Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-09

the courtrv. representatives of the great
est commercial bodies and leaders in the
lab Dor world and the world of railroads
and capital.
President Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft were
the star figures of the gathering. Clifford
Pinchot, the chief forester, Introduces.
Mr. Taft. who presided over the meeting
Mr.. Pinchot said that the meeting was
the outcome of the governors conference
at he White House last year. Since then
the experts of the government had been
gathering a great mass OF STATISTICS as
10 the natural resources of the country.
and Mr. Taft would be able to tell
them something of the plans for the con-
servation work.
MIR. Taft was welcomed with prolonged
applause. in which the President led
The cheering lasted so long that AR.
Taft had hard work getting hearing
When he did he spoke only briefly, TO
introduce the President.
Then the cheering broke out in a fresh
place and Mr. Roosevelt seemed to ENJOY
it. laughing like boy.
The Presidents Address.
The President said
Judge Taft. governors, representa-
tives of the states and the great national
organiza tons, members Of the national
conservatio commission, ladies and gen.
tlemen:
II welcome you to Washington and to
the work you have gathered to do. NO
service TO the nation in time OF peace
could be of greater worth than the work
which has brought you together You
have come here to make this nation iu-
ture as great and happy as its present.
1t is the largest national task OF today,
and thank you for making ready to un-
der AXE it.
IF you do no more than fix the ma
tional attention upon the problem you
-ntI n
our future that you are here: and 1t IS
to the credit OF our country that In this
matter it should take the lead among
the nations of the world.
The prudent business man regularly
takes account of stock, so that he may
know just where he stands; but nations
have been slow to profit by the wise eX-
ample The United States is substan-
TALLY the first nation to inventory Its
stock on hand and it has only begun to
do SO in any definite way within the last
few months.
Last May the governors of the states
and territories met in the White House
to confer with each other and with the
national welfare. They united in a men,
orable declaration which should hang
on the wall in every school
"One outcome of the conference at
which the declaration was adopted was
the appointment of the national conser-
was to prepare an inventory Of the nat
ural resources of our country--those re-
sources which are, in the language of
the governors. the foundations of our
prosperity. It's report is to be used by
the President in transmitting to Con-
gress information as to the state of the
Union far as natural resources are
concerned.
Animated by Public Spirit.
of orS.
and representatives. members of the ex-
ecutlve departments ard philosophical
private citizens familiar with particular
resources. 1t is wholly without funds and
it has, therefore. depended altogether on
the public spirit of its members and the
cooperation of the executive departments
at Washington and i'm the several states.
especially the scientific and statistical bu-
reaus. It's work has brought these bu-
reaus into closer and more effective CO.
operation than ever before, and for this
reason its results will rank as by far the
most useful statement of the national re-
sources ever prepared in any country.
Each bureau. without relaxing its
regular work. mas collected and Summar-
lied the results of its past work and has
contributed them to the commission. l
desire to make special acknowledgement
TO the men who have so cheerfully and
successfully accepted and carried out this
additional task. They have rendered u
real service to the whole nation at the
cost OF great personal sacrifice of time
and effort to themselves. And the best
Of it all was the admirable spirit of CO.
operat ion which cilarart erized the whole
work.
Il am especially glad to welcome the
cooperation OF the states. through their
conservation commission and otherwise.
Such cooperation gives earnest of mu-
tual assistance between states and nation
and mutual benefits to follow. Without 1t
the great task of perpetuatinE the ma
t:onal welfare would succeed with dlff-
Guilty. If states and nation work for 1t
together, all In their several fields, and
all Joining heartily where the field L. com
mon. we certain Of success i'll ad-
vance.
THE national organizations concerned
with natural resources. such as the great
engine ering societies. the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress which is now hold
ing it's fifth convention: the Southern
Commercial Congress. also III session
which has made SO excellent beginning
all these and many others have joined
in the work in way t" gladden. the
heart of every patriotic American.
Rivers and Harbors.
"A special word is due the National
Rivers and Iiarbors Congress. 1t is the
one organization that is advocating a wa
terway policy and not waterway prof.
oJl, anu Is ndI1Ofltil III us SCopc, loI IL
represents practically all the friends Of
waterway improvement in these United
States. The question of river and harbor
improvements and the benefit that such
will bring To the producer ard the con-
sumer has. through its work. been favor
ably and prominently brought to the at
tention Of the country.
''Prominent commercial organizations
and men OF character and influence
throughout practically every section of
the country are enlisted In the cause it
represents. Its work. being strictly ma
tional and in no sense sectional, merits
and should receive the support of our citi-
ZenS.
II thank all these organizations. The
results of he inventory of resources will
be laid before the present conference by
the national conservation commission. /
shall not attempt to review these results
further tGan to say that the more striking
facts brought ont at the conference last
May were confirmed.
These facts SOLDERING. No right
minded citizen would stop the proper
Of our resources but every good American
rp;flZn that iopal imDrOViJpnce