The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-05-22
THE NATIONS GREATEST
PERIL IS WASTE
President and Governors Consider
Grave Problem.

| Washington Especial .-P President
Roosevelt at IL o'clock A. NJ, called
to order an assemblage in the East
Room of the White House composed
| OF such distinguished men as have
rarely been gathered In that historic
apartment. It was the opening ses-
sion of the Conference Of the Gov
ernors called together to consider the
questions of the conservation of the
country's natural resources. Facing
the President were governors of 40
states and territories, distinguished
men in political and industrial life,
cabinet officers, members of the SUI
preme Court and distinguished men
from all over the country who came
| as delegates and advisors to the gov
ernors.
The East Room had been trans
formed into great convention hall,
| as it were, for the entire space of
the floor was filed with gilt chairs
arranged in semicircle. Along the
east wall had been erected long,
| raised platform, covered with green
plush and bordered with gilded cord.
Two immense maps representing the
United States, framed in green plush,
adorned the walls. These maps were
prepared by the Forest Service and
showed in many colors the distribu-
ton of the natural resources IN the
various states. In the center of the
wall was erected a tall frame for
transparent pictures showing the for
ests or mines of the country. This
great frame was flanked on either
side by an American flag and the
PRESIDENTS flags as commander-ip-
chief OF the Army and commander-in-
chief of the Navy. Great green plush
chairs were arranged on the plat
form for the President, as the presid-
ing officer, and the Cabinet and mem
bers of the Supreme Court. The On
ly flowers in the room were immense
vases OF American Beauty roses on
the mante1s.
President Warmly Greeted.
For nearly an hour before the
President called the session to order
the governors and the other guests
began to arrive, and for a time the
East Room presented quite an ami
mated scene. Governors John A.
Johnson. of Minnesota, and Hughes,
of New York, were among the early
arrivals and were the center of at.
traction. William Jennings BRYAN
who was one of the distinguished in
yfted guests, came in early and soon
found himself surrounded. Andrew
Carnegie, James J. Hill and John
Mitchell, and Judge George Gray, of
Delaware, also arrived early and took
front seats. 1t was exactly IL o'clock
when the Marine Band announced the
arrival of the President. With the
fanfare of trumpets the President
entered the East Room, accompanied
by his military and naval aids. and
with Vice President Fairbanks,
marched down the aisle and mount
ed the platform. The governors and
delegates arose as the two distin-
guished men entered the hall and be-
gan applauding them. The President
and Vice President mounted the plat
form and the President the seat of
the presiding officer with the Vice
President on his left.
There was no delay in starting
the convention. After the President
had bowed his acknowledgements
Rev. DR.. Edward Everett Hale. the
chaplain OF the Senate, arose. and
standing beside the Presidents chair
delivered the invocation and asked
for Heavens help in the deliberations
OF the conference. The President
then arose and was again greeted
with applause, and Immediately be-
gan his speech of welcome, taking
as his text Conservation as a Nation
al Duty" He spoke with great earn
estness and feeling, and was often
interrupted by applause. For sol
minutes he spoke with all the force
and energy with which he is known.
and was listened to most closely
throughout. Just before he closed
he startled the assemblage somewhat,
after paying a tribute to the Inland
Waterways Commission, by declaring
that if Congress failed to heed his
request for money to perpetuate the
Inland Waterways Commission ~
shall do it myself" This brought
forth loud applause, with cheers and
some laughter from the delegates.
The President Joined in the laughter
himself, seeing how the audience was
taking his words, and then said: II
was compelled to bring this commits
sion into existence myself. / asked
Congress to appropriate the sufficient
amount of money for that purpose.
Congress did not see fit to do so.
Now l have asked Congress for suf-
ficient sum of money to perpetuate
the Inland Waterways Commission,
and if Congress does not appropriate
the money will perpetuate the COM
.oicoi0U raucoIf