The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-07
VIII a end
Congress of
Governors

ritories to meet win MIN At tne Mnlts
House in May for discussiin of meth
DDS and ways of conserving and max
ing the best use of the country's nat
ural resources. has been accepted by
Governor Dawson. of West Virginia.
In accepting the Invitation the Gov
ernor says:
81 am in receipt OF your letter con-
corning the meeting of the Governors
of the States with you at the White
House May 1s. IA and Is to confer
with yon and others upon the import
ant question OF conserving the natural
resources OF our country
81 beg to say that am in very
hearty accord with the purpose Of the
meeting. and am glad indeed that you
have called this conference. I shall
be present and bring with me. as sug-
gested by you, three other citizens of
this State.
West Virginia is very greatly In
terested in this matter as there is
great waste In this State of coal. oil.
natural gas and timber
al beg to suggest that meeting OF
the Governors of the United States
will be beneficial in other respects"
The conference which Governor
Dawson will attend will be held in
the historic East Room OF the White
House, and the opening session and
perhaps every session viii be presided
over by President Roosevelt himself.
The seating capacity OF the East Room
does not exceed COO or 200. and this
makes It necessary TO limit the at
tendance TO the Governors and the
three delegates which each VIII np-
point. the cabinet. probably the su-
preme Court Of the United States. the
members Of Congress. the members OF
the Inland Waterways Commission.
and representatives OF a comparatively
few National organizations which are
peculiarly interested in the subject
to be discussed.
Many societies and associations In
all parts of the United States are ask
ing that they be permitted to send
representatives,, but the lack OF room
renders the granting of all these re-
quests Impossible, but those in charge
Of the arrangements will nccommo-
date as many such organizations as
possible.
This viii be the first time in the
history of the United States that the
chief executive of practically every
state have met in conference with the
chief executive of the Nation. 1t is
expected to be one OF the most nota-
bic and Important conferences ever
held in the country. Great political
gatherings have been held. but this
Will have no politics in It. The Gov
ernors have responded regardless OF
politics. 1t will deal with questions
national In character, farreaching In
their scope. and yet OF practical and
direct Importance to each and every
state. How to develop the country's
natural resources, use them. improve
them. and perpetuate them, will be
the central point toward which all dis
cussion will be directed. There VIII
be no programme OF long scientific
papcrs. It will be strictly confer
cnce. and a full and free exchange Of
IDEAS among the Governors and dele
gates.
Men whose special knowledge along
certain lines makes them, to that eX-
tent. experts. will open each discus
sion. after which it will become free
parliament for all. This idea Of nation.
al action looking to the end sought by
this conference is not altogether new.
Far-seeing men have long recognized
the necessity OF some such course.
The idea began to take form when
the President in his Jamestown speech
last May declared that "the conserva-
ton of our natural resources and their
proper use constitute the fundamental
problem which underlles almost ey-
cry other problem OF our national life.
Unless we maintain an adequate ma
terlal basis for our civilization, We
can not maintain the Institutions in
which we take SO great and so just
pride"
On the presidential trip down the
Mississippi last fall. the Inland Wat
erways Commission. in letter to the
President suggested conference be-
tween the Chief Executive and the en-
ecutlves OF all the States. This let
ter was delivered to President Roose-
welt by clifford Plnchot, Chief Forester
OF the United states and member of
the Commission. on the morning of the
day the President delivered his Mem
phls speech. In that speech he an
nounced his purpose Of calling the con-
ference, and not long after his return
to Washington he did so.
The invitations sent to the Govern