Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-11-21
CALL UPON GOVERNORS.
President Urges Them to Help Pre-
serve National Resources.


Washington, ID. c.. Nov. 1S.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt has invited the COVER
nors of the states and territories to
meet him at the White house May Is,
IA and 10 next to discuss the question
or means to conserve the natural re-
| sources of the country. Invitations
are to be extended to the members Of
both houses of congress and to the
inland waterways commission. The
| Importance and manner in which the
subject is to be considered are indicat-
ed in the presidents letter to the
governors which was made public at
the White house yesterday. The let
! ter follows:
The national resources of the ter
ritory Of the United States were at the
time OF settlement, richer more varied
| and more valuable than those of any
| other equal area on the surface of the
| earth. The development of these re.
sources has given us for more than a
century, rate of increase of popula-
ton and wealth undreamed of by men
who founded our government and
without parallel in history 1t is OBJ
vious that the prosperity which we
now enjoy rests directly upon these
resources. 1t is equally obvious that
the yigor and success which we desire
and foresee for this nation in the fu.
ture must have this as its ultimate
material basis
I'm view of these evident facts IL
| seems to me time for the country to
take account of its natural resources
and to inquire how long they are like
| ly to last We should not forget that
1t will be as important to our des-
| cendants to be prosperous in their
time as 1t is to us to be prosperous
/ in our time
| 1T is evident that the abundant
natural resources on which the well
fare of this nation rests, are becoming
| depleted and, in not a 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.
lions to the people and their respon-
sibility for the welfare OF their com.
munities. | have therefore decided in
accordance with the suggestion of the
| WdtCi ways COIuUulSSIUn 10 ASK
the governors of the states and terri.
| tories to meet at the White house on
May Ii, Ia and Is to confer with the
president and with each other upon
the conservation OF natural resources.
1T gives me great pleasure to in.
wife you to take part in this confer.
ence. should be glad to have you
select three citizens to accompany you
and to attend the conference as your
assistants or advisors shall also in.
vite the senators and representatives
of the sixtieth congress- to be present
at the sessions. so far as their duties
will permit The matters to be consid.
cred at this conference are not con.
fined to any region or group of states,
but are Of vital concern to the nation
as whole and to all the people. The
members Of the inland waterways
commission will be present In order
to share with me the benefit of In.
formation and suggestion, and IL de-
sired, to set forth their provisional
plans and conclusions.
Facts, which | cannot gainsay,
force me to believe that the conserya
tion Of our natural resources are the
most weighty question now before the
people of the United States. II this
is so. the proposed conference, which
Is the first of its kind, will be among
the most important gathering In our
history in its effect upon tn welfare
If all our people.
~ earnestly hope. my dear COVER.
nor. chat YOU will lind is possible to be
present.
"Sincerely yours.
Theodore Roosevelt