The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1908-05-18


ization.
Washington, May The confer
ence of governors, in session at the
White House, adopted. with no oppos-
Ing vote declaration of principles
which suggest that the president call
future conferences, but provide for no
permanent organization. The full text
of this declaration of principles is as
follows:
I'VE, the governors of the states
and territories of the United States of
America, in conference assembled, do
hereby declare the conviction that
the great prosperity of our country
rests upon the abundant resources of
the land chosen by our forefathers
for their homes and where they laid
the foundation Of this great nation.
I'VE look upon these resources as a
heritage to be made use of in estab-
fishing and promoting the comfort,
prosperity and happiness of the Amer
lean people, but not to be wasted, de-
Perforated or needlessly destroyed.
"We agree that our country's future
is involved in this; that the great nat
ural resources supply the material
basis upon which our civilization must
continue to depend and upon which
the perpetuity of the nation itself
rests.
1--WE agree, in the light of facts
brought to our knowledge and from in
formation received from sources
which we cannot doubt, that this ma
terial basis is threatened with ex-
haustion. Even as each succeeding
generation from the birth of the ma
ton has performed it's part in prOmot-
ing the progress and development of
the republic so do we in this genera
tion recognize it as a high duty to
perform our part and this duty in
large degree is the adoption of meas
ures for the conservation of the nat
ural wealth of the country.
Subject of Great Importance.
eve declare our firm conviction
that this conservation of our natural
resources is a subject of transcendent
Importance, which should engage un-
rem1ttingly the attention of the ma
tion, the states and the people in
earnest cooperation. These natural
resources include the land on which
we live and which yields our food;
the living waters which fertilize the
soil, supply power and form great ave-
nues of commerce: the forests which
yield the materials for our homes,
prevent erosion of the soil and con-
serve the navigation and other uses
of our streams; and the minerals
which form the basis of our Industrial
life and supply us with heat, light and
power.
1--WE agree that the land should be
so used that erosion and soil wash
should cease; that there should be
reclamation of arid and semi-arid re-
giOns by means of irrigation and Of
swamp and overfloWed regions by
means of drainage; that the waters
should be so conserved and used as to
regious to be reclaimed by irrigation
and to develop power in the interests
of the people; that the forests, which
regulate our rivers, support our in
dustries and promote the fertility and
productiveness of the soil, should be
pres erved and perpetuated; that the
minerals found so abundantly beneath
J1r,fo ch hn to
prolong their utility: that the beauty,
healthfulness and habitability of our
country should be preserved and in
creased; that the sources of national
wealth exist for the benefit of all the
people and that the monopoly thereof
should not be tolerated. .
eve commend the wise forethought
Of the president in sounding the note
Of warning as to the waste and ex-
haustion of the natural resources of
the country and signify our apprecia-
tion of his action in calling the con-
ference to consider the same and to
seek remedies therefor through CO.
operation of the nation and the states.
States and Nation Act Jointly.
Eve agree that this cooperation
should find expression in suitable ac-
tion by congress within the limits of,
and co-extensive with, the national
Jurisdiction Of the subject and COM
Elementary thereto by the legislatures
of the several states within the limits
Of, and co-extensive with, their juris-
diction.
eve declare the conviction that in
the use of the natural resources our
independent states are interdependent
and bound together by ties Of mutual
benefits, responsibilities and duties.
''We agree in the wisdom of future
conferences between the president,
members of congress and the gov
ernors of the states regarding the con-
servation of our natural resources
with the view of continued operation
and action on the lines suggested
And to this end we advise that from
time to time, as in his judgment may
seem wise, the president call the gov
ernors of the states, members of con-
gress and others into conference.
I'VE agree that further action is ad-
visable to ascertain the present condi-
tton of our natural resources and to
promote the conservation of the same
And to that end we recommend the
appointment by each state of a COM
mission on the conservation of natural
resources to cooperate with each
other and with any similar commits