Putnam patriot., 1908-05-15
\ 1 niQne Conference

There will meet tn the national eapi- inl on May aone Of the most femafka- hie assemhtaFes ever brought together in the nited States The Governors nf almost every state and territory each with three licutenants. the National Inland Waterways commission, The supreme Court Of the uited states and representatives of both houses ot Congress will gather ln the t,asl Room of the N Whiie House to share in con ference presided over hy the President of the uited state, and during the siN sessions, on the lsth, l4lh and 10th, Will endeaAof io formulate I practical programme for the cooperative con sefS alton et the natural resources et The nalion. The pfesefN alton aud pro motion ef lhe nav NiRability II lnland streams, the coHzef alton ef the AA liuu mineral wealth,t the protection oi the soil ftam erosion and cities and fanms from floods, the application of water to arid lands and the removal ot surplus moisture from s~anps, the utilization of power generated by streams and waterfalls, the economic promotion af sanitation and the estah- llShment q hygienie water systems will bc The l1pies discussed,
 Never has such Il conference been held in the While House Hut with That keen otssen alton aud broad dis. comment which afe notable character tstics ol President Roosevelt he has he gouc inn laIeSs,s,i with the necessity ot comprehensive national movement ta conserve the important natural fe- sources v tAe country, so that the in efcasIng demands at modem etNilifa- tlon maN aal exhaust nor individuals monopollEe those sources of wealth which he regards Il, the tod giten her itage, the inherent property, of every citizen and al future generations. An examination of the operations of the federal had state governments has re. Nealed not only absence oi cooperation bat even conflicting effort, while lack of economic know ledge results in al most infinite waste ef wealth and fogccs. Untold units ot power are eNaporated in smoke, in gases, tn the mist rising from lakes and streams. Soil of inealeulahle Aaiue k daily wash. ed from the surface ot the earth into the streams and rivers, only to he drcdged out again al infinite expense and dumped into the sea or used lo construct ieeees, while the farms grow pooref and agricultural production sut. fers.
 Restrictions imposed hy the Gonsti- tuition on the federal government rem der many otherwise proper remedies impractieable. hut the President is con sinced that through thorough under standing of the problems snd cordial eo~opefation oy state and national an. thorllies many evils can te emedied and giant stride taken to promote the national weifare.
 To this end the President has invited the Governors. aud with them thFts iisntenants to he Seleeled hy each, the memters of tlw supreme Court, whose Interest md advice are expected te avert the danger of constitutional pit. falls, the members ef the Waterw sA x ommis,ion, The lawmakers If the ma. gional Legislature, and representatives ot nearly IifIy professional, industrial aad other national and qaa>s-naelle organizations 10 this geai MAsselioa>e conscwnev In his ietier af invitation se the conference President Roosevelt said:
 There k no ether question now he- fas the nation os equal gravity with the question u censerN alton oi our natural