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Show BUSINESS HflEN DISCUSS NEEDS OF 1 1ST Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress Convenes for Annual An-nual Session Willi Many Present. t DISCUSS BANKING AND REFORMS IN CURRENCY President Fleming in His Annual An-nual Address Refers to Achievement of Utah Pioneers. 9 KANSAS' CITY, Nov, 14. Currency reform and the proposed change In tho banking system of thc country as outlined by the National Na-tional Monetary commission was thc central theme undr consideration by thc delegates to the Transmlsslssippl Commercial congress, which -convened here today in annual session.' Tho principal address was delivered by former Senator Nelson W. Aldrlch. chairman chair-man of tho commission, who explained the proposed plan especially in Its effect upon the people west of the Mississippi river. He was posltlvo In thc assertion that the people of this section would derive great benefit from the proposed change, lie explained how thc small banker could be given Independence, together to-gether with enlarged credit. "Thc organization of credit," ho said, "Is thc most Important element of tho successful existence of communities or states. This Is especially valuable to the newer communities, such as you have In the Transmlsslssippl territory." Referring to thc criticism that possibly pos-sibly thc proposed national reserve association as-sociation might be dominated by political Influences. Mr. Aldrlch said that no sensible plan for tho reorganization of U'OnjtSCS- banking.,, gvftlgw cpuld be controlled by politics. Should Appeal to Farmers. "Neither can It be dominated by Wall 6trce.t or any clique In New York or elsewhere.'' else-where.'' ho said. "This plan should appeal ap-peal to the farmers of the west because be-cause so many of thorn are now stockholders stock-holders and depositors lu banks." Mr. Aldrich said that thc new plan would give a uniform rate of discount throughout the country. Ho commended thc proposed plan to allow national hanks to have savings departments. The speaker appealed to the delegates to glvo the plan of the monetury commission com-mission careful consideration and" to ask their constituents to do likewise. Henry L. Stlmson. secretary of war, made an iuldrcss. In which he said that u "public forum for- discussion of vital subjects, such as this congress Is, Is prominently important." Secretary Stlmson urged upon his hearers the importance of closer commercial com-mercial relations with South America. Ho continued: "The government is building the Panama Pana-ma canal. It will soon be completed, and now 1 want to see the American people use It In developing greater commercial com-mercial relations with thc outside world.-We world.-We must not allow other countries to get a atranglo hold on thc commerce of the world," Among the speakers at lhc night session ses-sion were Kalcon JosIIu of Fairbanks, Alaska, on "Thc Alaskan Problem"." former Governor Alva Adams of Colorado, Colo-rado, and A. E. Morgan, engineer In the United States department of agriculture. agricul-ture. George J. Klndel addressed tho convention conven-tion tonight In thc absence of United Stales Senator Borah, who was detained in his arrival hero, Mr. ICiudcl spoke upon thc subject of "The Relation of thc Business Man and the Farmer to the Parcels Post." Session Well Attended. Seven hundred delegates were present when Arthur C Trumbo of Muskogee, chairman of the executive committee, rapped the convention to order with thc declaration that the "conclusions of the congress should be morally binding ujwn overy western congressman and senator at Washington." After addresses of welcome by United States Senator William J. Stone and Gov-j Gov-j crnor Herbert S. Hadlcy. President Fred j W. Fleming of Kansas City delivered his annual address, reviewing the work o thc congress since its organization. Mr. Fleming said In port; "At Its tlvo sessions held In the inter-inouuiain inter-inouuiain country- 'bo congress ndvo-cated ndvo-cated national Irrigation and reiterated with growing emphasis the necessity for legislation which would make possible the reclamation of arid wnstes to the profitable unes of agriculture. It aided hi crystallising public sentiment In favor of the national irrigation .act. passed in I&02. under which the reclamation service serv-ice was organized. Under the provlflons of this beneficent law. more Important to ihe country at largo than any law of congress, with the possible exception of the homestcud act, S6S.0P0.OOO havo been expended and J50.ooo.noo more rendered available for-e-xpenditure for reclamation of lamia during tho next four years. "Itrlghain Young and bin sturdy followers follow-ers began Irrigation In tho desert of (Continued on Pajro Pouro BUSINESS LEADERS FAVOR DEVELOPMENT Upbuilding of the Wesl Is "'Urged by Speakers at Big' Gathering.-.. Gathering.-.. . . . . . w (Continued from Page Ono.) Utah hi 1SI7 and demonstrated Its great value. Today more than -10.000 families have prosperous homes on irrigated faring In that, dry country and when the present pres-ent plans of I ho roelHinatlon service are completed "JO.OOO.OOO additional acres of niarvclotjsly productive land will be supporting sup-porting more than 1.000,000 families-. In the .states covered 'by the reclamation act there hns been formed a national organization or-ganization devoted solely to tho subject. It has heen a useful body and Is performing per-forming a groat work. This congress extends ex-tends to them Its fclli-ltallonn on the hueeossful development of the scrvlro and pledges of earnest co-operation. In the future. a . "In viewing tlio splendid rosulls already accomplished by irrigation, tho consideration consid-eration of reclamation by drainage of overflow 'and swamp lands Is nneexsarlly forced upon the consideration or all thoughtful men The good result r? of irrigation have become universally recognised, recog-nised, both cast and west, hut reclamation reclama-tion of swamp lands offers oven greater possibilities for srood. Kxtending duo south from the eastern portion of Missouri, Mis-souri, thore Is a territory 600 nilleo long ami from twenty-five to seventy-five miles wide subloct to overflow by the "Allsslsslppl river This area comprlt'os nearly GO.0HO square miles, or almost '1. 000, 000 acres, of land. It Is Inundated at periodical Intervals by the rainfall In thirty-two states and two provinces of Canada, comprising tho watershed of the Mississippi)!, -which extends from the continental divide at the summit of the Rockies to the Allegheny mountains, with an area of l,2Fi0.000 souare miles. The surplus rainfall on this Immense territorygreater terri-torygreater In extent than Great Britain. Brit-ain. France, CJormany. Austria. Holland. Italy. Spain, Portugal and Norway comes down upon the lowr valley during dur-ing certain seasons of tho year with ovcr-, ovcr-, whflml.ng force. "The submerged lowlands constitute an enormous culture bed for tho propagation propaga-tion of tho mularia mosquito, from whose Industrious activities thousands upon thousand;! of lives are needlessly sacrificed sacri-ficed each year. So. in the conservation of public health, this question Is one of tho first magnitude.- The problems of drainage, river navigation, conservation and flood prevention by storage arc so closclv interrelated tba.t its proper solution solu-tion can only be accomplished through a co-operative offorl oh the part, of the general government, the states and the owners of private property. "I'pon the completion of the Panama canal this government will have the larg-est larg-est supplv of modern machinery for dredging, digging ditches and .cconomic-nllv .cconomic-nllv handling dirt that has ecrbcen, assembled as-sembled together, and such machinery could lie put to no better use than In carrying out a comprehensive- plan of national reclamation of these preat wastes located In the heart of the continent con-tinent and close to the markets." . Lauds Panama Fair. Colonel H. D. Loveland of San Francisco, Fran-cisco, speaking on the ranama-Paclllc international exposition, declared it would surpass any exposition ever held in America. Amer-ica. In closing Sir. Loveland extended an Invitation to the congress to hold Its 10in session In San Francisco. "Currency and Credit In Relation to BusincHs"-was the subject of arr nddrcss by George M. Reynolds, president of tho Gonllncntul and' Commercial "National bank of Chicago. Prof. J. "Lawrence l.aughlin of the University of Chicago spoke on "Hanking Control." V. II. Fuqua of Ainurlllo, Tex., president presi-dent of the Texas Bankers association." urged the congress to "get behind and push" the Aldrich currency bill because, ho said, It was the enemy of the financial panic. John L. Towell of Wichita, Kan., chairman chair-man of the committee on reorganization plans appointed at the last congress In San Antonio, presented the report of his committee recommending that permanent headquarters be established. Tho plan embraces the unification of all tho commercial com-mercial Interests west of the Mississippi river into a businesslike and compact body, with an all the year round headquarters, head-quarters, and working forces that will work constantly, every month of the year, for the promotion of western prosperity pros-perity Every commercial body west of the Mississippi wlil be Invited to have representation in the permanent congress. con-gress. Celebrates John Jay Treaty. With Champ Clark, speaker of the house; Henry L. Stlmson. secretary of war, and Judson L,. Harmon, governor of Ohio, as their guests of honor, the Commercial Com-mercial club here tonight commemorated with a banquet the 117th anniversary of the consummation of the John Jav treaty. Because of the presence of Secretary Stlmson and his chief of staff, Ma lor General .Leonard Wood, the banquet was military in .character. All officers and their aides appeared In the full dress of the service. "Problems of the Panama Canal", was the subject upon which Seeretarv Stim-son Stim-son spoke, lie pointed out that work is progressing rapidly on the big waterway end that Its completion Is not Tar distant. dis-tant. As a result of this state of affairs, af-fairs, he said, many problems are to he solved In the near future. Among those he mentioned were; What to do with the operating force when the canal Is completed; how to operate the canal and exercise control over tho surrounding zone: what tolls, shall be charged vessels ves-sels using the canal? Secretary Stlmson spoke at some'lnngth on the rate feature. Me said he favored giving the Interstate commerce commission commis-sion power to regulate the rates. Mr. fctlmson further said that ho opposed tho establishment of a line of governmcnt-owncd governmcnt-owncd steamprs to ply the canal. Champ Clark's subject was "Thomas Hnu Bc-nton." whom tho speaker styled "the great MlssouriaU." Governor Harmon's address dealt with the John Jay treaty, fie did not touch on present-day politics. |