Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-09
WEST TO GUARD
OWN RESOURCES
Conservation Day to Be Held at
Los Angeles During the
Mining Congress
INVITE FOURTEEN GOVERNORS
Chief Executives of Occidental
States to Discuss Practical
Improvement System
INVITE FOURTEEN GOVERNORS

Present plans contemplate the pres
ence of no less than fourteen governors
of western states,' representing the
real interests of conservation for the
western section of the country, at the
national convention of the American
Mining congress to be held in the city
of Los Angeles, September 26 to Oc-
tober 1.
In consenance with the arrangement
partially agreed on some months ago
when the discussion on conservation
began to boil, Governor Gillett of Cali
fornia, Governor Sloan of Arizona and
Governor Dickerson of Nevada have
been requested by wire to send invi-
tations to the fourteen governors to be
present at the mining congress in Los
Angeles, and attend two days sup
Elemental meeting devoted to full dis
cussion of the conservation question
in order that harmonious organization
may be effected, and that those unin-
formed may have a thorough under
standing of the situation as it exists
at present in the great west, not from
a theoretical but from practical
standpoint.
The proposition to hold this gather
ing of governors, as well as individuals
interested in conservation justly con-
sidered, had it's birth at the late meet
ing of governors held in the city of
Salt Lake. At that gathering Sidney
Norman, secretary of the Sierra Madre
club of Los Angeles, represented Gov
ernor Gillett, and James F. Callbreath,
secretary of the American Mining
congress, represented the governor of
Colorado.
WEST DISSATISFIED
Failure to secure proper action from
the standpoint of western miners and
oil men at the meeting held at st.
Paul, has caused the decision reached
to invite the governors of the western
states to Los Angeles by wire.
Judge Frank H. Short of Fresno
voiced the sentiments of the west
when he declared at st. Paul that
great western congress should be held
where the truth could be told, and
where a thorough understanding of
actual conditions could be had.
"In setting aside governors day
and a conservation day on the Off
cial program the managers of the
American Mining congress realized the
turn of events that would be taken
by exponents of conservation theories,
of which the ST. Paul Conservation
congress- attitude toward the western
conservation idea is a conspicuous In
stance
1.-THE recent conference of governors
was in the nature of protest against
the refusal of the conservation conVen-
tion managers to give the western
governors a proper place on the pro-
gram. a specific instance of which was
when Governor M. e. Hay of Washing
ton asked for permission of. the floor
for one hour in which to give express
sion of his opinions, which request
was denied. Indeed 1t was Governor
Hay who called for the Salt Lake con-
ference because of this refusal. At
that conference an invitation from
Governor Gillett of California to recon-
vene at the American Mining congress
to formulate a national policy regard
ing conservation legislation was ac-
cepted. The governors decided to pre-
sent themselves at the conservation
congress at st. Paul, but doubtless
felt at that time that it would prob
ably be necessary to await the Ameri-
can Mining congress in Los Angeles
before being given full opportunity to
express their ideas on conservation.
FAyoRs LONG DEBATE
"I,et there be the most exhaustive
debate has been the motto adopted by
the American Mining congress man
ayers, and the most far-reaching effort
has been made to secure the chief eX-
ponents of conservation and anti-con-
servation ideas during this convention,
in order that 1t could not be said that
it was one-sided gathering.
because conservation most directly
and seriously affects western states
and western Industrial, commercial and
mercantile activities, and thereby af-
fects the prosperity OF all persons liV-
ing in western states and territories,
the meeting of the western governors
with the mining, coal and oil operators
of the west at Los Angeles will prove
unusually opportune at this juncture
when conservation is playing so con-
spicuous a part in arousing the public
mind.
"Inasmuch as nearly every western
state and territory depends for its
prosperity in great measure on the
unhampered operation of its coal, oil
and mining fields, this coming confer
ence will undoubtedly become historic
by giving birth to a specitc western
| conservation idea, which shall come
into sharpest conflict with the ideas
that will be pushed forward by eastern
| conservation exponents. 1t is not un-
likely. therefore, that the ultimate So
luton of the conservation issue will
embody many of the ideas formulated
and included in the resolutions of the
coming American Mining congress
which the western states generally
line up behind in the conflict that
seems certain to come with conserVa-
tion advocates of eastern states.
elimination of waste, prevention of
monopoly and uninterrupted develop
ment and industry the eastern conser-
yationist declares as his platform-a
platform upon which many, If not
most western i-conservationists are
perfectly willing to stand, but the in
| consistency of the eastern conserva-
ZIONIST is pointed to in his advocacy
| of such a platform. While the eastern
| conservationist may not mean to In
terrupt industry or development, the
! fact that the western coal, oil and
mining men realize most keenly is
| that the annual output in these three
| fields, according to the best available
figures. has decreased about $600,000
600 during the past three years, con-
| dition of stagnation resulting in many
western states that affects every
branch of industry and commerce. IT
is this central fact that now separates
and will continue to separate the east
! and the west on conservation. The
| fact that the east does not mean to re-
| tard western development and indus
! try to the point of stagnation does not
undo the fact that its conservation
| laws are now actually doing it. 1t is
no comfort to the prisoner - tell him
! that they can't put him In jail when