Show SAVE R or OF THIS NAT ON President AsKs Governors to Meet Him and Plan Means of Keeping BacKbone BacK Bach bone of Prosperity ty WASHINGTON No Nov 18 President President R Roosevelt ovelt has invited the governors go of the states state and territories to meet met hint him himat at the tho White Whito House HOlle May 13 14 and 15 n next to discuss tho the question tion of means to conserve tb the natural rt resources of the country Invitations a are o to be he extended to tho the members of both hoth houses bouses of congress con con- gross gress and to the In In ml Waterway com com- mission The importance and manner mauner in which the subject is i to be considered considered consid consid- ered Arc are indicated in the tho pr presidents president's letter letter let let- ter to tho the governors o which was wa made public at the tho White HOll House today Tho rho letter follows Tho The natural resources of the tho territory territory ter ter- of tho the United States were wore at atthe atthe the time of settlement richer moro more varied and more available than those of any other area on the surface of the tho earth carth The development dc of these resources re rc- rc sources has hns gwen given us for morn more than 1 a I century a rato rate of increase of population population population tion and wealth undreamed of by themen themen the tho thomen men who founded our government and without parallel in history It is IB obvious obvious obvious ous that tho the prosperity which we now enjo enjoy rests rest directly upon these re re- re- re sources It is is equally obvious that the tho vigor j or aud and success which wo we desire and for this nation in in the future must have this as its material b basis In Jn view of these evident ident facts it seems ems to mo me time for tho country to take account Recount of its natural resources and ind to inquire how lon long they are likely to last We Vc are prosperous now wo we should hould not for forget et that it lt will be ju just t as important to our descendants to bo be prosperous in in their time as it is to us its to Lo bp be prosperous in our time Ro Antly I 1 expressed ed the opinion that hat there thero is IB is no other question now before before be be- fore tho nation of equal gravity ra with the iho question of tho the conservation on of our natural resources and I added that it its is s the plain duty of those of us who for tor the moment are rc responsible to make inventorY of the tho natural re resources which h have havo o b been en handed down to us to forecast as ali well as we wo may the needs of tho the future and to handle handlo tim the thA great reat sources of our prosperity ly as 1 not to d de destroy destroy de- de stroy in advance all hope of the pros pros- perit of our descendants It is evident c that the tho abundant natural nat nat- ural r resources on which the welfare of this nation rests are arc becoming depleted and md in in not a few cases are aro already ex- ex hausted lausted This is true of all portions of the he United States it is especially true of if the lon longer settled er communities es of t 1 he e V.- V. East v-ri- v The Tho of 4 ai j gravity ri ui UJ the Hie tue j ui UJ the Hie tue ion tion must I t I J believe I appeal with t r J. J ape p- I I I I I I I i l t I f j I I I LV JL U tV tJ 0 hu o UI 1110 states a because Because of their close relations to the people and their responsibility for the of their communities I have bave therefore decided in accordance with the ho su suggestion estion of oC the Inland Waterway commissIon to ask the tho governors o of the tho states and territories to meet at tho the White House on May ay 13 14 and 15 to to confer with the president and with each other ther upon the conservation conser of natural natura resources HIt It gives ves me great rEat pleasure to inI in- in vito vite you to take t par part in this conference I should be glad lad to have ha you on select three thre aree citizens to accompany you and to p attend the conference as your assistants as- as or advisers I shall shaH also invite invite in- in vite ite the senators and representatives of f the Sixtieth congress to be present at t the sessions so far as their duties will permit The matters to be considered con con- at this conference are not confined con con- fined to any re region on or group roup of states but nit are arc vital concern to the nation as a whole anti t to all the people Those subjects sub sub- include the use and conservation of f tho the mineral resources the resources of f the land and the resources of tho the I waters in er e every part of our territory o In In order to open discussion I sha shall l invite a few recognized authorities to present resent brief descriptions of actual facts acts and conditions without argument mont ment leavin leaving the conference to deal with ith each topic as it may elect The members of the Inland Inand Waterways Ys commission wi will be present in order to toI share tiare with me the benefit of information tion lon and su suggestions and if desired to set et forth their provisional plans end conclusions Facts 4 which I cannot gainsay force me to believe that the conservation of our ur natural resources is the most wei weighty weight question now before the peole peo- peo pIe pIc le of the United States If this is iso isso isso so o the proposed conf conference which Is the tho 10 first of its kind will vill be bl among the most important gatherings I in our history his his- tory ory in its effect upon the of the IB people I earnestly hope m. m mv my dear near governor that hat you wi will find it po possible sibo to be pres pres- ent nt Sincerely yours THEODORE ROOSEVELT The Inland Waterways commission will win meet in this thi cit on tho lant city on n in instant instant stant ant t to formulate a report on OD its durin during the past summer indu fug ji i nJ ug its inspections of tho Mississippi ippi river ver with President Roosevelt in Oc Oc- OcI tober The The- commission will then announce an an- ounce to the world orId that its work is I not confined t tt to navigation nai but extends extend to the utilization of tho the other otner resources of the country from all an points of view The commission was lar largely responsible for the tho presidents president's announcement at Memphis that h he would call a convention convention conven conven- tion to meet in Washington ton to consider the conservation of the natural resources resources re re- re- re sources of the country including not only water but timber mineral minera oil etc aud and its members are giving ivin much attention to that m meeting etin It sra was at first announced d that the tho conference would be held in January but its postponement postponement post post- until May b has s been determined determined deter deter- mined upon because the governors of u a number of states will be bo unable to attend at at- tend at the earlier date Instead of ot boin being a m moss mass s convention na ns was WS at first expected the thA present intention is to tomake tomake tomake make it a quiet conference between the tho president and some of his advisers with the governors of the tho various states |