THEODORE ROOSEVELT 



551 



relations, and the peaceful settlement of 

 disputes between labor and capital, no 

 doubt saw very clearly when he chose 

 The Hague for a meeting-place all the 

 possibilities which were involved in such 

 a Conservation Congress, especially 

 when surrounded by the peaceful tradi- 

 tions of The Hague. It is proposed 

 to make this Conference conserve the 

 interests of peace between nations, as 

 well as to conserve the natural resources 

 of those nations. This World's Con- 

 gress would, therefore, be a Conserva- 

 tion Congress in more senses than one. 

 It would conserve and develop all the 

 unwonted possibilities involved in na- 

 tions getting together, and through their 

 representatives conferring with each 

 other as to what they have in common ; 

 as to what one nation has and the other 

 nation has not ; as to making it possible 

 for the people of the one continent, one 

 zone, or one race to benefit by the sur- 

 pluses of another continent, or another 

 zone, or another race. It would hasten 

 the removal of the unnecessary barriers 

 which might prevent an easy exchange, 

 at the same time protecting the interests 

 of these nations, by getting their repre- 

 sentatives around a common council 

 board, and making of them a new type 

 of Knights of the Round Table. Under 

 a new cosmopolitan chivalry, perhaps, 

 they might look for the things they have 

 in common instead of those they have at 

 difference ; look toward cooperating 

 with each other in the vast interests of 

 the world's common good, instead of an- 

 tagonizing each other upon the plane of 

 individualism and selfish instinct. It 

 offers a field of work so brilliant and 

 fascinating in the conception on a uni- 

 versal scale, and the realization and 

 launching of President Roosevelt's 

 overruling and constructive conserva- 

 tion idea, that one cannot but feel that 

 here, after all, is the central idea and 

 aim of this world's statesman, a fitting 

 climax for his Presidential administra- 

 tion and a fit beginning for such new 

 developments of his career as the world 

 mav still have in store for him. 



The Canadian and Mexican delegates 

 of the North American Conservation 

 Congress, while they were enthusiastic 

 in their expressions of approval of the 

 proposed conference at The Hague, 

 made it known clearly that in no sense 

 was this International Congress to take 

 the place of the North American Com- 

 mission. It was their purpose to work 

 together and to see what the three coun- 

 tries occupying the North American 

 Continent could do for themselves. * * *i 



This remarkable program was adopted 

 by the representatives of the three na- 

 tions of the North American Continent. 



It is reported in the dispatches that 

 the Dominion Government intends to 

 adopt, practically in their entirety, the 

 recommendations arrived at by this In- 

 ternational Conference at Washington 

 with regard to the proper and adequate 

 conservation of the natural resources of 

 Canada and the United States. New 

 standing committees have been ap- 

 pointed by the house of commons, with 

 instructions to take mider their espe- 

 cial charge all questions relating to 

 fisheries, forests, mines, and waterways, 

 and are now preparing to take up all 

 the important questions broached at 

 the Washington Congress with a view 

 to the adoption of a united general pol- 

 icy, to prevent any further waste or 

 extravagance in dealing with the rich 

 natural heritage of the people. 



The famous White House Conference 

 of Governors was called by the Presi- 

 dent last May, not only to formulate 

 into a better organized system the con- 

 servation policies, but to state their 

 principles and to secure the cooperation 

 of the governors of the different states 

 and territories in enlarging the field of 

 work. After discussing principles for 

 three days, which discussion included 

 papers by both scientific and economic 

 experts, they drew up and adopted a 

 "Declaration of Principles. * * *- 



One of the striking results of the 

 White House Conference of Governors 

 is that, since its meeting last May. 

 thirty-six different states have ap- 



'Here follows a discussion of the "Declaration of Principles" found in Conservation 

 for March, 1909, at page 164. 



^See Conservation for June, 1908, pages 343-4- 



4 



