The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-05-20

this matter. The presidents trip down
the Mississippi to attend the deep wa
terways convention ut Memphis i'm
pressed this fact on the public In gen
ernl. His utternnces during this tour
and before the experts assembled at
Memphis pertnined largely to the nc
cessity Of wisdom and f~orethOught in
respect to problems Of this nature.
The conference is to 30 attended by
the governors of nearly all the states
Of the Union. by the members Of the
inland waterways commission. by men,
bers Of the cabinet and supreme court.
by the vice president and the speaker
OF the house Of representatives and by
such other members Of congress as can
attend without Interference with their
duties as Legislators. In addition to
these. President Roosevelt, who will
preside at the conference, has sent per-
sonal invitations to five distinguished
citizens In private life-Grover Cleve-
land, william J. Bryan, Andrew Carne-
gle. John Mitchell and James ]. Hill.
Each governor Is entitled to bring with
him three delegates, so that the gather
ing will be a large and representative
one. 1t will be entirely nonpartisan
both or account Of the nature Of the
subjects to be considered and on ac-
count Of the varied partisan affiliations
OF those In attendance. It Is the first
time a gathering Of this kind was ever
held at the White House. ana It Is felt
that it will do much to strengthen the
bonds Of unity between sections and
break down the barriers Of section and
party.
The meetings Of the conference will
be held in the east room Of the execu-
tive mansion, where 80 many historic
assemblages have gathered, but It will
be the first time that apartment has
held quite so representative a body. for
practically all the governors Of the diff
ferent commemorative. together with
all the leading candidates for president
and the only living ~ex-president. wifi
meet with the head Of the national gov
eminent for the consideration of prob
lens Of national import The govern.
ors Of the various states and the five
specially invited guests will be enter.
TIMED at dinner by President Roose
welt on the evening Of May IL and the
conferences will begin the next morn
ing and continue for three days.
A general Idea Of the objects sought
by the conference may be obtained by
dividing the subjects to be considered
under these heads:
F1rst-To conserve the national forest,
Tor the use OF the people.
Second.-To furnish homes for the farm
er In the desert by retaining the sol
through irrigation.
Third.-To maintain unimpoired the pub
Tic ranges for the grazing OF live stock.
F~ourth.-TO retain control by the gov
eminent OF the public coal lands. to til,
M that the people may be insured o
their proper use.
Ftfth.-To place q homesteader on over,
plot OF arabic land, whether that plot b
In q national forest, a public range a
among the mineral lands.
Add to this the related subject Of i'm
provement 0f the inland waterways
and a fair view can be had Of the gen
eral aims of the gathering.
The problems Of this conference ar,
among the most important before tn,
nation today. and many Of them AZ
peal more closely TO the people thar
some Of a political nature which per
haps occupy a much larger share o