Gilpin observer., 1908-05-21
GOVERNOR BucHTEL DESCRIBES
THE CONFERENCE AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
SPIRIT OF UNaNIMITY
ALL PARTIES AGREE ON POLICY
OF PRESERVING OUR NATION
AL RESOURCES.

Denver-Filled with enthusiasm
concerning the policies of President
Roosevelt for the conservation of ma
tural resources, Governor II. A. Buch-
tel returned from Washington Sunday
after several days spent in conference
with the President, the governors of
all but five states in the union and the
heads of prominent commercial or
ganizations, justices of the Supreme
Court and Cabinet officers.
In discussing the conference Cover
nor Buchtel said:
For the first time in the history of
the republic the governors of all the
states were invited by the President to
attend conference for the considera-
tion of matters of supreme Importance
to the people of the whole nation. Pos
Sibly half dozen of the governors
were not present. The members Of the
Cabinet and the Justices of the Su-
preme Court were in attendance at
quite all the sessions. Various public
officials connected with the Depart
mcnts of the Interior and Agriculture
were present as the discussions were
concerning matters with which they
are constantly employed. Four gener-
al subjects were considered, namely,
forests, water, minerals and land. All
the men in the conference were seek
ing points OF contact and not points of
divergence. If any one came upon
discordant note, by inattention, no
one gave ii any attention. The notes of
concord were vigorously applauded.
Il sat for three days where l could
stretch ont my hand and touch the
President and Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Car
negie and John Mitchell and James ].
Hill, with the governors of nearly all
the states sitting within a radius of
twenty-five feet from the front row of
chairs. 1t was indeed worth journey
across the continent to see Mr.. Bryan
and John Mitchell and James ]. Hill
and Andrew Carnegie and all the gov
ernors applauding vigorously and
shouting in approval of what the Pres
ident was saying. This happened net
once, but many times. Then it was
quite as delightful to see the President
and all the governors applauding with
equal vigor while Mr. Bryan and Mr..
Hill and Mr.. Carnegie and Mr.. Nit
chell were speaking.
THE conferee from nearly all the
states were present and participated
in the discussions as afforded. Colora-
do had five conferees, namely, f. NJ.
Cranston, w. l.. Hartman and r. w.
Jaycox by my appointment. F. C.
Goudy was present as the president of
the National Irrigation Congress, and
Mrs. Platt-Decker was present as pres
ident of the National Federation of
Women's Clubs. Mrs. Decker was the
only woman in attendance at the meet
ings of the conference. Mrs. Hart
man was with her husband and was
guest at the garden party which Mrs.
Roosevelt gave Friday afternoon to all
the members of the conference and
other members of their families who
We're in Washington.
1.-The first social function was the
Presidents dinner on Tuesday night.
The governors and the Supreme
Court and the Cabinet and the special
guests were at that dinner. After
the dinner the whole company went
out on the west terrace, where an hour
was spent in general conversation.
Each guest had now opportunity to
make the acquaintance of all the other
guests. No one ever saw more DEM
ocratic gathering. The only place on
earth where such company of dis
tinguished men, thoroughly democrat
ic in spirit, could be brought together
is at the White House in Washington.
All questions were open and all were
discussed with a freedom which be.
longed to the nobility of these eminent
men.
"At one moment saw Roosevelt
and Bryan facing each other, in friend
ly debate, with three justices of the
Supreme Court, Fuller, Brewer and
Holmes, and two cabinet officers and
FOUR governors listening. At the next
moment the groups were change
about and you saw dozen different
groups, all in jolly humor. No one ven
tured to tell story unless he was sure
that it was good one. But there were
stories in plenty"