Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-18
CONSERVE
RESOURCES
HATTITUDE
ROOSEVELT CALLS CONGRESS
OF GOVERNORS
TO DISCUSS MEANS AT WHITE
HOUSE IN MAY
Purpose Announced by President on
Trip Down Mississippi to Be Car
ried out--Waterways COM
mission Extends Scope
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
WASHINGTON. Nov 1L-President
Roosevelt has invited the governors of
states and territories to meet him at the
White House May 49, IA and ID next to
discuss the question of means to pre-
serve the natural resources of the coun-
try. 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 indi-
Gated in the presidents letter to the gov
ernors made public today. The letter
says:
1.-THE natural resources of the territory
of the United States were at the time of
settlement richer, more varied and more
available than those of any other area on
the surface OF the EARTH The develop
ment of these resources has given us for
more than century a rate of increase
in population and wealth undreamed of
by the men who founded our government
and without parallel in history.
1T is obvious the prosperity we now
enjoy rests directly upon these resources.
II is equally obvious that the vigor and
success which we desire and foresee for
this nation in the future must have this
as Its ultimate material basis.
"1n view of these evident facts, it
seems to me time for the country to
take account of It's natural resources
end to inquire how 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 in their time as 1t is to us to
be prosperous in our time.
OF Utmost Gravity
Recently l expressed the opinion that
there is no other question before the ma
ton of equal gravity with the question of
the conservation of our natural resources
and ! added that 1t is the plain duty
of those of us who for the moment are
responsible to make inventory of the
natural resources which have been hand
ed down to u.s. to forecast as well as we
may the needs of the future and to ham
Gle the great sources of our prosperity
a. not to destroy in advance all hope of
the prosperity of our descendants.
1T is evident that the abundant nat
ural resources on which the welfare of
this nation rests are becoming depicted,
end in not a few cases are already ex-
hausted This is true of all portions of
the United States; t 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 relations to the people and their
responsibility for the welfare of their
communities.
II have therefore decided. in accord
ance with the suggestion of the inland
waterways commission to ask the gov
ernors of the states and territories to
meet at the White House. May 49, IA and
is. TO confer with the president and with
each other upon the conservation of nat
ural resources.
Three Advisors
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 convention as your assistants or ad-
visers. I 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 mat
ters to be considered at this conference
are not confined to any region or group
of states but are of vital concern to the
nation as whole and to all the people.
These subjects include the use and con-
servation of the mineral resources, the
resources of the land and the resources
of the waters in every part of our ter
ritory.
''In order to open discussion I shall in
v.te a few recognized authorities to pre-
sent brief descriptions of actual facts
and cOnultlOOS, WITHOUT dTSuulShlf 4SdN-
ing 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 the information and sugges-
tious and. If desired. to set forth their
provisional plans and conclusions.
Facts which | cannot gainsay force
me to believe that The conservation of
cur natural resources is the most weighty
the nnOnle of the
United States.
Effect important
''If this is So the proposed conference,
which is the first of its kind. will be
aong the most important gatherings in
our history in it's effect upon the Wei
fare of the people.
II earnestly hope that you will find 1t
possible to be present"
The inland waterways commission will
meet in Washington November 25 to
formulate a report on its operations DUR
ing the past summer, including Its IN
spections of the Mississippi river with
president Roosevelt in October. The com
mission viii then anr ounce TO the world
that its work is not confined to naviga-
tIon. but extends to the utilization of
other forces of the country, from all
noints of view The commission was
largely responsible for the president S
announcement at Memphis that he would
can conference to meet in Washing
ion to consider the conservation of the
natural resources Of the country, includ-
ing not only water, but timber mineral,
oil, etc, and its members are giving
much attention to that meeting.
II was at first announced that the con-
ference would be held in January, but
it's postponement until May has been
determined upon because the governors
~ a number of states will be unable to
attend at the earlier date. Instead OF
being a mass convention, as was at first
expected, the present intention is to make
i quiet conference between the presi-
dent and some of his advisers with the
governors of the various states.
-S~-%--
nME man IN RLAZE