Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-14
The White House Conference.

Since the establishment Of our ma
tional government there have been
many kinds of conferences in the ex-
ecutive mansion, but nothing exactly
like that now in session there. The
conference which began yesterday is
not only a novel one but there are rea-
sons to believe that it will mean much
in the history of this country during
the coming generation. Elsewhere the
Journal publishes this morning the
address of President Roosevelt to the
assembled governors and delegates
and it deserves a careful reading
throughout the country in order that
our people may know what the confer
ence seeks to accomplish.
1t is called conference on the con-
serva ton of our natural resources, and
the gathering is result of the fore
sight. the energy and the public spirit
ednes5 of President Roosevelt. He
realizes as do all thoughtful people,
that Americans have been fearfully
wasteful of the natural resources of
this country, and that our forests, our
water power, our coal deposits and our
other items of natural wealth must
now be protected against exhaustion
or misuse. How this may be done
with no injurious effects upon the
great Industries of the country is a
problem which will require the atten-
ton of the greatest minds of our time.
Therefore, as a step toward getting to
work upon this problem, the President
has called together the governors of all
the states and also several delegates
respective governors. These men,
with a few others selected from their
prominence in national affairs, met at
the White House yesterday and their
sessions and delibera tons viii con-
tinue during the next few days.
Governor Cobb Of this State was pre-
vented by the pressure of other bust
ness from being in attendance, but the
three delegates whom he has named
from this State, Ex-Governor Hill, For
est Commissioner Ring and Professor
Cary of Brunswick, are it is under
stood, all in attendance upon the con-
ference. 1t is of special interest to us
here in Maine to note the commenda-
ton given by the President to the re-
cent decision of the Maine Supreme
Court relative to the rights of the
State to restrict the cutting of trees on
private land as a means of preventing
drought and preserving the natural
water supply.
The natural resources of this cOun-
try seemed so inexhaustible to the
early corners, and indeed down almost
to the present generation. that they
have been wasted in the most needless
and extravagant fashion. This is es-
pecially true of the forests. There
has been WantOn destruction of great
wooded areas, and the mineral wealth,
especially the COAL has been treated
as if the supply We're actually with
out a limit. The desire to get rich
quickly has made the men who have
developed the natural resources of the
country absolutely Indifferent as to
the interests of posterity But in
these opening years of the goth GEN.
fury it is being recognized that pos
terity has certain rights and that the
future Industrial history of our coun-
try depends upon the present con-
servation of its great natural wealth.
There will be many able addresses be-
fore this White House conference. and
many plans proposed. Let us hone
that definite results may be achieved
ac the outcome of the gathering.