Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-05-22
Roosevelt Addresses C~oncourse OF
Governors, Officials and Prom
inent Men.
NATURAL RESOURCES THE TOPIC
"Keck1ess and Wasteful Use" of Tim
Der and Minerals Condemned
by Nations Executive.
Washington correspondence


The White House was the scene
Wednesday of the asSemblage of many
of the most notable figures in the polit.
zeal and industrial life of the nation.
1t was perhaps Il of the most repre-.
sentative gatherings that have ever
met to consider a great public question
in that historic mansion. The occa.
sion was the conference by President
Roosevelt with the Governors of ,prac-
tiCally all the States and Territories to
consider the broad question Of conser
walton of the country's natural re-
sources.
The men who know how the natural
Of the country have been
wasted-captains of industry who have
dealt with these and experts
who have studied the conditions-told
of the nations prodigality in the X
p%loitation and consumption Of it's nat,
ural resources.
Representing the government were
the President of the United States, the
Vice President, the cabinet, justices of
the United States Supreme Court and
members of both houses of Congress.
The States We're represented by their
chief executives and the cOnferees ap-
pointed by them. The industries were
represented by Andrew Carnegie, the
iron master; James J.. Hill, the genius
of railway expansion; John Mitchell,
the labor leader; Prof. T. C. Chamber
lin of the University of Chicago, and
Dr.. l. c.. White. State geologist of
West Virginia and perhaps the leading
expert on coal in the United States.
The specially invited guests included
three men mentioned as Democratic
presidential candidates-William Jen-
nings Bryan, Judge George Gray of
Delaware and Gov. John 4. Johnson of
Minnesota. The subjects considered in
clud"d the use and conservation of
mineral resources, resources of the
land and of the waters.
The conference was opened by the
President with an address on "COnser-
walton as a National Duty The pro-
gram for the day included addresses by
Andrew Carnegie on Ores and Related
Minerals," anu by DR.. |. c. White. pro
fcssor of geology, University of West
Virgil ia, and State geologist of that
tate. on mineral Fuels" Former
President John Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers of America. led the gen
eral discussion on coal mining.
The Presidents speech is not contro,
~versial. Nor is it an alarm cry to the
people. 1t does not even voice a de,
mand for remedial legislation. On the
contrary it is a simple plea couched in
busincsSlike and statesmanlike terms for
constructive action upon the WeightieSt
problem now before the nation. Upon
the practical. homely plea that a father
must provide for his sons Mr.. Roosevelt
rests his whole case. Using almost the
same figure Mr.. Clifford Pinchot has re.
ccntly said; We have hitherto as a
nation taken the same course as does
at first the young nal who comes into
possession of his property. 1t is time for
a change
Our Wonderfully rapid development has
led us to destroy nrcdlessly our forests
to waste our mineral wealth in careless
mining and still more careless use. tC
exhaust our soils and to ruthlessly neglect
,ur rivers for the sake of faster trans
portation by steam. Our duty to the
next generation makes it imperative that
we should do better in all these respects
How this new business system shall
be installed or what form it shall take
the President does not attempt to dictate
Having called together Il national council
he properly leaves the ways and means
to the determination of the councillors
laying down only the policy of Washing
ton that water ways. forests. agricul
tural and mineral wealth should be treat
ed as one indivisible subject in all plan:
made for their proper use and conserva
ton. He closes by citing important ju
dicial decisions indicating how far such
plans may go under the Fundamental