The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-12-11
CONSERVATION CONFERENCE.
Waters, Lands, Forests and Minerals
Are to be Considered,

Waters, Lands, Forests and Minerals
Are to be Considered.
Washington, Dec. t. Andrew
Carnegie and James j. Hill will
both take part in the joint conserva-
ton conference which opens here on
the eighth, when the national con-
servation commission with the as
sistance of the governors of the
states and it's other co-operators
will get under way the most import
ant part of its work so far, the re-
port to the president, due the first
of the year. These two leaders in
the industrial world were promi-
nent figures in the conference of
governors at the white house last
May, which was the immediate cause
of the creation of the national con-
servation commission. The iron
masters speech at that time on the
mineral resources of the country
was the first on the three days pro-
gram after President Roosevelt's
opening speech and the railroad or
ganizer began the second days ses-
sion with a discussion of the land
resources of the United States.
which has been more quoted than
perhaps any other single address at
that conference. When the nation
al conservation commission was
formed both were made members.
The participation of these two
hard-headed and practical men in
the coming conference will be of
even greater value than it was at
the white house session because the
time has come now for the prepara-
ton of a definite and workable pro-
gram of action to meet the situation
that was partially disclosed at the
white house meeting and has been
made more clear by the researches
of the national conservation COM
mission since then.
The attendance of the Joint con-
servation conference will be compos-
ed Of men who have been active par
Elephants in the work for conserva-
ton since the white house confer
ence. About half the governors
have definitely said that they will
be present and the others will send
representatives of their states.
These governors or their representa-
tlves will be accompanied by the
members of the state conservation
commissions which have been named
during the summer and fall. In adj
dition to these htere will be present
the special conservation committees
which have been formed by twenty
five or more national organizations.
The session on the morning of
the eighth will be a more or less
informal gathering in the red room
of the Willard hotel for the purpose
of organizing. At 4:15 O'Clock that
afternoon comes the big general
meeting at the Belasco theatre at
which President Roosevelt and
President-elect Taft will be among
the speakers who will address the
members of the joint conservation
conference, the rivers and harbors
congress, the southern commercial
congress and other organizations
with allied objects whose sessions
in Washington at that time will help
to make up what has been called
conservation week" After that
the joint conference will take up its
business in earnest at the Hubbard
memorial hall. The plan is to take
up one after another the main sub
jects which the national conserva-
ton commission has been studying
waters, lands, forests, minerals.
The much talked of inventory of
natural resources" is completed now
as far as present knowledge can go.
The national conservation commits
sion has not made any Of its find
ings public so far, but the members
OF the commission declare and the
country as whole is convinced that
the state of affairs is one that re-
quires immediate and effective ac-
ton. The problem that the Joint
conference must help to solve is
what form this action must take and
in what direction it must be pushed
to be most effective. This is task
which demands the shrewdest judg-
ment which the national conserve
ton commission can call to its aid,
and Is one for which both Carnegie
and Hill are eminently fitted. The
commission realizes that it has
reached the critical point in its
work. All the information it has
gathered in it's months of study will
result in nothing of permanent value
unless it can be made the basis of a
practical program of constructive
activity. The advice of such men
as Hill and Carnegie will be of the
utmost value in selecting the points
where immediate reform is most ur-
gently needed and those which can
be placed later on the program.