The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-18
Governor and Three 9th.
ers From Each State
to Shape Them.
THE PRESIDENTS
LETTER TO PUBLIC
IN His Invitation to the Various
Executives, MIR. Roosevelt De
clares This to Be the Most
Weigllty Question Now
Before the Ameri-
can People.
Isp.eial 10 VIC rimes.pl.pa,eh,

| Especial TO The Tmes-D D.pa.ch.l
WASHINGTON. .. c., November 1I.---
President Roosevelt has invited the
Governors OF the States and Terri
tories to meet him at the White House
May 13th, 14th and 18th next, to discuss
the question OF means to conserve the
natural resources OF the country. In.
vltations are to be extended to the
members OF both houses of Congress
and 20 the Inland Waterways Comnlis.
sion. The Importance and manner In
which the subject Is to be considered
are indicated in the Presidents letter
to the Governors. which was made
public at the White House to- day.
The letter follows:
THE natural resources OF the terri
tory OF the United States were at the
time OF settlement richer. more varied
and more available than those OF any
other equal area on the surface oe the
earth. The development OF these re-
sources has given us for more than a
century rate OF increase in popula-
| tion and wealth undreamed of by the
men who founded our government. and
without parallel in history.
T. is obvious that the prosperity
which we now enjoy rests directly
upon these resources II is equally OBJ
vious that the vigor and success which
we desire and foresee for this nation
In the future must have this as Its ul-
innate material basis. I.
Must Take A count.
"In view of these evident facts, 1t
isseems to me time for the country to
take account of its material resources
! and to inquire how long they are like
ly to last. We are prosperous now. we
should not forget that 1t will be Just
as important to our descendants to be
I4prosperonsfin their time as 1t is to us
Ito be prosperops In our time 500 ~.
fstTs Recently "a t:srressea. the opir,ofi
that there Is no other ques tion now
before the nation of equal gravity With
| The question OF the conservation. OF our
natural resources: and Il added that 1t
is the plain duty of those of us who.
jsfors the moment. are responsible to
make inventory of the natural re-
sources which have been handed down
to us, to forecast as we'll as we may
the needs of the future. and 50 handle
the great sources of our prosperity as
not to destroy In advance all hope OF
the prosperity OF our descendants,
It Is evident that the abundant
natural resources on which the welfare
| OF this nation rests are becoming de-
jnleted. and In not Il few cases are all
ready exhausted. This is true OF all
portions of the United States. 1t IL
especially true o. the longer settled
communities OF the East. Tie gravity
Of the situation must. believe. appeal
with special force to the Governors Of
the States. because of their close rela-
tions to the people and their responsl-
hility for the welfare of their communi-
ties. / have therefore decided. in ac-
cordance with the suggestion OF the
Inland Waterways Commission. to ask
the Governors Of the States and Terri
tories to meet at the White House on
May 18th. 14th and 18th, to confer with
the President and with each other upon
the conservation of natural resources.
ut gives me great pleasure to invite
you to take part In this conference. n
shou,<, be glad to have you select three
citizens to accompany you and to at
tend the conference as your assistants
or advisers shall also invite the
Senator's and Representatives Of the
SiXtieth Congress to he present at5the
sessions. so far as their duties will
permit s
Concern to Whole Nation.
"The matters to be considered at
this conference are not confined to any
region or group of States but are OF