Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-05-16
THE GOVERNORS SHOW
GREAT ENTHUSIASM
Adopt Resolutions For Preservation 0
Country'S Resources, But Recon-
mend No Specific Legislation.

be enjoyed. In these cases, the state
has not acted or cannot act; therefore,
l hold the nation should act.
Where the policy l advocate can be
carried out by the state let it be car
ried out by the state; where it can be
carried out best by the nation. let it
be carried out by the nation. My con-
cern is not with the academic side Of
the question; l deal with the matter
practically from the standpoint of true
| popular interest; and therefore my de-
sire is to employ indifferently either
| the principle of states rights or the
principle of national sovereignty,
| whichever in a given case will best
| conserve the needs of the people,
The declaration upon which the
| Presidents remarks were predicated
| was presented to the conference by
Gov. Blanchard of Louisiana at the
opening Of the session, shortly after 10
o'clock. After reading it Gov. Blanch
ard stated that it proceeded upon broad
lines. and purposely avoided making
specific endorsements of desired pro-
jects or legislation. 1t follows:
1--WE, the governors of the states
dIC leIIltol les VI lIe oEllcu
of America in conference assembled,
do hereby declare the conviction that
the great prosperity OF our country
rests upon the abundant resources of
the land chosen by our forefathers
for their homes and where they laid
the foundation of this great nation.
We look upon these resources as Il
heritage to be made use of in estab-
fishing and promoting the comfort,
prosperity and happiness of the Amer
lean people, but not to be wasted, de-
Perforated or needlessly destroyed.
I'VE agree that our country's fu-
ture is involved in this; that the great
natural resources supply the material
basis upon which our civilization must
continue to depend and upon which
the pcrpctuity of the nation itself
rests.
I'VE agree in the light of facts
brought to our knowledge and from in
formation received from sources which
we cannot doubt, that this material
basis is threatened with exhaustion.
I'VE declare our firm conviction that
conservation of our natural resources
is a subject of transcendent import
ance, which should engage unremit-
tingly the attention of the nation, the
states and the people in earnest CO.
operation.
1--WE agree that the land should be
so used that erosion and soil wash
should cease, that there should be
reclamation of arid and seni-arid
regions by means of irrigation, and of
swamp and overflowed regions by
means of drainage, that the water
should pc so conserved and used as to
promote navigation. to enable the arid
region to be reclaimed by irrigation
and to develop power in the interests
of the people, that the forests which
regulate our rivers, support our indus
tries and promote the fertility and
productiVeness of the soil should be
preserved and perpetuated. that the
minerals found SO abundantly beneath
the surface should be 50 used as to,
prolong their utility, that the healthi-
ness and habitability of our country
should be preserved and increased.
that the sources of national wealth
exist for the benefit of all the people,
and that the monopoly thereof should
not be tolerated.
"We commend the wise forethcught
of the President in sounding this note
of warning as to the waste and ex-
haustion of the natural resources Of
the country and signify our high ap-
probation of his action in calling this
conference to consider the same and
to seek remedies through cooperation
of the nation and the states.
I'VE agree that this corporation
should find expression in suitable ac-
tion by the Congress within the limits
Of, and cooperative with. the national
jurisdiction of the subject, and, sup
Elementary thereto, by the Lcgisla-
lures of the several states within the
limits of, and co-eXtensive with their
jurisdiction.
eve declare the conviction that in the
use of the natural resources our inde-
pendent states are interdependent and
Continued on Page Twelve.)