New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-14
DETISING PLANS TO SAVE
NATUR1L RESOURCES.
Remarkable Gathering of Public
Men at U'hite HOuse-State
and National Organization
Nay Result.
Nay Result.


triumph for the President. well as an epoch
making historic event When he called the re-
| marka BILE gathering order ne was appIauded
! and in his opening address frequently COM
PEELED stop to let the Governors and scientists
/ cheer themselves into silence. With the excep-
/ tion of ex-President Cleveland. who was unabls
to come to Washington account of illness.
all the distinguished invited guests were pres
ent and with few absentees all the Governors
expected were seated facing the President in the
East Room when the Executives gavel fell to
call the meeting to order. The most applauded
features of the morning session. which was de-
voted almost entirely the Presidents address,
were those passages in which he recalled the
fact that Washington had been instrumental In
gathering a similar conference, which resulted
in the adoption OF the Constitution OF the United
States and his challenge to Congress to provide
for the perpetuation of the Waterways Commits
sion he would do it himself Governor
Hughes who chose seat in the first next
to William J. Bryan and Immediately in front
of the President. led frequently In the numerous
demonstrations Of approval which interrupted
the President
RESULTS OF FIRST DAY.
Two ideas destined to mark material progress
in Americas future resulted from the first day
organization between the states and the nation
is necessary to accomplish the end sought. and
will probably result from the present conference
The second. suggested by Secretary Root. is that
there is limitation by the Constitution to tho
agreements which may be made between the
states. subject to the approval of Congress. The
two ideas fully developed it is predicted would
result in the conservation of the energies and
sources of the nation through uniform and un-
conflicting laws. both national and state
The idea that the conference should be per-
petuated developed in the form of resolutions Of
fered by Governor Glenn of North Carolina and
Governor Folk of Missouri. There were many
others. but parliamentary TO save time
sent them to committee for consideration
So crowded was the day with interesting and
important developments and so fraught with
history making possibilities-nnateriaI. political
and social-that make categorical enumera-
ton OF its features would seem TO give the best
conception of the occasion
THE SCENE IN THE EAST ROOM.
Forty-four Governors Of sovereign states Of
the Union sat gilded chairs in the historic
East Room of the White House and chatted
fror~ 10 to IL o'clock this morning Five hun
dred other persons taxed the CAPACITY of the
ROOM They were Cabinet officers Supreme
Court justices. Senators. Representatives and
experts in all lines of industry. With a flourish
of trumpets the President and the Vice-Prssf-
dent entered at IL o'clock. and the conference.
the first of it's kind in the history Of the nation.
began.
The setting of the scene was magnificent and
impressive. II was the East Room, designed in
Colonial days. and occupying the entire east end
of the mansion 1t is elegant in it's polished oak
floor. white walls and ceiling rich in simplicity
OF decoration and gold plush draperies. The as
semblage faced the east wall, where there was
a platform done in green plush. backed by two
large framed maps of the United States show
ing in coSrs it's various resources in the centre
of which device for the production OF
coIored glass illustrations OF the speeches. with a
glaring reproduction of forest fire on view.
Seats of honor directly in front of these maps
were occupied by members of the Cabinet and
justices OF the Supreme Court Ine President
and the VicePresident occupied high backed,
green plush chairs on either side of the centre.
PRESIDENT WARMLY WELCOMED.
There was no doubling the first climax of the
day. II was the reception of the President He
had been at work in the executive Offices up to
the very minute of convening- He entered the
East Room at exactly IL o'clock. the Marine
Band gave the Presidential honors. The Cow
ernors arose; they clapped their hands: they
shouted Five hundred others took the cue and
the demonstration became tumultuous
Then followed hush. The venerable DR.. Ed
ward Everett Hale. the chaplain of the Senate
leaning arm on the back of the chair in
which the President sat read from the Script
ures the description of the fertility of the land
promised to the Children of Israel. and followed
with a suppIication for guidance in the present
President Roosevelt then began his expIana-
ton of the reason for the conference His hfty-
minute speech was many times interrupted by
applause and when he finally reached his point
of praise of the Inland Waterways Commission
and declared with characteristic vigor thar
should Congress neglect to perpetuate the COM
mission, Il viii do it myself he captured the
assemblage The Governors stood up and
shouted. Senators and Congressman added i
laugh to their applause. and general assent Was
given To the sentiment.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
The President spoke as follows.
Governors of the Several States and Cientlernens
welcome You TO this conference the White
House You have come hither at my request
that may join together to consider the
question OF the conservation and use OF th.
great fundamental sources Of wealth of this
nation. SO vital is this question that tor the
tirst time in history the chief executive Of
ncers of the states separately and OF the stat~s
together forming the nation have met to con-
slider it,
With the Governors come men from each
state chosen for their special acquaintance vita
the terms OF the problem that Is before Us.
Among them are experts in natural resources
and representatives OF national organizations
concerned in the development and use of these
Congress; the supreme Court, the Cabinet and
the Inland Waterways Commission have like
wise been invited 10 the conference. which is
therefore national in peculiar sense.
n