Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-14
President, Governors and Lead
ing Citizens Consider Preser-
walton of Its Resources.
BEING RAPIDLY EXHAUSTED,
J. J. Hill characterized Confer
ence as Directors Meeting Of
Political Corporation.
Gov. johnson, ON Invitation OF Presi-
dent, Presided at Morning, and
Gov. Dcnccn at Afternoon.

Washington, May f4.-'rhe second
days conference at the White House
between President Roosevelt and tho
governors OF tho various states and
territories for the consideration of the
question OF the conservation of tho
natural resources of the country. met
this morning at 10 O'clock President
Roosevelt called the meeting to order
after which he invited Gov. John A.
Johnson of Minnesota to preside. Per-
maps the most distinguished speaker
was James j. Hill, chairman of tn.
board OF directors of the Great North
ern railroad on The Natural Wealth
OF the Land in Its Conservation. Then
Followed addresses by Prof. r. q.
Chamberlain Of Chicago. president of
'he American Association for the Ad-
EahCement of Science, on soil Vast
age and by Il. A. Long OF Kansas
City, on Forest Conservation" A
general discussion OF the subjects OF
the addresses was then begun in which
Il number participated.
Al the afternoon session. Land Re.
sources. viii be the theme of discus
sion. Addresses will be made by form.
| er governor OF California, George @
| Pardee on '.Resources Related to H.
| Ilsatlon,' and by the president of the
american National Livestock associa.
'loh a. A. Jastro, of Bakersfield, Cal.
on Grazing and Stock Raising Thn
general discussion of these subiects
WIZ be opened by former United states
Senator Joseph NJ. Carey, of Cheyenne,
Wyo.
Clifford Pinchot chief Of the bureau
| OF forestry, will give a reception to.
| night to meet the governors and tho
members of the inland waterways
| commission.
AN ANIMATED SCENE.
The scene previous TO calling ma
conference together by President
| Roosevelt was one of animated discus
sion. Notwithstanding the intense
heat In the east room every available
seat was occupied President Roose-
! welt. upon calling the delegates TO ar
! der, announced that Gov. Deneen OF
illinois, would preside at the after
| noon session The president then an
nounced James j. Hill chairman of the
board OF directors OF the Great North
ern railroad. as the first speaker of
| the morning session. He was given
| an ovation
HAPPY ILLUSTRATION.
Mr.. Hill said that In some respects
the occasion that called together the
present asseinblage is unprecedented
1t liz in effect" said he. "a directors
meeting of the geat political and eco
nomic corporation known as the United
states of America The stockholders
are the 81 million people of this coun-
try; the directors are the state and
federal officers whose position brings
them in touch with the operations of
the whole country. We should not fail
to recognize the high note that has been
struck and the immensely of the inter
ests involved upon the lives of millions
yet to be"
Mr. Hill said that for the first time
there is u formal national protest. un-
der seal OF the highest authority,
against economic waste.
May We not hope that from this
gathering there may be born not only
wiser system Of using the stu re,
manning resources of this country but
Il cooperation between nation and state
that shall be as helpful in our political
as these deliberations ought to be IN
our economic future?"
WORLD A SMALL PLACE.
Continuing. Mr.. Hill said in part
In the movement OF modern times,
which has made the world commercial
~ a small place and has produced a
solidarity or the race. such as never
before existed, we have come to tn,
point where we must 20 a certain eX-
tent regard the natural resourcese of
this planet az a common asset, compare
them with demands now made and like
~ to be made upon them and study
their tudiciOus use. If We fail TO con-
slider what we possess OF wealth avail
able for tho uses OF mankind and to
what extent we are wasting Il natural
pattmony that can never be restored.
we might be lilSeued 10 the directors OF
n company who never examine n bal
anco sheet.
"The resources ~ the sea furnish
less than per cent or the food sup
ply, and that IS all, The forests OF
this country. the product OF centuries
OF growth, are fast disappearing The
mineral wealth stored in the earth
can he used only once, When fuel
and iron become scarce and high
priced civilization, as far AZ we can
now forsee. will suffer as man would
suffer by the gradual withdrawal OF
the air lac broathes.
COAL SUPPLY EXHAUSTION.
Tho exhaustion OF our coal supply
Is not In the indefinite future. The
most favorable view OF the situation
forces the conclusion that iron and
coal viii not be available FOR com
mon use on anything liko present
terms before the end Of this century
and our Industrial. social aud political
strains imposed by new conditions
Nov we turn 10 the only remain
ing resource of man upon This earth,
which is the soil Itself
MIR lin went on To- show thar IN
500 the total unnppropriatod public
lands in the United states consisted II
702. 900, 900 acres
or this area tho divisions NJ Alaska,
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idhho,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and
wyoming contained lg7iOO0Oo acres
Of surveyed and 800, 100000 acres of
unsurvoyed land. Little OF Alaska
was fitted he said, for general asH-
culture while practically al OF the
rest Is semi-arid land available only
Tor grazing or irrigation.
1--WE have" said ne. "subtraeting
,,,.se totals. 5O. 600. 900 acres or sur
viewed ana 49, 500, 900 acres Of unsur-
,,av.d land as our actual remaining
stock. ana 2i 100000 acres we're ais-
nosed of In 1907 How long VIII inc -
, ,t.t,,., tsna Iast2 No longer ca