The Topeka state journal., 1908-12-09
More Than 80 States Represent
ed by Chief Executives
At the National Conservation
Commission Conference.
THE MINERAL SECTION
Submits a Report Through Sem
atOr Flint of California.
Says We Are Wasting a Million
Dollars a Day.

Washington, Dec. 9.-The national
conservation commission today began
conference with the governors of
the different states, with the probable
result that some concrete plan will be
mapped out for the conservation of
the nations natural resources More
than 80 states were represented by
their chief executives. Much of the
time at today's session was devoted to
reports on water. forest, land and
mineral resources, these being in the
form of an inventory of resources, a
work in which the commission has
been vigorously engaged since the
White house conference last May.
The report of the commission was
presented by former Governor
Blanchard of Louisiana. Mr.. Blanch-
ard urged the appointment of a per-
manent conservation commission and
said that the investigation of the
cOuntry'S natural resources had not
been yet thorough enough to afford
an adequate knowledge of how to con-
serve them. Our national efficiency
he declared, depends upon our natural
resources and private ownership of
them should be regarded a public
trust. The responsibility for the pre-
servation of the forests, he pointed
the states and nation.
Senator Newlands of Nevada, spoke
of the Importance of the conservation
commission work and the need for its
permanency with suitable appropria-
tions, and upon his motion, seconded
by Senator Smoot of Utah, a COM
mtttee will be appointed to present
the question to congress.
Mineral Resources
Senator Flint of California, pre-
sented the report of the mineral sec
uon of the commission.
In submitting the report Senator
Flint made an address in explanation.
He predicted the supplies of high grade
iron ores will be consumed by the mid
die of the present century high grade
available coal by the middle of the next
century; copper, lead, zinc and precious
metals by the end of the present CEN
tury and phosphate rock, so essential
to soil fertility within % years at the
present rate of use and waste. He de-
cried wastes OF natural resources,
charged that enough natural gas to
light all the large cities of the United
States of over 1000 population is escap-
ing into the atmosphere, and that ap-
proXimately one million dollars day is
being wasted in coal mining and other
mineral products. He pointed out that
there are only one trillion, four hum
dred billion tons of easily accessible
available coal for mining under present
conditions, three billion. eight hundred
and forty million tons of high grade
iron ores and SO billion tons of low
grade IRON ores Ine American people,
he contended were ready to pay what
ever increase in the cost of the fuel
may be necessary to guarantee safety
to miners and saving of fuel which be-
longs to the next generation. The fed
eral government, however, must look to
the states for such protection.
The chief waste in oil supplies, the
senator said, is in their extensive use
for fuel as for lOcom motives, for which
purpose coal might be substituted, leav-
ing the principal use for petroleum in
isolated districts, where there are no
available substitutes.
Discovery of other deposits in the
middle and western states to prolong
the life of petroleum and natural gas
was indicated. he added.