Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1908-05-21

THERE are 1Orty-IOur governors OF
states In Washington this week. Such
an assemblage is unique In the nis-
tory OF the country The States for
the moment are without their heads.
These heads are centered In the East
Room OF the White House, and CEN
Lralization, for the moment at least.
'sa fact. And by the way, centraliza-
ion is beginning 20 be looked upon as
necessity. For hundred years the
Government has been integrating and
for seventy years OF that period, this
Indignation has been accelerated by
steam and electricity until now ii is
bound east. west, north, and south BY
wires and railroads, 10 say nothing Of
waterways and interdependent busi-
ness interests Of such stupendous pro-
portions AS 10 make imperative action
OF all In the interest Of the largest
number, necessity. Never before In
the history Of the nation has the Pre-
sldent conferred with the Governors
Of the States In q body. Only five
Governors, those OF Texas, Massa-
chusetls, Georgia, Oregon and Call
fornia, are absent Each Governor
has appointed three conferees, repre-
senting universities and large busl-
ness associations interested In the
subject OF the preservation Of the
natural resources Of the country. The
historic East Room OF the White
House is transformed into confer
ence chamber. Two mammoth maps
Of the country have been provided to
assist the various speakers In their
illustrations Hand colored trans
parencies are also to be used for
steroptlcan effects. The White House
for the time, is closed 70 the public,
and attendance at the sessions is re-
stricted to those invited. This was
indispensable on account Of the limit
ed capacity Of the East Room. The
conference is In line with the policy
Of President Roosevelt with reference
to safeguarding and economizlng the
natural resources OF the country.
There is no doubt that this nation
began Its career with the most splendid
patrimony ever enjoyed by people
q patrimony SO rich and SO extensive
as to stagger, like time and space, the
imagination. But 1t was by no means
infinite. For years careful and pru-
dent statesmen and writers have been
seen the necessity OF preservation and
economy. Poachers and marauders Of
various sorts have appropriated these
natural resources and have taken
billions Of dollars of the nations
wealth. Something must be done
promptly to stop this practice and II
possible recover the stolen property.
This conference owes Its origin 10
part TO the Inland Waterways Com
mission. This commission, appointed
by the President, found that one Of
the most efficient methods Of sreur-
ing satisfactory supply OF water and
avoiding-devastating floods, was tc
provide, as 1t were, extensive sponges
at the head waters OF the streams
also to preserve the sponges already
in exlstense. These sponges are ol
course, forests. Where the watel
sheds have been denudei over trees
the torrential rains, instead Of being
absorbed, rush down the valleys ant
gulches In destroying floods, leaving
the watersheds arid and unproductlse
The problem vas too great for th'
commission appointed by the Govern
ment to solve, and because Of thil
fact and because Of constitutions
Limitations, this remarkable conven
tlon has been assembled