Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-14
EXECUTIVE MAKES
A STRONG SPEECH
POINTS OUT HOW RESOURCES
OF COUNTRY HAVE BEEN
WASTED AND PLEADS TO PRE-
VENT FURTHER LOSSES.

the assemblage of the most distin.
gulshed figures In the political and In
dustrlal life of the nation. The occas-
lon was the conference by President
Roosevelt with the governors Of
practically all the states and territor-
les to consider the broad question Of
the conservation Of the country's nat
ural resources. The conference will
continue through Friday.
Representing the government was
the President of the United States,
the vice president, the cabinet, JUS
tlces OF the supreme court and mem.
bers OF both houses of congress.
The states were represented by
their chief executives and conferees
appointed by them.
Inc industries We're represented by
Andrew Carnegie, James j. Hill, John
Mitchell and DR.. l. G. White of West
Virginia, perhaps the leading expert
on coal in the United States.
The specially invited guests includ-
ed VIM j. Bryan, Judge Gee.sGray
and Governor John A. Johnson.
The Subjects to be Considered.
The subjects to be considered in.
clude the use and conservation of the
| mineral resources and resources OF
land and waters. The conference is
the outgrowth of the recommendation
of the inland waterways conventions
to the President.
Long before o'clock, when the con-
ference was called to order in the
famous East Room in the White
House by President Roosevelt, those
who take part in the great gathering
began to arrive. The President re-
ceived the governors and shortly
thereafter assembled in the East
room. The conference was opened by
the President with an address on
Conservation as National Duty
This was followed by addresses by
Andrew Carnegie, DR.. I. G. White and
John Mitchell.
| Members are Photographed.
At II o'clock the President raped
the conference to order. Following
the invocation by Chaplain Hale OF
the senate, the President began his
address to the governors. He was
frequently interrupted by applause
and cheers The committee on resolu-
session ended at noon
Il L
vice president gave an informal re-
ception, after which they, with the
governors and specially invited
guests, assembled on the white
House portico, where several group
photographs were made.
7. The Presidents Address.
President Roosevelt in an exhaus.
tive address, in which he reviewed
the waste of the country's resources
in the past and urged their future
conservation, said:
Governors of the Several States and
Gentlemen:
| welcome you to this conference at
the White House. You have come
hither at my request so that we may
join together to consider the question
of the conservation and use Of the
great fundamental sources of this ma
tion. So vital is this question, that for
the first time in our history the chief
executive officers Of the states separ-
ately and of the states together form.
ing the nation have met to consider it.
With the governors come men from
each state chosen for their special ac-
quaintance with the terms of the prob
+ lSll IudI lS DelOTe us. among IQem
are experts in natural resources and
representatives of national organiza.
tions concerned in the development
and use of these resources; the sena.
tors and representatives in congress
the supreme court, the cabinet, and
the inland waterways commission
have likewise been invited to the con.
ference, which is therefore national in
, a peculiar sense.
Weishtiest Problem Now Before the
Nation.
The conference on the conservation
of natural resources is in effect 8
meeting of the representatives Of all
the people of the United States called
to consider the weightiest problem
now before the nation; and the occas
ion for the meeting lies In the fact
that the natural resources of ouI
7 country are In danger of exhaustion II
Continued on page 81