East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-13
GREATEST CONFERENCE IN HISTORY
Of AMERICA CONVENED BY ROOSEVELT

Washington, May 13.-Governors OF
many states, senators, representatives
cabinet members, heads of great com
merclal and industrial bodies. labor
leaders, corporation presidents and
men distinguished In other walks OF
life, assembled today In the East
Room OF the White House as the
guests of President Roosevelt. and in
augurated a conference which Is like
ly to go down In history as the most
notable OF its kind ever held in the
United States. The conservation OF
the natural resources Of the country,
its forests and waterways, is the sub
ject which will occupy the attention
OF the famous delegates during the
three days OF the meeting. President
Roosevelt presided at the opening OF
the conference, declaring that the
subject under discussion is the most
weighty question now before the peo-
pie Of the United States. Two sessions
will be held each day of the confer
ence
President Roosevelt's first an
nouncement OF the present conference
was made during the course OF his
address at Memphis on October last,
while he was making his famous trip
down the Mississippi. The meeting
was at first scheduled for January,
but for various reasons II was post
poned.
May BE Permanent.
II Is believed that a permanent or
ganlzation. wider in its scope and
more influential than any similar
body will be organized as a result OF
the conference opened today.
or the subjects outlined by the pres
ident for consideration, that of the
improvement OF the nations inland
waterways is looked upon as the most
important.
The conversion OF the Mississippi
river into a deep waterway will be
taken up.
Coupled with this are the saving OF
the forests, the control of floods, the
preservation OF soil erosion and the
conservation Of the supply OF coal
iron and other mineral resources.
Special attention will be given to soil
erosion by the Missouri river and Its
tributaries. Investigation by the ex-
perts OF the department of agriculture
shows that thousands OF acres OF rich
land along the Missouri has been car
ried away to the gulf.
Systematic Irrigation.
Means OF systematic irrigation and
drainage in the far west without ex-
haustlng the streams will be sought.
Uniform laws among the states of
the west and southwest for the devel-
opment Of arid lands by the economi-
cal use OF the streams will be urged.
One OF the most important addresses
Of the conference will be that OF Presi-
dent James J. Hill OF the Great Nor
thern railway who received a special
invitation from President Roosevelt
His subject will be "The Relation Be-
tween Rail and Water Transporta-
ton"
Mr.. Hill's discussion inevitably will
lead him TO a consideration OF the |
competitive relations between the |
railroads and the canals OF the coun- |
try, and he is expected to touch upon |
the significant revelations which re- |
Gently have been made through gov
ernment Investigations into that sub
ject. The internal waterways OF the |
country always have been an import
ant check on railway freight rates
Now that the freight business of |
America has grown beyond the rail-
roads, II is necessary that the internal |
waterways should be taken into inn
portant consideration.
Notable Speakers.
Other notable addresses will be
made by William Jennings Bryan. An
drew Carnegie and John Mitchell,
former president of the United Mine
Workers of America. All Of the Wis
iting governors will take part in the
general discussion. following the pre-
sentation of reports by numerous eX-
perts on the various subjects under
consideration. Governor Hughes of
New York Is in attendance and is ac-
companled by President Nicholas
Murray Butler of Columbia universi-
ty, and President Jacob Gould Schur-
man of Cornell university, two of the
best known educators of the country
In regard to the purposes of the
conference President Roosevelt said;
"The natural resources of the terri
tory of the United States were at the
time OF the settlement, richer, more
varied and more available than those
OF any other equal area on the surface
of the earth The development Of these
resources has given u.s. for more than
a century, a rate of increase in popu
latlon and wealth undreamed OF by the
men who founded our government,
and without parallel in history. 1t is
obvious that the prosperity which we
now enjoy rests directly upon these
resources. 1t is equally obvious that
the vlgor and success which we desire
and foresee for this nation in the fu
ture must have this as the ultimate
material basis.
Must Look Ahead.
"Tn view of these evident facts II
seems to me that for the country to
take account Of its natural resources
and to inquire how long they are
likely to last. We are prosperous
now: we should not forget that 1t will
be Just MS important to our descend
ants to be prosperous in their time as /
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