CONSERVATION 



Now, gentlemen, remember that the way to 

 make the waterwaj' improvement what it 

 must be made is at hand, and let us refuse 

 to pay heed to anything but the great com- 

 mon interest. If you dissipate improve- 

 ments throughout the country on the ground 

 that each congressional district shall have 

 its share, you would better abandon the 

 project from the beginning. I want you to 

 have a comprehensive plan formulated by a 

 National commission, because I want to see 

 that plan genuinely National in scope, con- 

 ceived in a spirit that will make it genuinely 

 for the use of the whole Union. That plan 

 must consider every use of the waters and 

 the preparation of that plan should begin 

 at once. We need the plan. VVe need to 

 have a comprehensive plan ; but that does not 

 mean that we should not begin the work 

 now. Begin the plan ; but there are certain 

 features of the work which we already know 

 will fit into any right plan that is produced ; 

 for these pieces of work, plans have already 

 been approved. Our precious policy of pro- 

 crastination, delay and fitful and partial ac- 

 tion has borne its fruit. Our waterways 

 are deserted, and in return for our vast 

 expenditures we have little or no actual navi- 

 gation to show. The people arc ready for a 

 change. Let us have it, and let us have i; 

 at once. If we can pay the cost from cur- 

 rent revenues, let us do so. If not, let u? 

 issue bonds. I always favor paying out oi 

 the current revenue anything that we can 

 possibly pay. I would not on any account 

 go into the business of issuing bonds to pay 

 for anything that was not of a permanent 



and National good. I hope it will not be 

 necessary here ; but this is a great perma 

 nent enterprise for a permanent National good, 

 for the permanent National good of our 

 children, and if it is necessary, then it i- 

 all right to issue bonds so that the enter- 

 prise may go ahead. 



The work should be begun at once. Of 

 course, there must not be the slightest reck- 

 lessness or waste of money. No work what- 

 ever should be undertaken that has not been 

 thoroughly examined and fully approved by 

 competent experts. Above all, not one cent 

 sliould be expended to satisfy special in- 

 terests, whether of a business or a locality, 

 nr to promote any man's political fortunes. 

 This is too large a matter to be handled 

 in such a way. We must approach it from 

 the point of view of the National interest, 

 under the guidance of the wisest experts in 

 engineering, in transportation, and in all the 

 uses of our streams. 



Forests and waterways cannot be separated 

 in any successful treatment of either. For ■ 

 est protection and river development must go 

 liand in hand. The three things which 

 should be done without any further delay 

 are, therefore : 



First, to provide for a comprehensive plan 

 of waterway development. Second, to begin 

 at once on work already planned, that will 

 surely fit into the larger plan. Third, to 

 ]3rovide amply for forest protection against 

 fire, against reckless cutting, against wanton 

 or reckless destruction of all kinds, and to 

 secure the Appalachian and White Moun- 

 tain National Forests without delay. 



Immediately following the address 

 by the President, Governor Chamber- 

 lain, of Oregon, addressed the meet- 

 ing. While his paper dealt more par- 

 ticidarly with waters and waterways 

 and the difficnlties in the way of estab- 



lishing a just and equitable modus 

 Vivendi in their control as between the 

 Nation and the States, the address, as 

 a whole, was one of the ablest and most 

 thoughtful contributions of the entire 

 conference. 



ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR CHAMBERLAIN 



ON THE third day of October, 1907, the 

 Inland Waterways Commission, at a 

 meeting on board the steamer Col. A. 

 Mackenzie, the President of the United 

 States being present and presiding, it was 

 decided to call a conference on the general 

 subject of the conservation of the natural 

 resources of the Nation. The Commission 

 tlicreupon prepared a formal letter to the 

 President, giving their reasons for such con- 

 ference, and asking him, in case of con- 

 currence in their views, to issue a call for 

 the same. The next day, in a magnificent ad- 

 dress delivered by him before the Deep 

 Waterway Convention at Memphis, the 

 President announced his intention to call the 

 conference; and on the I3tli day of Novem- 



lier he issued invitations to the Governors of 

 the States and Territories to meet at the 

 White House May 13-15, 1908, the con- 

 ferees to comprise, in addition to the Gov- 

 ernors, three advisors to be selected by each, 

 the Senators and Representatives in the 

 Sixtieth Congress, the members of the In- 

 land Waterways Commission, and represen- 

 tatives of certain national organizations 

 dealing with natural resources. 



The conference was held at the appointed 

 time and place, and was largely and en- 

 tliusiastically attended. Later, carrying out 

 the purposes of the conference, the Presi- 

 dent appointed a National Conservation 

 Commission, organized in four classes to 

 consider the resources of water, forests. 



