Free press., 1907-10-12
TO CALL ANOTHER
Protection of the Natural Resources
to Be Considered at
Convention.
WILL MEET IN WASHINGTON
President Roosevelt Announced at
Memphis His Intention to Issue a
Call for Such a Gathering
January Next.

Memphis, Tenn, Oct. 5.-President
Roosevelt, in his speech here Friday
announced that ne would call con-
vention to be held in Washington,
January 3, next, to advocate the pre-
servation and conservatism of the
natural resources of the country in
Guiding cCal, water power, oil, etc.
The fact that such call would be
issued was rumored Thursday on some
of the boats accompanying the Mis-
sissippi on her voyage down the river.
1t had been under consideration for
some time by the members of the
Inland Waterways Commission and the
details were presented by the mem
bers of that body to the president
at a luncheon given him on the COM
mission boat Col. Mackenzie" Six
teen governors were taken into the
commissions confidence when that
body went aboard the governors boat
after dinner.
A meeting was organized on the
main deck, over which Governor Folk
presided, and it was soon made evi-
dent that a determined effort would
be made to secure an endorsement of
the project IN advance of action by
the president Statements in ex-
PLANTATION of the commissions plans
were made by Chairman Burton,
Senator Newlands, DR.. McGee, Mr.
Pinchot and other members Of the
commission from which it appeared
that they desired to have the proposed
| convention follow the river and har
Dor conference to be held in Washing
ton in December and to have it de
voted largely to other than naviga
ton matters.
| Responses were made by practically
all the governors present and from be
ing at first approving in their nature
they developed into such opposition
that a resolution of commentator
which had been offered by Governor
| Chamberlain was withdrawn by hin
after two hours of discussion Al
the speakers except Governor Brooks
| Wyoming, announced approval of the
idea of convention, but the genera
opiEie2 was opposed to an expression
of an opinion previous to the Memphi!
convention which might be construed
into an effort to displace the deer
waterways. matter as the question o
paramount Importance.
This thought was first voiced b.
Gov. Blanchard of Louisiana and tn
opposition sentiment developed S,
rapidly that by the time the meetin;
had adjourned the opinion against &C
tion at that time was almost unani
! nous.
In the course of his speech. Senate
Newlands expressed the opinion tha
unless the governors and others no
in congress took up the matter of prC
tecting the country's interests it woul
be difficult to secure their proper COZ
servation. He declared that man
senators and congressman owe thei
election to the influence of the inte,
ests which are destroying the nations
resources, and said that the publ
land committees Of both houses ar
: composed largely of men from publ
: lands states and added it is evideT
! that if reform is to come at all
l ! must come from the outside He a
] tributed the labor troubles in Colorad
TO the operations Of the Colorado Co;
and Iron company in that state. NJ
Pinchot said that the country is a
: ready entering upon a timber famir
: and that unless something is done
e conserve the foresIs the situation wi
6 soon become very serious.