The San Francisco call., 1908-05-16
SHORTS MONOPOLY
MESSAGE UNREAD
Conference of Governors Wants
No DfscOrdant Note From
Fresno Man
Great Gathering Ends With Dec
laration of Future Co
operation
spEcIAL Z DISPATCH TO THE CALL


to deliver his address to the confer
ence of governors according to
schedule ON account of a peculiar in
cident. When his turn came to speak
he arose and produced a manuscript
that was evidently much too volum-
nous to be read in the time allotted.
He had NOT made much headway before
one of the governors suggested that
Pardee's time be extended to one hour.
Il hear 1ao second to the motion" I"
said President Roosevelt, and Pardee
was asked to proceed. He abandoned
his manuscript and cut his remarks so
short that he finished in few mo-
ments.
Another californian -who did not have
a chance TO unburden himself to the
governors was Frank H. Short of
Fresno. EIe wanted to tell the gov
ernors what a mistake was being made
by the president in trying to limit the
rights of way granted to water power
companies and to charge them for the
use they make of the public resources.
But he fotlnd the temper of the con-
ference was entirely against him and
that it would not be wise to attempt
to strike a discordant note.
The managers of the conference did
not find it possible to make room for
Short and he returns to California with
his message from the monopolies un-
delivered.
The first conferences of the govern
ors ended today. The accomplishments
of the conference, which has been in
session at the White House for three
days, cannot be set forth with mathe-
matical precision. That tits immediate
results are more than ample is the ex-
preston of President Roosevelt, who
brought it about, and of the governors
who participated.
The printed record of the conference.
which will later be available to every
American home. will be compilation
conclusion, that the states must act
and that the states and the nation
must cooperate to the end that to the
whole people of the nation may accrue
the lasting benefit of its natural re-
sources.
Perhaps greater in Importance than
all else was the determination of the
governors of the states to perfect
permanent organization whereby a
heretofore unknown intimacy may be
developed among the executives of the
46 sovereign states, made strong by a
pronouncements which may not lightly
be disregarded.
PRESIDENT PREsIDEs
Of the last day the story is one of
many features The set program was
swept aside. The president presided
Throughout He interjected remarks
and speeches. He brought to the plat
form men who made plain the prevail
ing feeling. that thought and care must
/ be exercised for the future. The pre-
pared papers We're not presented, but
they will be printed in the permanent
record Their place was taken first by
the declaration" which was adopted
after discussion, which brought to light
no serious objection to it's affirmation.
Then William ]. Bryan was presented
by the president. He touched the same
chords which had produced the vibra-
'tion of harmony and cooperation. A
! governors discussion brought many
Estate executives to. the platform. but
the product was altogether that of
1 harmony and the sentiments expressed
I We're applauded alike by ALL
President Roosevelt. himself, answer
ing the one criticism-that OF Governor
Folk of Missouri-to the declaration.
aroused the conference to its warmest
demonstration Of approval He swept
aside the academic question" of where
the line of authority should be drawn
between the states and the nation. He
wanted action, and what he said re-
ceived Endorsement at each period. He
eaid:
Where the policy | advocate can be carried ont
best by the state, let 1t be carried out by the
| state; when it can be carried ont best by the ma
ton, let 1t be carried out by the nation Nv CON
Germ is not with the academic side of the oues-
| ton; deal with the matter from the standpoint
Of true popular interest and therefore nv desire
is to employ indinerentIy either the principle of
state rights the principle of national soyer-
eighty, whichever in given case win best con.
serve the needs Of the people
DECLARATION APPROVED
The declaration upon which the pres
ident's remarks were predicated was
presented to the conference by Cover
nor Blanchard of Louisiana at the
opening of the session shortly after 10
o'clock.
This declaration, which is an ex-
tended document, embraces recommen-
dations along general and broad lines,
avoiding specific recommendations for
national or state Legislation. The re-
port is prefaced by reiteration of
what has been said in the conference
regarding the necessity for united ac-
tion which Will. result in the preserva-
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