The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-18
Preliminary Steps Taken To-
ward Making Permanent
Unique Assembly.
AIMS EXPLAINED
BY GOV. WILSON
Kentucky's Representative Unani-
mously Chosen Temporary Chair
man at Morning Session.

| Thirty governors sat FOR thirty min
Utes az the willard Hotel this morning
and organized the third annual confer
ence Of governors under conditions dtf-S
I ferinE materially from the two prsviozs.
/ It was the first meeting OF its kind
ever held In the United States. for the
reason that It was the first meeting the
governors themselves have called Pres
/ ident Roosevelt summoned the two pre-
/ cedinE.
I At the outset II was made plain that
pleased: that they were under no re-
( strictions or rules OF any sort. and
were not bound BY precedent
/ This view was expressed BY Governor
Wilson OF Kentucky. who called the
conference 70 order. and Immediately
thereafter Governor Wilson was unani-
+ nousIy elected temporary chairman
/ With the exception OF two speeches
+ by Gs=a-nor Wilson. one OF an explzna-
tory nature regarding the calling Of the
/ conference, and the Other IN response
to his selection as chairman. the only
business transacted az the session was
the adoption OF the program commit
tees report. and the naming OF commit
tees on organization and plan aud scope
for future conferences
Committees Named.
On the former OF the committees we're
named Governors Fort. of New Jersey
Kitchin. OF North CsrcIinss Norris. OF
Montana; Draper, Of Massachusetts, ana
E Weeks, Of Connecticut
Governors Hughes, Of New York:
I HadIey, OF Missouri Conner. Of Ala
bauz; Ansel. OF South Carolina. and
/ Harmon. OF Ohio, were named on the
! comm -ttee on plans and scope for IT.
I turs conferences
/ Governor sloan, Of Arizona was elect
I ed temporary secretary
Adjournment vas taken al H:I0 IN
/ order TO allow the members 10 attend
a luncheon IN their honor at the Met
I [ThiIe the Conference was called for
I Il o'CiocI. IL vas twenty minutes past
that hour when Governor Wilson'S
/ savsl fell Ihe room n wnlcn the
Z OF the Willard, looking out upon Penn
Z sylvania avenue The governors had
stood about IN groups near the windows
{ hour previous
No Legal Authority.
This meeting has no legal author
I fty,'' said Governor Wilson. in his
| speech as temporary chairman 1t IS
not e house Of governors II simply Is
/ 4 conference Of governors II has con
vel,ed for the common interests OF our
/ people
/ Because We are hero does not mean
that We are btrnd in any way 70 at
tenut to constitute the conference an
| epcch-uaking event we are here 20 do
/ lust as we feel ike doing But We have
| q chance tc- 90 good. and I think We vii
not fail 70 take advantage Of it,
! Governor Wilson explained IN the be
ginning that at the conference held May
( Is, last. the consensus OF opinioa OF
[ the governors was that in the future
they should not wait for Invitations, but
invite themselves together for confer
ence whenever they felt Ike It II vas
/ because Of this. he said. that the call
/ had been issued for the present confer
ence-
when Governor Wilson's name was
proposed for temporary chairman sew
era1 governors jumped TO their feet to
second the nomination
Motion Carried
Governor Fort moved that the com
rnittees OF organization and plans and
scope for future conferences be named,
the motion carrying with little debate.
II was then suggested that Governor
| Hughes present the report OF the com
mittee on program, but the New York
executive insisted that Governor Fort
had taken a more active part IN the
committees work, and was the proper
person to make the report
| To this Governor Fort acqUiesced. and
the report, which followed. resulted in
| the tentative program which had been
arranged by the committee being
adopted as permanent, subject, how
ever. to any changes that may be
deemed advisable later.
On account OF the raPldity with which
the preliminary organization was ef-
feCted, il was suggested that Governor
Hughes deliver his address on the Oh
! jects Of the conference, which was not
scheduled TO be presented until late this
afternoon, following the call TO be made
upon President Taft.
A roll call was taken, which showed
exactly thirty governors 70 be in al
tendance For fear there might be some
governors who would arrive later in the
day, and would miss the address It
was decided TO make no change IN the
program
Luncheon At Club.
Following the luncheon at the Metro
pOIitan Club. the governors TedSsem-
bled at the Willard at 2:45 O'Clock, and
went 70 the White House, where they
were received al o'clock
This evening they wiz be the guests
at diner Of John HAYS HamOnd. and
wiz again visit the White House to at
tend the reception given by President
Taft to the judiciary
The adoption Of the tentative program
means that the conference viii remain
matters 10 coRle before the melting VIII