Show Governors Called to Washington Conference of State Executives to Discuss Conservation Matters Scope of the th e House of Governors Proposed by William George Jordan N his speech at Memphis Tenn Oct 26 while he was en route to IN New Orleans President Taft Tart ex extended extended extended tended an Invitation to the governors who were wre accompanying accompanying pan him down tho the river to attend a third conference of ot governors at I Washington In December of ot this year Tho first conference of ot governors oc occurred nt at the national capital May 13 1908 Of Ot the number Invited thirty two reported New Mexico Melco Arizona Alaska Hawaii and Porto Rico were wore also represented Others came camo In later inter The Tho second conference was held In Washington Dec Dee S 8 1908 1905 Mr Ir Taft as president elect ciccI was there as were also representatives from Canada The rhe conference next month Is for tho the purpose of or taking up the questions discusses dis discussed discussed cussed cusses at nt tho the previous conferences conserving tho the natural resources of the country by preserving the forests Irrigating Irrigating irrigating gating arid arld lands and Improving the Cite waterways In referring to the omission omis omission omission sion of ot congress to malo maka mal any appropriation appropriation appropriation for the meeting of ot the got gov governors President Taft told the govern gOern governors ors at Memphis that they the need not stay away on mn that account as ns the White House latchstring would be bo where every ever governor could put his I hand on It The Tho National Civic federation will be beIn beIn bein In session next month In Washington and the president said he would like the governors to meet the civics and get acquainted The he idea of ot a n conference of governors did not originate orl with President Roose Roosevelt velt but was the tho aftermath of at a proposition rondo made by William George Jordan formerly editor of the Saturday Even ing Post Pest Po t In 1907 The rho Jordan Idea was more than the con already mentioned and It Is not to bo ho confounded with the meet m t ings lags held li is Washington Mr Jordan communicated his Idea to President Roosevelt who soon thereafter called the conferences held during his admin The he Jordan suggestion was for a house of governors governor and It Is BO so denominated In tho pamphlet Issued by him In 1907 The scope of or the tion proposed by b Mr Jordan Jor an Is stated concisely In his pamphlet as follows It Is proposed that the governors of ot the states meet annually for fora or orn a n session of two or three weeks to dis discuss discuss discuss cuss consult commit and confer on vital ques affecting the welfare of the platen otates the unifying of ot state laws nod the closer unity unit of ot the tho states as a nation The house of governors would have hav no lawmaking law power nor nOl should It ever aspire to such power Its III force would bo be In Initiative in inspiration and In Influence The Tho governors I would seek seok to unite unito on a n general basis or ot action i 1 c IL 1 L RT RTh h i d tin t th h t n r r s 51 si F t 1 y i e g 11 c t ti 1 r r i ir I t r 4 Rv Courtesy of or Fleming Revel Company WILLIAM GEORGE JORDAN on great questions to be submitted to the legislatures of ot the respective states In the governors messages It would seem that an nn august dignified body o of governors representing their states with the lawmaking power of fort legislatures behind them should sho ld In time become an part In the American Idea Idell of or self gov government ov ovI and a powerful factor for tor good In tho the nation nut Ion I It Is also the th Jordan Idea that the tho meetings of at the house of or governors shall bo he annual and that the place of I the meeting shall not be In I Washington I ton but ut successively In state capitals selected by b vote ott of the or by j I derision decision of a committee It also STIR suJ I that the th president of ot the th United I I j States have hac no part In the meetings I I Mr Jordans proposition was re I to an un executive ot of I five consisting of or Governors Augustus August I E Willson of Kentucky Kentuck Claude Claud E i Swanson of ot Virginia Charles E Hughes of or New York F Noel of ot Mississippi and James N GH Gil Gillett lett Jett of ot California Governor Swan Swansons Swansons sons lions term as governor of or Virginia ex s next year The Thu lh conference conr rence of governors In Wash Washington ington n t month has no connection It shouts should be he understood with the proposition of ot Mr Jordan They will the th conservation propositions which the other conferences consider considered ed cd and especially the deep waterway question that Clint was wa considered nt at rf Ne Nov Orleans Chief among arnon the Interested governors on are me Governor Gov Governor Deneen of ot Illinois Governor QuInby of or New Hampshire and possibly po sl lily buy Blanchard of Louisi Louisiana anti ant SANDFORD OWENS r L |