Evening star., 1907-11-18
DUTY to PoSteritV.

| In view of these evident facts it seems
| to me time for the country to take ac
| count of its natural resources. and to in
! qui1e now long they are likely to last
| We are prosperous now: we should not
| forget that it will be just as important
to our descendants to be prosperous il
their time as it is to US to b prosperous
in time.
Recently | expressed the op Mon that
there is no other Questio now before the
nation of equal gravity with the question
of the conservation of our natural re-
sources; ana ! added that it is the plain
duty of those of US who, for the moment,
are responsible. TO make inventory of the
ma atural resources which have been hand
ed down to US. to forecast as well as we
may the needs of The future, and so to
handle the great sources of our prosperity
as not to destroy in advance all hope of
the prosperity of our descendants
1T is evident that the abundant natural
resources on which the welfare of this
nation rests are becoming depleted, and in
not few cases are already exhausted
This is true of all portions of the United
States; 1t is especially true of the longer
settled communities of the east. The
gravity of the situation must. ! believe,
appeal with special force to the governors
of the states because of their close rela-
ton to the people and their responsibility
for the welfare of their communities. l
have therefore decided. in accordance with
the suggestion of the inland waterways
commission, to ask the governors of the
states and territories to meet at the
White House on May Is. ii and 10. to con-
fer with the President and with each
other upon the conservation of natural
resources. .
Conference Invited.
1T gives me great pleasure to invite
you to take part in this conference.
should be glad to have you select three
citizens to accompany you and to attend
the conference as your assistants or ad
visers. l shall also invite the senators
and representatives of the Sixtieth Con-
gress to be present at the sessions so
far as their duties will permit.
The matters to be considered at this
conferences are not confined to any region
or group of states, but are of vital con-
cern to the nation as whole and to all
the people. These subjects include the
use and conservation of the mineral re-
sources. the resources of the land, and
the resources of the waters, in every part
of our territory.
In order to open discussion I shall in
Vite a few recognized authorities to pre-
sent brief descriptions of actual facts and
conditions. without argument, leaving the
conference to deal with each topic as it
may elect. The members of the inland
waterways commission will be present in
order to share with me the benefit of in
formation and suggestion, and, If desired,
to set forth their provisional plans and
conclusions.
Facts, which 1 cannot gainsay, force
me to believe that the conservation OfsOur
natural resources is the most weighty
question now before the people of the
United States. If this is so, the proposed
conference, which is the first Of It's kind,
will be among the most important gather
ings in our history in its effect upon the
welfare of all our people
Il earnestly hope, my dear governor
that you will find it possible to be present.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"