, J. N. Frank, Secy., San Leandro, California. Commercial Club, Lee Cruce, President, Ardmore, Oklahoma. Board of Trade, F. S. Townsend, Pres., Portland. Oregon. Commercial League, Francis Hope. Secy.. Santa Clara, California. Chamber of Commerce, Humboldt Co., E. E. Skinner, Pres., Eureka, Calif. Chamber of Commerce, James F. Morgan. Pres.. Honolulu, T. H. Chamber of Commerce, South San Joaquin, Louis S. Wetmore, Pres., Stock- ton. California. Board of Trade. G. B. Moore, Pres., Lindsay. California. Chamber of Commerce. Alden Anderson, Pres., Sacramento. California. Commercial Club, H. B. Topping, Pres., Kansas City, Missouri. Commercial Club, C. W. Boon, Pres., Tyler, Texas. Chamber of Commerce, Frank Wiggins, Secy., Los Angeles, California. Mercantile Club, Dr. Geo. M. Gray, Pres., Kansas City, Kansas. Board of Trade, Pajaro Valley, Geo. W. Gretteo, Sec'y.. Watsonville, Calif. Merchants' Association, W. Trinkler, Pres., San Jose, California. Chamber of Commerce, T. J. Fisher, Pres.. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Board of Trade, G. C. Thaxter, Secy., F. P. Meserve, Pres., Redlands, California. Merchants' Association, Andrew M. Davis, President, San Francisco. California State Board of Trade, Arthur R. Briggs, Pres., San Francisco, California. Chamber of Commerce, Chas. C. Moore, President, San Francisco, Calif. Colorado State Commercial Association, Geo. E. Skinner, Pres., Denver. Colorado. Commercial Club, E. W. Langdon, Pres.. Albany, Ore. Chamber of Commerce. Everett G. Griggs, Pres., Tacoma, Washington. Chamber of Commerce, Porterville, California. Chamber of Commerce. San Diego, California. Chamber of Commerce, Nome. Alaska. Chamber of Commerce, John Gibson, Pres., Manila, Philippine Islands. Chamber of Commerce. W. S. Day, Pres.. Santa Barbara. California. Commercial Club, H. O. McClure, Pres., Tulsa, Oklahoma. Board of Trade, Stanislaus Co., Modesto, California. Commercial Club, Clifford L. Jackson, Pres.. Muskogee. Oklahoma. Chamber of Commerce. Robert Newton Lynch. Pres., Petaluma, California. Commercial Club, Alex. J. McComb, Pres., Reno, Nevada. The following miscellaneous organizations appointed delegates: California Inland Waterways Committee, A. R. Sprague. Secy., Sacra- mento. California. Manufacturers' and Producers' Association of California, Andrea Sbarboro, Pres., San Francisco, California. American Mining Congress, Jas. F. Callbreath Jr.. Denver, Colorado. American Beet Sugar Association, H. T. Oxnard, Pres., Chicago, 111. Shipowners' Association of the Pacific Coast. Capt. W. H. Marston, Pres.. San Francisco, California. Lumber Dealers' Association, of Colorado and Wyoming, O. O. Russell Greelev, Pres., Colorado Springs, Colorado. Maritime Association, B. Adon, Pres.. Galveston, Texas. Progressive League. F. B. Landers, Pres., Victoria, Texas. Southwest Cattle Raisers' Association. Ike T. Pryor. Fort Worth. Texas. Pine Manufacturers' Association, R. Kendrick, Pres., San Francisco. Calif. Canners' League of California, L. F. Graham. Pres., San Francisco, Calif. Commercial Travelers' Association, of the Pacific Coast. E. N. Clintsman, Scev.. San Francisco, California. Interstate Inland Waterways (Texas). C. S. E. Holland. Pres.. Victoria. Texas. California Traffic Association, G. J. Bradley, Pres.. San Francisco. Calif. Commercial Travelers' Association (Golden Gate Association), George Borchardt. Pres., San Francisco. California. Travelers' Protective Association, H. R. Basford. Pres.. San Francisco. ( California. Manufacturers' and Merchants' Association, W. T. Bland. Pres., Kansas City, Missouri. Oregon and Washington Manufacturers' Association, Phillip Buehner, Pres., Portland. Oregon. San Francisco Clearing House Association, Homer S. King, Pres., San Francisco, California. California Miners' Association, W. C. Ralston. Pres., San Francisco. Calif. American National Live Stock Association. H. A. Jastro, Bakersfield, California. Pres., Denver, Colorado. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 265 San Francisco Commercial Travelers, Otto C. Sievers, Pres., San Fran- cisco, California. "Water and Forest Association Arthur R. Briggs. Pres., San Francisco, Calif. Pacific Coast Lumber Manufacturers' Association, E. G. Griggs, Pres., Tacoma, Wash. Commercial Travelers' Congress, O. S. Henderson, Pres.. Stockton, Calif. Dried Fruit Association of California, A. E. Castle, Pres., San Francisco. California. Clearing House Association of Kansas City. Kansas City. Missouri. Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterway Association, Wm. K. Kavanaugh, Pres., St. Louis, Missouri. Federation of Tree Growing Clubs, Monterey, California. Commercial Travelers' Congress, O. S. Henderson, Pres., San Francisco, California. Improvement Club, Alameda, California. Sacramento Valley Development Association, M. Diggs, Pres., Sacramento, California. California Retail Grocers' Association, Geo. B. Doyle, Pres., San Francisco, California. Sierra Club, John Muir. Pres., San Francisco, California. Boulder Creek Improvement Association, M. E. Hollanbeck, Secy., Boulder Creek, California. Real Estate Exchange. W. M. Gardner. Secy., Santa Cruz, California. California Good Roads Association, Chas. D. Daggett, Pres., Pasadena, California. Siuslaw Improvement Club, O. W. Hurd, Pres., Florence, Oregon. North of Bay Counties Association, R. Newton Lynch, Secy., Petaluma, California. Napa County Grape Growers' Association, B. Bruck, St. Helena, California. DELEGATES APPOINTED ARKANSAS. G. A. Hayes, Texarkana. Geo. J. Gray. Texarkana. F. M. Thompson, Texarkana. Hon. W. T. F. Donald, Phoenix. Hon. John J. Boyee, Juneau. Volney V. Hoggett, Juneau. Hon. Nathan B. Williams, Fayetteville. Dr. J. L. Butte, Sheridan. Maj. C. R. Breckenridge, Fort Smith. A1UZOXA. ALASKA. W. H. Metson. Nome. J. H. Tarn, Nome. CALIFORNIA. Alden Anderson, Sacramento. F. B. Adams, San Francisco. Judge Jno. R. Aitkens, San Francisco. A. H. Ashlev, Stockton. W. L. Ash, Oakland. Charles B. Andross, Marysville. Edson F. Adams, Oakland. Lewis E. Aubury, San Francisco. Thomas E. Aitkenson, San Francisco L. F. Breunner, Sacramento. Morris Black, San Francisco. A. D. Bowen, San Francisco. S. L. Bright. San Francisco. Wakefield Baker, San Francisco. E. S. Blasdel, San Francisco. TV. D. Buckley. Stockton. R. H. Beamer, Woodland. Col. E. B. Bullock, Alameda. Frank L. Brown, San Francisco. W. A. Beard, Sacramento. R. I. Bentley, San Francisco. G. J. Bradley, San Francisco. E. R. Braden, San Francisco. E. H. Benjamin, Oakland. Frank A. Brush, Santa Rosa. Cline Bull, Marysville. Arthur R. Briggs. San Francisco. L. C. Blochman. Santa Maria. B. J. Bither, Berkeley. R. M. Briare. Oakland. E. A. Bushell. Oakland. A. E. Boynton, Oroville. Eben Boalt, Oroville. R. M. Butler, Napa. A. Baccilieri, Monte Ca. F. W. Braun, Los Angeles. Fulton G. Berry, Fresno. Joseph F. Brooks, San Jose. George W. Burton, Los Angeles. • wprptt N. Bee, San Francisco. Gustave Breuner, San Francisco. Charles Bundschu. San Francisco. S. F. Booth, San Francisco. A. A. Baxter, San Francisco. E. P. Brinegar, San Francisco. H. H. Beeker. San Francisco. Leonard Billings, San Francisco. Edward Berwick. Pacific Grove. P. J. Beveridge. Hollywood. W. A. Curtis, Sacramento. C. E. Clinch, Grass Valley. C. H. Crocker, San Francisco. John P. Christensen, San Francisco. Prof. S. B. Christy. Berkeley. Thomas Clark, Placerville. C. W. Cross, San Francisco. C. J. Carley, Lindsay. R. F. Cross. Visalia. Joseph Craig, Woodland. Mrs. M. Lvnde Craig, Redlands. Col. L. P. Crane, Oakland. J. H. Clav, Oakland. A. F. Connett, Oakland. N. B. Crane, Oroville. F. L. Coombs, Napa. C. P. Conklin. Napa. W. H. Cameron, Napa. Robert Corlett. Napa. R. H. Collins, San Leandro. George Crosby, San Leandro. M. Nace Clark, Santa Clara. Fletcher L. Cutler, Eureka. Joshua Cowell, Monte Ca. D, W. Carmichael. Sacramento. Charles Cunningham, Sacramento. Judge N. P. Chipman, San Francisco. J. S. Cannon, San Francisco. H. E. Cheesebrough, San Francisco. Henry J. Crocker, San Francisco. A E. Castle, San Francisco. James P. Currier, San Francisco. Geo. B. Conant, San Francisco. Geo. W. Cooley, San Bernardino. T. H. Cutler, Eureka. S. B. Case, Petaluma. F. B. Connally, San Francisco. B. F. McCullough. Crows Landing. Scott F. Ennos, Sacramento. .1. M. Eddy, Stockton. Edward Everett, San Francisco. Miguel Estudillo, Riverside. J. F. Ellison, Red Bluff. Chas. B. Ellis, Sacramento. Milton H. Esberg, San Francisco. Phineas F. Ferguson, San Francisco. G. W. Fenwick, Samoa. Edward A. Forbes, Marysville. J. W. Fewel. Visalia. Frank Freeman, Willows. F. R. Finley, Santa Maria. F. W. Foss, Berkelev. H. F. Fletcher, Watsonville. Bernard Faymonville, San Francisco. J. A. Folger, San Francisco. Chas. S. Fee, San Francisco. T. C. Friedlander. San Francisco. Edwin Fernald, San Francisco. Frank Gould, San Francisco. Wellington Gregg, San Francisco. Wm. L. Gerstle. San Francisco. Hon. James H. Gray. San Francisco. Harry A. Green. Monterey. M. A. Gates. Berkeley. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 267 "Walter G. Mathewson, San Jose. George W. McNear Jr., San Francisco. E. W. Martin, San Francisco. Chas. C. Moore, San Francisco. W. M. Moore, San Francisco. Walter McArthur, San Francisco. A. E. Manning-, San Francisco. F. A. McGunney, San Francisco. D. B. Nichols, Dinuba. John G. North, Riverside. L. J. Norton, Napa. S. H. Olmstead, San Rafael. A. R. Orr, "visalia. Henry T. Oxnard, Oxnard. S. Odenheimer, New Orleans. G- B. Ocheltree, Berkeley. Frank Otis, Alameda. Dr. E. S. O'Brien, Merced. John P. Overton, Santa Rosa. G. W. Pierce, Sacramento. H. C. Phillips, Los Angeles. Col. Geo. M. Perrine, San Francisco. J. P. Pryor, Pacific Grove. Hon. Geo. C. Perkins, U. S. S. W. Frank Pierce, San Francisco. Geo. W. Peltier, Sacramento. L. H. Pierson, Sacramento. H. W. Postlewaite, Sacramento. Warren Porter, Watsonville. Jesse Poundstone, Colusa. D. A. Proctor, Oakland. Dr. Geo. C. Pardee, Oakland. S. N. Feldheim, Oroville. Basil Pryor, Lindsay. W. R. Porter, Watsonville. L. H. Pierson, San Francisco. C. B. Piatt, San Francisco. B. Lewis Phillips, San Francisco. S. L. Perry, Santa Barbara. W. A. Quigg, Los Angeles. L. H. Quatman, San Francisco. H. L. Ricks, Eureka. A. C. Rulofson, San Francisco. Henry Rosenthal, Alameda. P. C. Rossi, San Francisco. T. A. Richmond, San Francisco. T. A. Rickard, San Francisco. P. W. Rochester, Berkeley. R. A. Russell, Alameda. H. R. Robinson, Santa Cruz. E. S. Rake, San Rafael. Chester H. Rowell, Fresno. Frank Romain, Fresno. M. H. Robins Jr., San Francisco. James Rolph Jr., San Francisco. Ed Rodden, Oakdale. G. F. Roberts, Napa. William Shaw, Sacramento. A. B. Spreckels, San Francisco. Andrea Sbarboro, San Francisco. Gen. Geo. Stone, San Francisco. James Syson, San Francisco. A. L. Scott, San Francisco. Isouis Schwabacher, San Francisco. Frank H. Short, Fresno. Julian Sontag, San Francisco. Sam F. Smith, San Diego. F. J. Solinsky, San Francisco. AV. R. Spaulding, Visalia. W. E. Sprott, Porterville. H. R. Stephens, Exeter. S. J. Scott, Visalia. Martin Stillivan, Marysville. A R. Sprague, Sacramento. H. P. Stabler, Yuba City. James M. Spencer, Orland. Sam Skelley, Alameda. Otto D. Stoesser, Watsonville. L. G. Sinard, Los Minos. P. Stoll, Red Bluff. A. H. Schlueter, Oakland. T. W. Smyth, Oakland. E. C. Sessions, Oakland. Edwin Stearns, Oakland. J. S. Swan, Merced. P. G. Sheey, Watsonville. George H. Stewart, Los Angeles. Harvey W. Swift, Fresno. J. L. Stoll, San Jose. P. J. Shields, Sacramento. A. W. Scott Jr., San Francisco. Frank J. Symmes, San Francisco. Robert H. Swayne, San Francisco. Miles Standish, San Francisco. Craigie Sharp, San Francisco. Paul Shoup, San Francisco. George Uhl, San Francisco. G. C. Van Nest, Los Angeles. F. W. Van Sicklen, Alameda. W. L. Wright, Pomona. Walter D. Wagner, San Francisco. Frank A. West, Stockton. C. D. Willard, Los Angeles. John D. Wilson, San Francisco. Leroy A. Wright. San Francisco. Charles M. Woods, San Francisco. B. F. Walton, Yuba City. Lawrence Wilson, Winters. C. F. Wieland, Berkeley. W. C. Woolsey, Berkeley. B. L. Wilhite, Holtville. Wilbur Walker, Oakland. H. G. Williams, Oakland. F. J. White, Oakland. A. Wise, Oroville. Charles Wier, Los Angeles. H. S. Gans, Red Bluff. John E. Gardner, Watsonville. Gov. J. J. Gosper, Los Angeles. W. J. Gray, San Francisco. D. J. Guggenhime, San Francisco. Gerald R. Gumley, San Francisco. Dr. W. Gross, Eureka. J. R. Goldsmith, San Francisco. Irvin D. Gibson, San Francisco. James W. Grant, San Francisco. H. A. Green, Monterey. Thomas B. Hall, San Francisco. Chas. S. Hendry, San Francisco. J. Downey Harvey, San Francisco. W. Haas, San Francisco. William F. Herrin, San Francisco. C. A. Hooper, San Francisco. Abe Haas, San Francisco. M. B. Harris, Fresno. H. Hochheimer, Willows. Wm. Hammond Jr., Alameda. H. Hauch, Alameda. E. P. Heald, San Francisco. A. J. Hechtman, San Francisco. Louis A. Hicks, San Francisco. John Hyde, Visalia. W. A. Hackley, Berkeley. N. C. Hawks, Alameda. W. P. Hammond, Oroville. Rev. Francis Hope, Santa Clara. Geo. Henderson, Eureka. P. P. Howard, San Rafael. Hon. E. A. Hayes, M. C, San Jose. W. E. Howard, Los Angeles. J. B. Hollohan, Watsonville. A. L. Hobbs, Fresno. 268 REPORT OP PROCEEDINGS Geo. Howes, San Jose. Guy P. Hull, Redwood. Rev. E. J. Harper, Los Angeles. Dr. C. W. Hibbard, Los Angeles. P. J. Harney, Sacramento. Col. F'liilo Hersey, San Jose. Capt. I. N. Hibberd, San Francisco. Matl Harris, San Francisco. \V. A. Hewitt, San Francisco. AV. H. Hankin. San Francisco. Alexander Mackey, Alameda. B. Hirsehberg. San Francisco. John P. Irish Jr., Oakland. Col. John P. Irish, San Francisco. W. D. Irving. Auburn. H. W. Jackson. Korbel. Capt. Jacob Jensen, San Francisco. Isidor Jacobs, San Francisco. J. Sub Johnson, Visalia. C. C. Juster, Berkeley. H. R. Judah, Santa Cruz. James H. Jones, Chico. A. N. Judd, Watsonville. James M. Mannon, Ukiah. Frank W. Johnson, San Francisco. E. E. Jacobi. San Francisco. Fred J. Koster, San Francisco. Col. W. I... Killingsworth, Vacaville. H. C. Kellogg. Santa Ana. G. J. King. Red Bluff. A. F. Killiam. Santa Clara. Hon. Julius Kahn, M. C, San Francisco. Mathews Koshaland, San Francisco. John W. King, San Francisco. D. A. Linaley, Sacramento. K. Newton Lynch, Petaluma. E. R. Lilienthal, San Francisco. Frank Leppo, Santa Rosa. O. F. Leppo, Santa Rosa. J. B. Lippincott, Los Angeles. B. F. Lynip. Alturas. M. J. Laymance. Oakland. W. E. Landram. Merced. Prof. Edgar L. Larkin, Los Angeles. H. W. Lake, San Jose. Col. H. D. Loveland, San Francisco. \V. B. Lardner, Auburn. G. R. Lumley, Porterville. P. I. Lancast.-r. Willitts. Cosmo Morgan, Los Angeles. Col. F. W. Marstom, San Francisco. A. F. Morrison, San Francisco. James McNab, San Francisco. Julian Manheim, San Diego. D. W. McKenzie. San Diego. M. Hall McAllister, San Francisco. Capt. W. H. Marston. San Francisco. Frank W. Marvin. San Francisco. William McCracken. San Francisco. J. K. Moffitt, San Francisco. J. S. Moulton, Ripon. P. J. S. Montgomery, Tulare. A. E. Miot, Visalia. Ben M. Maddox, Visalia. W. F. Morrisey, Orland. S. Mitchell, Visalia. H. P. Myer, Holtville. Greene Majors, Oakland. Geo. A. Montell, Santa Cruz. Duncan McPherson. Santa Cruz. F. L. Moore. Merced. J. S. Montgomery. Merced. P. W. Mathews, Eureka. J. J. Morrey. Watsonville. Dwight H. Miller, Sacramento. Chas. J. Moore, San Jose. W. D. Aulhite, Ukiah. H. H. Welch. Fresno. Andrew D. W T alsh, Redwood. C. M. Wooster. San Francisco. Geo. X. Wendling, San Francisco. E. K. Wood. San Francisco. A. A. Watkins, San Francisco. L. J. Wheeler, St. Helena. A. J. Wallace, Los Angeles. Chas. G. Yale, San Francisco. E. A. Young, Oakland. P. H. Yeckley, San Francisco. Isidor Zellerbach. San Francisco. D. E. Skinner, San Francisco. F. A. Somers, San Francisco. Jacob Stearn. San Francisco. L. W. Storror, San Francisco. I. W. Smith, San Francisco. Horatio J. Stoll, San Francisco. R. E. Starr, San Francisco. J. M. Sullivan. San Francisco. Jas. A. Stulz, San Francisco. Lyman B. Byce. Petaluma. F. K. Beard, Modesto. J. B. Broughton, Modesto. COLORADO, Hon. Jesse F. McDonald, Leadville. James II. Peabody, Canon City. I. X. Stevens, Denver. Wm. H. Dickson, Denver. J. F. Chamberlain, Denver. Meyer Freldman, Denver. Robt. 11. Speer, Denver. Crawford 1 1 ii I. I >enver. Frank O. Goudy, Denver. Hon. Thomas P. Walsh, Denver. Aa n>n i Jove. I »en ver. James F. Callbreath, Denver. Arthur F. Francis, ("ripple Creek. Charles S. Thomas. Denver. Alva Adams. Pueblo. John F. Sha trot h, I >en ver. Geo. F. Frv. Cripple ('reek. J. M. Wright, Cripple Creek. I >. ( '. Beaman, I >enver. F. A. Williams, I >en ver. Hugh O'Neil, Denver. Robt. Gauss, Denver. T. C. Hendry. Denver. N. M. Tabor, Denver. Chas. A. Stokes. Denver. A. Blackmer, Fort Collins. Homer Hay ward. Fort Morgan. .1 iu>. F. Rice, Ouray. Clinton Briggs, Canon City. L. W. Markham. Lamar. A. A. Moody, Fort Collins. August L. Rohling, Fort Collins. " Frank Loveland, Loveland. Wm. Krouskop. Loveland. John Bunyan, Berthoud. Arthur I'". Brown, Berthoud. W. H. McCormack, Berthoud. Guy U. Hardy, Canon City. 10. ( '. I lowe, 1 >enver. Dall DeWeese, Canon City. James \\. Grant, Denver. <;. W. Ballentine, Denver. Henry Russell Wray, Colorado Springs. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 269 Thomas J. Fisher, Colorado Springs. C. B. Goddard, Sterling. J. N. Beaty, Manzanola. D. W. Aupperle, Grand Junction. I. N. Bunnting, Grand Junction. G. E. Hosmer, Fort Morgan. W. M. Jamieson, Trinidad. Thomas J. Stanley, Manzanola. John Reiley, Fowler. James A. Lockhart, Rocky Ford. O. B. Wilcox, Colorado Springs. W. H. Freeman, Denver. Albert B. Sanford, Denver. James F. Callbreath Jr., Denver. Mrs. Chas. H. Townsend, Denver. Chas. N. Miller, Denver. H. O. Temple, Denver. John E. Phillips, Denver. H. Bvrd, Northrup. M. C. Larkin, Denver. Henry Maxwell, Rocky Ford. James McNeen, La Junta. George Barr, La Junta. George Kilgore, La Junta. M. H. Murray, Los Animas. P. G. Scott, Los Animas. Jno. J. Cooper, Los Animas. W. C. Gould, Lamar. Mortin Strain, Lamar. H C. Van Diest, Colorado Springs. A. B. Williams, Colorado Springs. Sherwood Aldrich, Colorado Springs. F. F. Wulff, Colorado Springs. Charles Eye, Colorado Springs. W. W. Williamson, Colorado Springs. F. L. Rouse. Colorado Springs. J. R. McKinnie, Colorado Springs. R. M. McMillam, Colorado Springs. Hon. Irving Howbert, Colorado Springs. R. P. Davie, Colorado Springs. A. G. Eppler, Colorado Springs. J. H. Murphy, Colorado Springs. Geo. Elstun. 'Colorado Springs. Edgar J. Ullrich, Colorado Springs. Sherwood Aldrich, Colorado Springs. Chas. O'Connor, Cripple Creek. Harry Hospitalier, Cripple Creek. L. A. Eddy, Cripple Creek. C. H. Polland, Manitou. Samuel F. Dutton, Denver. Wm. H. Griffith. Denver. Alfred Kearns, Denver. E. L. Sholtz, Denver. W. F. R. Mills. Denver. Hiram E. Hilts. Denver. Fred J. Chamberlain. Denver. J. W. Shackelford, Denver. Miss Cora M. Peabody, Canon City. Herbert George, Denver. Mrs. Sam Dutton, Denver. W. L. Dickson, Denver. John McDonough, Denver. C F. Freland, Denver. Geo. M. "Van Law, Denver. James P. Morgan, Honolulu. V. L. Tenney, Honolulu. F. W. Smith, Honolulu. Mark Green, Honolulu. J. F. Morgan, Honolulu. L. E. Pinkham, Honolulu. C. J. Hutchins, Honolulu. E. H. Dewey, Nampa, F. A. David, Moscow. Walter Hoge, Paris. Fred W. Jordan, Gooding. Levi Baker, Shenandoah. Robert Hunter, Sioux City. H. McCartney, Thurman. W. F. Baker, Council Bluffs. W. D. Lamb, Northwood. W. G. Schaffer, New Hampton. A. S. Woods, Fonda. Hon. S. A. Conerse, Cresco. Ed Evans, Osage. G. L. Tremain, Humboldt. H. D. Close, Norwood. Sherman Rath, Ackley. Arthur Whea, Swea City. C. J. Lenander, Bancroft. Hon P. T. Goebel, Kansas City. Charles F. Gleed, Topeka. Arthur Capper, Topeka. David Hanna, Hill City. J. W. Creech, Hill City. L. L. Northrup, Iola. H. B. Miller, Osage City. George Barker, Lawrence. J. L. Brady, Lawrence. HAWAII. J. F. Humburg. Honolulu. Geo. M. Rolph Jr., Honolulu. J. M. O'Brien, Honolulu. E. B. McClanahan, Honolulu. O. G. Traphagen, Honolulu. F. Lynch, Honolulu. IDAHO. Ralph Edmunds, Idaho Falls. J. T. Torney, Moscow. S. J. Sharp, Boise. IOWA. Ed Lundy, Eldora. • E. B. Wells, Marathan. V. E. Bute, Shenandoah. Hon. Geo. E. MacLean, Iowa City. C. F. Lovelace, Iowa City. S W. Mercer. Iowa City. James L. Kennedy, Sioux City. Geo. Call, Sioux City. Hon T. J. Brooks, Council Blufts. Alex Wood, Council Bluffs. Col. W. F. Baker, Council Bluffs. Victor E. Bender, Council Bluffs. J. F. Wilcox, Council Bluffs. KANSAS. R. L. Brock, Manhattan. C. M. Harger, Abilene. Albert Sarbauch, Holton. Henry Allen, Wichita. H. D. Lee, Salina. John Seaton, Atchison. L. A. Bigger, Atchison. H E. Burkholder, McPherson. 270 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Z. G. Hopkins. Wellington. A. C. Jobes, Wichita. Prank Crowell, Atchison. Dr. T. C. Frazier, Coffeyville. Hon. Grant Honaday, Fort Scott. Hon. Russell J. Harrison, Selden. E. R. Moses, Great Bend. I Inn. E. F. Davison, Peabody. Mel Wilhite, Emporia. lion. C. H. Morrow, Washington. Hon. Fred H. Quincy, Salina. E. L. Meyer. Hutchinson. W. V. Morgan, Hutchinson. J. W. Brown, Hutchinson. R. M. White, Abilene. F. B. Glimpse, Abilene. B. F. Landis, Abilene. John Dudley, Kansas City. Al Adams, Cedervale. M, C. Campbell. Wichita. Hon. C. L. Davidson, Wichita. W. H. Mitchell, Belolt. LOUISIANA. S. Locke Breaux, New Orleans. Warren B. Reed. C. E. New Orleans. E. P. Munson, Napoleonville. Walter Y. Kemper, Franklin. R. W. Sims, Donaldsonville. I-:. A. Pharr. Morgan City. Walter J. Burke, New Iberia. C. C. Duson, Crowley. Dr. L. H. Jastromski. R. Krause, Lake Charles. B. M. Bryan, Alexandria. A. \'. Xeilson, Alexandria. A. Bauer, Alexandria. J. D. Bonin, Gueydan. C. If. Ellis. New Orleans. Jules C. Koenig, New Orleans. W. P. Luck, New Orleans. M. J. Sanders, New Orleans. R. R. H. Tate, New Orleans. C. T. Patterson, New Orleans. Jos. H. DeGrange, New Orleans. S. Odenheimer, New Orleans. Hon. Jas, M. Welch, Cameron. Hon. J. W. Freeman, Natchitoches. Peter Youree, Shreveport. S. B. Hicks, Shreveport. Abe Meyer, Shreveport. Louis Heilperin, Shreveport. M. F. Taylor, Shreveport. David Weitler, Shreveport. S. H. Bollinger, Shreveport. S. F. Steere, Shreveport. Dr. w. W. Galliard, Donaldsonville. W. O. Hart, New Orleans. MONTANA. Sid. J. Coffee, Missoula. P. M. Reilly, Missoula. Sam Gordon, Miles City. Ralph Dutch, Melrose. J. T. Truescott, Glasgow. H. J. Barleigh, Plaina. T. N. Averill, Townsend. J. P. Meloy, Townsend. Sam Alexander, Helena. James Deering, Helena. D. R. Roach, Anaconda. F. H. Clinton, Anaconda. T. J. Johns, Forsyth. Hairy Yeager, Lewiston. Roy E. Ayres, Lewiston. D. R. Peeler, Kalispell. W. H. Bronnan, Kalispell. Ernest Heilman, Bozeman. C. E. Miller, Wisdom. Frank Eliel, Dilton. J. W. Morton, Dilton. J. H. Dullea, Twin Bridges. Gordon Shafer, Moore. Andrew Anderson, Harlowton. Ray S. Conger, Thompson Falls. Amos Hall, Butte. Nesbit Rochester, Butte. C. M. Crutchfleld, Hamilton. R. A. O'Hara, Hamilton. J. R. Faulds, Libbey. Dr. A. I. Leighton, Boulder. C. N. Virion, Twin Bridges. I )a n .Morrison, Whiteha II. D. R. Peeley, Helena. J. H. Strain, Anaconda. Herbert Strain, Great Falls. MISSOURI. lion. John W. Noble, St. Louis. A. B. Cockerill, Nevada. O. H. Dean. Kansas City. Hon. Jay ll. Neff, Kansas City. James L. Lombard, Kansas City. II. m. I.. A. Vories, St. Joseph. Judge W. I.. < 'ulver, Gower. W. I,. Townsend, Festus. lion. Web. M. Rubey, Macon. .M. I., w I. Palmyra. Win. S. Catron, Neosho. Lee Montgomery. Sedalia. T. J. Means Jr., Dearborn. E. B. Pryor, St. Louis. A. G. Cochrane, St. Louis. Breckenridge Jones, St. Louis. Alfred Clifford, St. Louis. Ben F. Edwards, St. Louis. J. H. McCluney, St. Louis. A. J. Davidson, St. Louis. Robert MeK. Jones, St. Louis. Robert Moore, St. Louis. W. K. ECavanaugh, Si. Louis. A. J. Bundschu. Independence, Prank X. Devorss, St. Joseph. A. B. Weakley, St. Joseph, Christ Neipp, St. Joseph. O. P. Newman, St. Joseph. Tom P. Holland, St. Joseph. Stoughton Walker. St. Joseph. T. B. Campbell, St. Joseph. Chas. Wilson, St. Joseph. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 271 Adolph Goerman, St. Joseph. A. W. Kohler, St. Joseph. M. E. Leming, Cape Girardeau. M. D. Wilson, Cape Girardeau. James A. Johnston, Poplar Bluff. A. H. Waite, Joplin. C. Schufferdeeker, Joplin. C. S. Poole, Joplin. . Rice Hunt, Joplin. Henry Weymann. Joplin. Z. H. Lowdermilk. Joplin. Cady Kline, Joplin. F. K. Dunwoody, Joplin. John Malang, Joplin. A. P. Clark, Joplin. E. L. Scarrett, Kansas City. Fred W. Fleming', Kansas City. Henry J. Gabel, Kansas City. G. R. Russell, Kansas City. R. E. Goodlett, Kansas City. D. L. Burnside, Poplar Bluff. C. S. Jobes, Kansas City. Lee Hillis, Kansas City. E. W. McManus, Kansas City. Joseph Meinrach, Kansas City. W. T. Bland, Kansas City. P. S. Brown Jr., Kansas City. Thomas B. Tomb, Kansas City. Geo. F. Winter, Kansas City.' Walton N. Moore, Kansas City. J. A. Runyan, Kansas City. Walter J. Bates, Kansas City. Geo. B. Harrison, Kansas City. Col. C. Lechtman, Kansas City. Justin A. Runyan, Kansas City. D. J. Dean, Kansas City. Wm. J. Knepp, Kansas City. Ford Heim, Kansas City. Ed E. Yates, Kansas City. Samuel N. Lee, Kansas City. James A. Reed, Kansas City. James Halpin, Kansas City. Joseph B. Shannon, Kansas City. Frank P. Welsh, Kansas City. M. M. Sweetman, Kansas City. H. B. Topping-, Kansas City. W. H. Winants. Kansas City. O. V. Wilson, Kansas City. Robert L. Winter, Kansas City. J. A. Harzfeld, Kansas City. S. B. Ladd, Kansas City. Alfred Benjamin, Kansas City. B. D. Ransom, Kansas City. G. B. Ward, Alexandria. Julius J. Reiter, Rochester. C. L. Mosher, St. Paul. E. J. Westlake, Minneapolis. T. F. Murphy, Little Falls. W. C. Webber, Rochester. Jno. W. Lux, St. Paul. Thomas Vogeli, Minneapolis. O. K. Simmons, Duluth. MIWESOTA. C. P. Stine, St. Paul. Vernon Wilder, Red Wing. B. W. Brawley, St. Paul. H. V. Eva, Duluth. Solomon Sax, Eveleth. B. M. Neill, Red Wing. F. W. Murphy, Wheaton. James Bixby, St. Paul. L. Bradford Prince, Santa Fe. W. D. Murray. Silver City. D. A. MacPherson, Albuquerque. George Arnot, Albuquerque. R. E. TwitChell, Las Vegas. E. W. Fox, Clayton. J. W. Bible, Hanover. C. N. Cotton, Gallup. H. B. Torrill, Clovis. A. B. Hilton, San Antonio. MEXICO. James F. Hinkle, Rosewell. E. V. Shavoz, Albuquerque. H. O. Chadbourne, Albuquerque. W. Fleming Jones, Las Cruces. Paul Hayer, White Oaks. R. N. Pierce, Alamogordo. Alejandro Sandoval, Bernatillo. Isidor Armijo, Las Cruces. C. W. Dudrom, Santa Fe. J. B. Duffy, Santa Fe. Alfred Chartz. Carson City. W. B. Graham, Ely. Chas. B. Henderson, Elko. Key Pittman, Tonopah. Fred Dangberg, Minden. Lem Allen, Fallon. E. A. Dueker, Wfinnemucca. \EVADA. P. F. Carney, Goldfield. Col. H. B. Maxson, Reno. C. L. Dignowitz, Reno. Oscar J. Smith, Reno. E. L. Bride, Reno. B. J. C'oans, Reno. J. W. Waterhouse. NEBRASKA. W. J. Evans, Ogallala. J. M. Guild, Omaha. W. S. Whittier, Lincoln. Henry T. Clark Sr., Omaha. I. L. Dermond, Beaver Crossing. Ed S. Miller. Beatrice. L. P. Powers, Beatrice. James Anderson, Central City. J. E. Miller, Seward. J. F. Hanson, Fremont. Chas. Gregg, Kearney. S. N. Wolbach, Grand Island. David Anderson, South Omaha. A. H. Broke, Hastings. Col. C. J. Miles, Hastings. G. A. Millett. Van (Miller County). J. R. Van Boskirk, Newport. Thomas Killian, Wahoo. Jno. R. Van Boskirk, Newport. 272 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS NORTH DAKOTA. H. C. Plumley, Fargo. Edw. Cole, Fargo. E. C. Emednn, Fargo. E. H. Lander, Grand Forks. Jerry Bacon. Grand Forks. A. E. Sanders, Grand Forks. W. E. Fuller, Grand Forks. E. O. Moore, Drayton. Grant Hager, Drayton. C. M. Fislier. Devils Lake. Edgar La Rue. Devils Lake. Clark Kelley. Devils Lake. Thomas J. Baird, Lakota. Chas. M. Doyon, Doyon. E. P. Sanderson, Valley City. H. F. Arnold, Larimore. Anthony Stonehouse, Larimore. Edward Luton. Larimore. Thomas E. Regan, Larimore. N. G. Larimore, Larimore. Th. ii. Haugeberg, Washburn. Walter Parkin, Mandan. W. A. Lanterman, Mandan. E. A. "Williams, Bismarck. J. P. Nelson, Glen Ullin. John Bruegger, Williston. I. Rovig. Underwood. R. D. Ward. Emmett. Walter Graham. Wilton. Ralph W. Anderson, Wilton. Ole Surremgard, Devils Lake. OKLAHOMA. Hon. Geo. A. Mansfield, McAlester. Jay F. Price, Keota. Ernest Sharp. El Reno. Frank Rieksey. El Reno. Fred Wright. El Reno. Hon. C. D. Carter, Ardmore. Major W. M. Bamberge. Ardmore. H. G. Spaulding, Ardmore. R. M. Bressie, Bressie. C. K. Luce, Woodward. D. P. Marum. Woodward. C. W. Porter. Muskogee. A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee. Mrs. A. C. Trumbo, Muskogee. W. R. Robinson, Muskogee. Simon Gavigan, Muskogee. Dana H. Kelsey, Muskogee. H. C. Fearnside, Muskogee. A. A. Davidson, Muskogee. John Evans, Muskogee. Rev. Asa P. Beall, Muskogee. Cass M. Bradley, Muskogee. E. < '. Alley. Muskogee. David P. Hall, Muskogee. P. J. Byrne, Muskogee. Jack Evans. Muskogee. Z. T. Walrond. Muskogee. H. A. Fitts, Muskogee. A. G. Coppenbarger, Muskogee. Charles Bagg, Muskogee. J. Beutelspacher, Muskogee. W. D. Brewer, Muskogee. F. J. Hellinghausen, Muskogee. E. R. Rulison. Muskogee. J. L. Dabbs, Muskogee. A. Z. English, Muskogee. B. B. Wheeler, Muskogee. W. S. Harsha. Muskogee. Levi Aekley, Muskogee. R. L. Baugh. Muskogee. E. H. Bispham, Muskogee. A. A. Aylesworth, Muskogee. George Tyler Bigelow, Muskogee. Jno. O. Mitchell, Tulsa. J. G. McGannon, Tulsa. OR KG OX. John Harlog. Eugene. Dr. D. A. Pame, Eugene. Julian Byrd, Burns. .1. T. Donnolly, Baker City. X. Ewd. Imhaus, Baker City. R. L. Harris, Dayton. Matt Wilheim, Monroe. Win. Wurzweiker, Princeville. Will Wright, Union. D. J. Truber. Hood River. T. R. Sheridan, Roseburg. A. .1. Sherwood, Coquille. W. D. Staats, Des Chutes. J. F. Stewart. Toledo. R. B. Stanlield. Echo. G. N. Crossfield, Wasco. ( 'has. X. Chance. Similiter, George < Ohn, Tillamook. .1 p. Hill, Pendleton. Monte B. Gwinn, Pendleton. .1. K. Flanagan, Marshfield. Peter Loggie, North Bend. E. Hot, r, Salem. I.. !•'. Simpson. North Bend. Geo. F. Rogers, Salem. Herman Wlce, Astoria. J. II. Whvte, Astoria. J. W. Bennett, Marshfield. A. W. Cauthorn, Portland. Dr. C. W. Cornelius, Portland. Dr. H. F. McKay. Portland. B. Lee Paget. Portland. I. H. Amos, Portland. W. M. J. add. Portland. Tom Richardson, Portland. M. F. Henderson, Portland. E. I.. Thompson, Portland. H. E. Alheii. Portland. M. J. Roche. Portland. R. A. Harris. Portland. Alex Martin Jr.. Klamath Falls. Wm. Grimes. Marshfield. In. E. E. Straw. Marshfield. F. H. Clark. Marshfield. Dr. C. W. Tower. Marshfield. Dr. J. T. McCormaek, Marshfield. lion. p. m. Veatch, Cottage Grove. s. p. Kline, Corvallis. Walter Lynn, Marshfield. G. A. Smith. Marshfield. Henrv Diere. North Bend. J. H. Keating. North Bend. ("has. Crogster. Portland. Geo. S. Cornwall, Portland. TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 173 Joseph N. Teal, Portland. E. C. Giltner, Portland. T. S. Townsend, Portland. Fred Muller, Portland. O. W. Taylor, Portland. G. A. Westgate, Portland. A. B. Wastell, Portland. C. P. Hurlburt, Junction City. Hon. J. A. Ross, Sioux Falls. F. Cumming's, Albany. Peter Paulas, Albany. F. H. Brigham, North Bend. Oriel Dodge, North Bend. T. Cummings, Albany. Y. G. Freeman, Albany. E. E. Benedict, Acme. O. W. Hurd, Florence. Leo. S. Robinson, Klamath Falls. SOUTH DAKOTA. William Waibel, Huron. Ed. Haakinson, Bonesteel. Hon. J. A. Ross, Sioux Falls. Hon. A. B. Kittredge, Sioux Falls. J. H. Jackson, Aberdeen. C. F. Easton, Aberdeen. Chas. A. Howard, Aberdeen. C. C. Fletcher, Aberdeen. John Wade, Aberdeen. Col. Abraham Boynton, Wagner. C. P. Wasmer, Deadwood. J. L. Bentley, Deadwood. Hon. E. W. Martin, Deadwood. 1'HirjPIMNES. M. L. McCollough, Manila. Judge C. E. Williams, Manila. R. M. Jenkins, Manila. John Gibson, Manila. Daniel O'C'onner, Manila. M. A. Clark, Manila. TEXAS. J. Gregg Hill, Austin. Geo. E. Barstow, Barstow. C. S. E. Holland, Victoria. Jno. W. Warren, San Antonio. S. W. S. Duncan, Dallas. Frank P. Holland, Dallas. W. C. Wells, El Paso. Ed. F. Harris, Galveston. H. H. Haines, Galveston. W. W. Turney, El Paso. L. J. Wortham, Fort Worth. G. M. Duncan, Houston. Jack Rothwell, Houston. Hon. John H. Stephens, Vernon. Walter Tips, Austin. D. J. Neill, Fort Worth. O. P. Thomas, Abilene. N. A. Shaw, Texarkana. Judge M. S. Mahon, Port Lavaca. Hon. Eugene Nolte, Sequin. Hon. Thomas E. Mathews, Rockport. Hon. J. W. Graves, Houston. Hon. J. M. Haller, Yoakum. Hon. Louis Cobolina, Brownsville. B. B. Cain, Tyler. John Durst, Tyler. L. N. Josey, San Antonio. F. F. Collins, Tyler. Col. W. M. Lacy, Abilene. Geo. L. Paxton, Abilene. A. H. Kirby, Abilene. Ed S. Hughes, Abilene. Henry Jones. Abilene. S. P. Hardwick, Abilene. J. M. Radford, Abilene. H. O. Wooten, Abilene. W. H. Swenson, Abilene. Morgan Weaver, Abilene. C. B. Dorchester, Sherman. Silas Hare Jr., Sherman. B. L. Fielder, Sherman. Edward Metz, Sherman. J. B. Lewriglit, Cuero. Walter Reifferty, Cuero. Jno. H. Kirby, Houston. W. E. Leopold, Houston. Pat Foley, Houston. Wm. Masterson, Houston. Jonathan Lane. Houston. S. F. Carter, Houston. R. L. Jones. Houston. Hon. J. E. Furguson, Temple. W. H. Shook, Rusk. Jos, F. Meyer, Houston. A. Y. Austin, Houston. Jno. T. Scott, Houston. W. A. Keeling, Groesbeck. Leon Mosbacher, San Angelo. A. B. W'bod, Galveston. R. T. Ceanford, Temple. H. P. Robertson, Temple. Geo. C. Pendleton, Temple. A. M. McFadden, Victoria. J. M. Roseborough. Victoria. Eke T. Pryor, San Antonio. W. J. Bryan, Fort Worth. W. D. Colven, Fort Worth. T. J. Martin, Fort Worth. Lee Bibins, Fort Worth. A. M. McFadden, Fort Worth. R. J. Reeberg, Fort Worth. S. B. Burnett, Fort Worth. D. B. Gardner, Fort Worth. Asher Richardson, Fort Worth. M. R. Nash, Fort Worth. M. L. Mertz, Fort Worth. H. L. Kokernot, Fort Worth. R. W. Prosser, Fort Worth. A. S. Gage, Fort Worth. A. B. Robertson, Fort Worth. Geo. L. Houston. Fort Worth. Will Rushing, Franklin. l'T4 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS UTAH. Hon. John C. Cutler. Salt Lake City. AVm. R. Wallace, Salt Lake City. Stephen H. Love, Salt Lake City. James Chlpman, Salt Lake City. Orson H. Hewlett, Salt Lake City. W. F. .lames. Salt Lake City. R. K. Thomas, Salt Lake City. H. C. Whitney, Salt Lake City. Simon Bamberger, Salt Lake City. Josiah Harnett, Salt Lake City. Geo A. Black. Salt Lake City. Hugh J. Cannon, Salt Lake City. H. M. Dinwoodey, Salt Lake City. F. A. Druehl, Salt Lake City. Dr. H. H. Mayo, Salt Lake City. J. D. Murdoek, Salt Lake City. C. N. Stevell, Salt Lake City. Geo. M. Cannon, Salt Lake City. John F. Bennett, Salt Lake City. .Jno. G. M. Barnes, Kaysville. Ira D. Wines. Lehi. Capt. Richard W. Young. Salt Lake City. Dan Maguire, Ogden. Wl F. Jensen, Salt Lake City. J. W. Dunigan, Summit. G. A. Johnson, Summit. \V W. L. Steinweg, North Yakima N. If. Latimer, Seattle. P. H. W. Ross. Ellensburg. J. T. McChesney, Everett. M. B. Augustine, Seattle. Hon. Thomas Burke, Seattle. E. E. Brehm, Seattle. Hon. John L. Wilson, Seattle. T. S. White, Seattle. Capt. J. W. Howell. Seattle. Hon. John H. McGraw, Seattle. George C. Congdon. Seattle. C. B. Yandell, Seattle. Miller Freeman, Seattle. ASHINGTON. C. R. Shipley, Love. W. H. Clem, Love. L. G. Monroe. Spokane. Hon. E. E. Cushman, Tacoma. Joseph Havre, Tacoma. E. Walsh, Tacoma. C. J. Webster, Spokane. S. C. Scott, Spokane. J. H. Jackson, Aberdeen. C. C. Fletcher, Aberdeen. E. F. Easton, Aberdeen. John Wade, Aberdeen. Chas. A. Howard, Aberdeen. \VVOMI\G. Robert Homer. Laramie. E. Crumrine, Laramie. W. S. Collins, Basin. Geo. T. Beck, Cody. Wm. Daley, Rawlins. John Morton. Douglas. Jno. E. Higgins, Glenrock. E. H. Fourt, Lander. A. H. Marble, Cheyenne. W. D. Demning, Cheyenne. E. E. Lonabaugh, Sheridan. John Hay, Rock Springs. Earl Skinner. Green River. P. J. Quealy, Kemmerer. J. M. Schwoob. Cody. T. A. Cosgriff, Cheyenne. Tim Kinney. Rock Springs. E. R. Dinwiddie. Sheridan. George W. Metcalf, Douglas. George Mitchell. Uva. E. E. Peters, Green River. William Cody (Buffalo Bill), Cody. COMMERCIAL, TRAY Orrin S. Henderson, San Francisco. J. B. Freed. San Francisco. J. A. Enquist, Oakland. B. B. Galland. San Francisco. Milton R. Hall, San Francisco. W. A. Bernheim, San Francisco. S. Moseley Woods, San Francisco. W. W. Knickerbocker, Oakland. E. ( '. Cliristmans, San Francisco. S. T. Bryer, San Francisco. A. C. Boldemann, San Francisco. Arthur Glass, San Francisco. Fred A. Tanner, San Francisco. I. D. Kuh, San Francisco. A. ];. Wertheimer, San Francisco. B. Hirschberg, San Francisco. A. M. Holton. San Francisco. Geo. Bouhardt, San Francisco. ELERS' ASSOCIATION. Emmett Dunn. San Francisco. M. B. Mergen, San Francisco. .1. H. Horstman. San Franciscn. Walter T. Layton, San Francisco. Geo. W. Morehouse, San Francisco. Wm. T. Holling, San Francisco. H. H. Becker, San Francisco. A. H. Kasper, San Francisco. Otto C. Sievers, San Francisco. H. L. Judell, San Francisco. A. Wertheim, San Francisco. J. H. Barker, Oakland. H. Welisch, San Francisco. August Baer, San Francisco. Fred C. Eggers, San Francisco. J. D. Warde, San Francisco. Frank McGeeney, San Francisco. TRAVELERS' PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION. II. R. Basford, San Francisco. H. M. Campe, San Francisco. G. W. Geanque, San Francisco. J. R. Salazar, San Francisco. H. T. Moore. San Francisco. Ike Rosenblatt, San Francisco. E. J. W.unecke. San Francisco. J. J. Baumgartner, San Francisco. R. E. Stan-, San Francisco. A. Hechweld, San Francisco. INDEX Page Addresses — Edward R. Taylor, Mayor, San Francisco 13 J. N. Gillett, Governor of California 15 C. C. Moore, President Chamber of Commerce 17 Geo. C. Perkins, United States Senator 17 Julius Kahn, M. C 18 J. B. Case, President 29 Wm. R. Wheeler, Assistant Secretary Commerce and Labor 36 John Barrett, Director-General Pan-American Bureau 38 James P. Morgan 46 Col. Fred W. Fleming 65 Benjamin Ide Wheeler 71 J. C. Stubbs 73 John C. Cutler, Governor of Utah 81 Hon. George C. Pardee 85 James F. Callbreath, Jr., Secretary American Mining Congress. . . 88 W. H. Dickson, Attorney-General of Colorado 94 Frank H. Short 97 Col. W. F. Baker 105 James H. Peabody Ill Thomas F. Walsh Ill C. J. Blanchard 112 Col. Ike T. Pryor 122 Fletcher E. Cutler 126 Robt. T. Devlin 129 George W. Dickie ■ 141 J. M. Eddy 148 J. B'. Lippincott 153 A. G. Stacey 162 L. E. Blochman 164 Greene Majors 165 Hon. W. W. Morrow 167 Peter Loggie 170 Capt. J. W. Howell 172 A. C. Rulofson 174 David Starr Jordan 179 W. F. Jensen 191 Arthur R. Briggs 195 Advances in Freight Rates 60 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition 59, 172 Arid Lands, Reclamation of 112 Arkansas River 117 Aqueduct, Los Angeles 153 Aubury, Lewis E 159 Auxiliary Organizations 261 Baker, Col. W. F 105, 172, 190 Barrett, Hon. John Basford, R. H 224 Bayou i^a Fourche 61 276 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Page Beet Sugar Industry 59 Berwick, Edward 64, 158, 188, 216, 235 Blanchard, C. J 112 Blochman, L. E 152 Bradley, E.J 61 Breakwater, Pacific Grove 158 Briggs, Arthur R 10, 54, 195, 23S Bryan, Wm. Jennings 24 Buchtel, H. A 131 Bureau of Mines 159 Burton, G. W 78, 189, 223 By-laws and Rules 5 California, Future Greatness 126 Wine Industry 158 Oil Industry 164 Callbreath, Jr., James F 88,133 Canals 116 Cannon, Geo. M 228 Carnegie Institute 167, 170 Case, J. B 3, 29, 36, 73 Chartz, Alfred 78, 101, 163 Commerce, Pacific Ocean 141 Commission, Irrigation 62 Conservation 85 Pacific Coast 157 Committees on Permanent Organization 34, 104 Resolutions 35 Congdon, Geo. C 59 Congress, Sessions of the 2 Next Session of the 131 Invitations to hold 131, 132, 133 Origin of Trans-Mississippi 162 Conservation of Minerals, Mining and the 88 Conservation of Natural Resources : . . .25, 81, 97 Commission 85 Coos Bay 60, 170 Craig, Hugh 161, 162, 248 Craig, Mary Lynde 170, 247 Creamery Interests, Trans-Mississippi Section 191 Cutler, Fletcher E 126 Cutler, Jno. C 81 Dairy Interest, Trans-Mississippi Section 191 Delegates, Entertainment of 114 List of 259 Delegations report 35 Denver, Invitation from 131, 132 Next Session at 140 Devlin, Robt. T 129 Development, Power 158 Dickie, Geo. W 55, 141 Dickson, W. H 94, 116 "Dixie" '. . . 136 Dixon, J. S 63 Drainage 129 Dry Farming 195 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 277 Page Duties of Railway Companies 58 Dutton, Sam F 104, 133, 161 Eddy, J. M 58, 148 Election of Officers 161, 201 Electric Power 117 Entertainment of Delegates 114 Equal Suffrage League 63 Executive Committee 34, 252 Extension of Navigation Laws 117 Fisher, Walter L 62 Fisk, Postmaster 220 Fleming, Col. Fred W 20, 65 Forest Lands 159 Fortifying Coos Bay 60 Francis, Arthur F 48, 252 Francis, David R 24 Freight, Interstate Transportation of 59 Advance in Rates 60 Future Greatness of California 126 Galliard, W. W 61 Gavel, Presentation of 21 Geological Survey 125 Gillett, Governor J.N 15 Good Roads 148 Gosper, J. J 141, 153, 187, 248 Gove, Aaron 59 Government-owned Line, Pacific Coast 61 Railroad 160 Grazing, Public 58 Gresham, Walter 27 Gulf and Coast Harbors 193 Hall, D. P 117- Hamilton, J. G 122, 157 Harbors 116, 193 Harger, C. M 23 Harney, P. J 64 Harriman, E. H 73 Harris, Ed F 19, 162, 193, 236 Hart, W. O .21, 116, 134, 201, 213 Hawaii 46 Hibbard, I. N 146 Highways, Public 58 Howell, Captain J. W 172 Humboldt Bay 157 Hutchins, C. J 233 278 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Page Illustrations — Frontispiece, Past Presidents. Portraits, Honorable Edward R. Taylor, Mayor of San Francisco. J. B. Case, President. J. N. Gillett, Governor of California. C. C. Moore. Geo. C. Perkins, United States Senator. Julius Kahn, Member of Congress. F. J. V. Skiff. Wm. R. Wheeler. President Roosevelt. John Barrett. James F. Morgan. Arthur F. Francis. Arthur R. Briggs. Fred W. Fleming. Benjamin Ide Wheeler. J. C. Stubbs. E. H. Harriman. John C. Cutler. Geo. C. Pardee. James F. Callbreath Jr. Frank H. Short. Colonel W. F. Baker. James H. Peabody. Thomas F. Walsh. Colonel Ike T. Pryor. Fletcher E. Cutler. George W. Dickie. Improvement of Arkansas River 117 Inland Waterways 105 Interstate Transportation 59 Insurance, Western 65 Invitations — From Merchants' Exchange 33 To Join Conservation League 62 From Equal Suffrage League 63 From Venice of America 63 To Hold Congress 131, 132, 133 Invocation 11 Irish, John P 158 Irrigation and Disposition of Public Lands 94 Japanese Ambassador 24 Jensen, W. F 191 Jordan, David Starr 179 Kahn, Julius 18 Keith, Mary McHenry 118 Kirby, John H 28 Lands, Forest 159 Lands, Restoration of Withdrawn 116 Latin Republics, Closer Commercial Union with 61 Latin Republics, Message from the 38 Loggie, Peter 60, 170 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 279 Page Majors, Greene 160, 165 Mare Island Navy Yard 17 1 Marshall, Brigadier-General 25 Marston, W. H 117 Marum, D. P 62, 226 Matthews, P. W 157 Mayor Taylor, Address by 13 McCollongh, Max L 119 Merchant Marine 160 Merchants' Exchange 33 Messages — President Roosevelt 23 36 W. H. Taft '23 Wm. Jennings Bryan 24 David R. Francis 24 Japanese Ambassador 24 Brigadier-General Marshall 25 • Gifford Pinchot 25 Secretary Straus 25 F. J. V. Skiff 26 H. R. Whitmore 27 Walter Gresham 27 Geo. L. Sheldon 28 John H. Kirby 28 Walter L. Fisher 62 Postmaster General Meyer 62 .) . S. Dixon 63 Robt. L. Owen 160 Venice Chamber of Commerce 190 From Twenty Latin Republics 38 Meyer, Postmaster General 62 Miller, O. H 125 Mines, Bureau of 159 Mining and the Conservation of Minerals 88 Moore, C. C 17, 60 Morgan, James F 46, 59 Morrow, W. W , 167 National Congress, Recommendations to 253 Natural Resources, Conservation of 25 New Orleans Invites Congress 134 Next Session of Congress 140 Nieto, Rabbi Jacob 11 Officers — Election of 161, 201 Official Call 8 Official Roster 3 Oil Industry of California 164 Origin Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress 162 Pony Express 165 Pacific Coast — Sanitary Conditions on '. 60 Government Owned Line 61 Ocean Commerce 141 Commission 157 2S0 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Page Pacific Grove Breakwater 158 Parcels Post 64, 213, 246 Pardee, George C 85, 158, 178 Peabody, James H Ill Pearl Harbor 46 Perkins, Senator 17 Permanent Members 201, 259 Permanent Organization, Committee on 34, 104 Pinchot, Gifford 25 Pinkham, L. E : : 213 Philippine Islands 119 Philippines, Navigation Laws for 117 Philippines, Tariff Laws for 119 Political Conventions 121 Pony Express 165 Possibilities of Coos Bay 170 Postmaster-General Meyer 62 Power, Development 158 Power, Electric 117 Presentation of Gavel 21 Preservation of Our Fishes 179 Pryor, Ike T 58, 70, 122 Public Grazing 58 Public Highways 58 Public Lands, Irrigation and Disposition 94 Railroad, Government Kin Rates, Advances in Freight ' 58 Reciprocity 58 Reclamation of Arid Lands 112 Recommendations 253 Reports — Delegations 35 Secretary Francis 4S Committee on Resolutions 205 Resolutions — Committee on 35, 205 Public Highways . . . .' 58 Public Grazing 58 Duties of Railway Companies 58 Reciprocit y 58 Interstate Transportation of Freight 59 Beet Sugar Industry 59 American Merchant Marine 59 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition 59 Advances in Freight Rates 60 Fortifying Coos Bay 60 Sanitary Condition on Pacific Coast 60 Government-Owned Pacific Coast Line 61 Closer Commercial Relations With Latin Republics 61 Irrigation Commission 62 The Siuslaw Harbor 63 Parcels Post 64 Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers 64 Bayou La Fourche 61 Rivers, Harbors and Canals 116 Restoration of Withdrawn Lands 116 TRANS-MISSISSIPPI COMMERCIAL CONGRESS 281 Page Improvement of the Arkansas River 117 Extension of Coastwise Navigation Laws to the Philippines 117 Water Rights and Electric Power 117 Woman Suffrage '.'. 118 Revision of Tariff for Philippines '. 119 National Political Conventions for San Francisco 121 Thanks to Press Associations '. . 125 United States Geological Survey 125 Humboldt Bay '. 157 Pacific Coast Commission '. . . . . . 157 California Wine Industry 158 Roads and Trails '. 158 Pacific Grove Breakwater '. '. 158 Power Development 1 58 Bureau of Mines 159 Forest Lands '. 159 Government Owned Railroad 160 San Francisco Chamber of Commerce 160 Carnegie Institute 170 Gulf and Coast Harbors 193 Resources, Conservation of Natural 25 Responses — Ed F. Harris, Texas 19 Herbert Strain. Montana 20 Fred W. Fleming, Missouri 20 Tom Richardson, Oregon 21 L. W. Shurtliff, Utah 21 W. O. Hart, Louisiana 21 A. C. Trumbo, Oklahoma 22 C. M. Harger, Kansas 23 Restoration of Withdrawn Lands 116 Restrictions, Removal of 1 60 Revision of Tariff Laws for Philippines 119 Richardson, Tom 21 . 61, 121 Richardson, W. H 194, 221 Rickards, Governor 219 Rivers, Harbors and Canals 116 Roads and Trails 158 Roads, Good 148 Roosevelt, President 23, 36 Roster, Official 3 Rules and By-Laws 5 Rulofson, A. C '. 174 Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers 64 San Francisco, Political Conventions for 121 Chamber of Commerce 160 Sanitary Conditions on Pacific Coast 60 Scarrett, E. L 79 Secretary's Report 48 Selection of City 140 Senator Perkins 17, 18 Sessions of the Congress 2 Skiff, F. J. V 26 Sheldon, Governor 28 Short, Frank H 97, 117 Shurtliff, L. W 21 282 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Page Siuslaw Harbor 63 Smith, John Henry 119, 147 South America, Commercial Relations with 38 Si eer, Robt. W 132 Stacey, A. G 162 State Vice-Presidents 34 Strain, Herbert 20, 249 Straus, Oscar S 25 Stubbs. J. C 73 Suffrage, Woman 118 United States Geological Survey 125 Venice Chamber of Commerce 190 Venice of America 63 Vice-Presidents, State 34 Vote, Parcels Post 246 Vote, Thanks 249 Vote to Hold Congress 140 Walsh, Thos. F Ill, 203 Wastell, A. B 60 Water Rights and Electric Power 117 Waterways, Inland 105 Welcome Address, Mayor Taylor 13 Welcome Address, Governor Gillett 15 Welcome Address, C. C. Moore 17 Welcome Address, Senator Perkins 17 Welcome Address, Congressman Kahn 18 Western Insurance 65 West of the Mississippi River — What Does It Mean? 71 What Is Dry Farming? 195 Wheeler, Benj. Ide 71 Wheeler, Honorable Wm. R 36 Whitmore, H. R 27 Williams, Maude F 136 Wine Industry, California 15S Withdrawn Lands, Restoration of 116 Woman Suffrage 118, 247 Wright, Leroy A 157 'HE >i UNIVERSITY or 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. INTER-LIBRARY J^ LOAN Co ^v APR 3 19BS %i ^_ 3 & # ,-■ LD 21A-50m-12,'60 ( 1;i;l'21s10)476B General Library University of California Berkeley IA> / I /<4Q