The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-06-13
WISE NATIONAL POLICY.
Resolutions of the Governors Conference
"Let Us Conserve the Foundations
of Our ProsDeritv."

ated by the recent conference of gov
errors held at the White House in
Washington at the instance and call
of President Roosevelt. In order that
| readers of The Chief may familiarize
| themselves with the declaration of the
conference we reproduced herewith the
report ofthe committee on resolutions
as presented by the chairman, Gov.
Blanchard of Louisiana, and unani-
mously adopted by the distinguished
assembly:
"We, the governors of the state
and territories of the United States of
| America, in conference assembled, do
hereby declare the conviction that
the great prosperity of our country
rests upon the abundant resources of
the land chosen by our forefathers for
their home and where they laid the
found alton of this great nation.
1--WE look upon these resources as
fishing and promoting the comfort,
prosperity and happiness of the Amer
lean people, but not to be wasted,
deteriorated or needlessly destroyed.
We agree that our country's future is
involved in this; that the great natural
resources supply the material basis
upon which our civilization must con-
tinue to depend, and upon which the
perpetuity of the nation rests.
''We agree, in the light of facts
brought 20 our knowledge and from
inform alton received from sources
which we can not doubt, that this ma
terial basis is threatened with ex-
haustion. Even as each succeeding
generation from the birth of the nation
has performed its part in promoting
the progress ana development of the
republic, SO do we in this generation
recognize it as a high duty to per-
form our part, and this duty in large
degree is in the adoption of measures
for the conservation of the natural
wealth of the country. We declare
our firm conviction that this conser-
walton Of our natural resources is
subject of transcendent Importance,
which should engage unremittingly
the attention of the nation, the states
and the people in earnest cooper alton.
"We agree that the land should be
so used that erosion and soil wash
should cease; that there should be
reclamation OF arid and semi.arid re-
gions by means of irrigation, and
swamp and overlooked regions by
means of drainage; that the waters
should be SO conserved and used as 10
promote navigation, to enable the arid
regions to be reclaimed by irrigation
and to develop power in the interests
of the people; that the forests which
regulate our rivers, support our in
dustries and promote the fertility and
productiveness of the soil, should be
preserved and perpetuated; that the
minerals found so abuudantly beneath
the surface should be SO used as to
prolong their utility; that the beauty,
healthfulness and habitability of our
country should be preserved and in
creased; that the sources of national
wealth exist for the benefit of all the
people, and that the monopoly thereof
should not be tolerated.
eve commend the wise forethought
Of the president ia sounding the note
of warning as to the waste and ex-
haustion Of the natural resources of
the country, and signify our appreci-
alton of his action in calling this con-
ference to consider the same and to
seek remedies therefor.
"We agree that this cooperation |
should find expression in suitable &C. |
ton by the congress within the limits |
OF, and co-extensiye with, the nation al |
jurisdiction of the subject, and, COM
Elementary thereto, by the legisla-
lures of the several states.
1--WE declare the conviction tn at in
the use of the natural resources our in
dependent states are interdependent
and bound together by ties of mutual
bonds, responsibilities and duties.
''We agree in the wisdom of the fu-
ture conference between the president,
members of congress and the govern
ors of the states regarding the eonser-
walton of the natural resources, with
the view of cooper alton and action
on the lines suggested, and to this
end we advise that from time to time,
rs in his Judgment may seem wise, the
president call the governors of the
states, members OF congress and 9TH
ers into conference.
"We agree that further action is ad-
visahle to ascertain the present con-
dition OF our natural resources and to
promote the consers alton of the same, |
and to that end we recommend the ap-
pointment by each state of commits
sion on the conserv alton of natural
resources, to cooperate with each
other and with any similar commits
sion on behalf of the federal govern
ment.
"We urge the continuation and ex-
tension of forest policies adapted to
secure the outstanding and renewal
Of our diminishing timber supply, the
of soil erosion, the protec-
lion of headwaters, and the mainte-
nance of the purity and navigability
Of our streams. We recognize that
,he private ownership of forest lands
entails responsibilities on the owners
n the interest of all the people, and
We favor the enactment of laws look-
ing to the protection and replacement
Of privately owned forests.
''We realize in our waters most
asset of the people of the
United States, and We recommend the
enactment of laws looking to their
to the end that navi-
Fable and source streams may be