344 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



Tune 



basis of our industrial life, and supply us 

 with heat, light, and power. 



■'We agree that the land should be so 

 tised that erosion and soil wash should 

 cease, that there should be reclamation of 

 arid and semi-arid regions by means of 

 irrigation ; that the waters should be so con- 

 served and used as to promote navigation, 

 to enable the arid regions to be reclaimed 

 by irrigation, and to develop power in 

 the interests of the people; that the forests, 

 which regulate our rivers, support our in- 

 dustries, and promote the fertility and pro- 

 ductiveness of the soil, should be preserved 

 and perpetuated ; that the minerals found 

 so abundantly beneath the surface should 

 be so used as to prolong their utility; that 

 the beauty, healthfulness, and habitability of 

 our country should be preserved and in- 

 creased ; that the sources of national wealth 

 exist for the benefit of the people, and that 

 the monopoly thereof should not be toler- 

 ated. 



"We commend the wise forethought of 

 the President in sounding the note of warn- 

 ing as to the waste and exhaustion of the 

 natural resources of the country, and sig- 

 nify our appreciation of his action in call- 

 ing this Conference to consider the same, 

 and to seek remedies therefor through co- 

 operation of the Nation and, the states. 



"We agree that this co-operation should 

 find expression in suitable action by the 

 Congress within the limits of, and co-exten- 

 sion with the national jurisdiction of the 

 subject, and, complementary thereto, by the 

 legislatures of the several States within the 

 limits of, and co-extensive with, their juris- 

 diction. 



"We declare the conviction that in the 

 use of the natural resources our independ- 

 ent States are interdependent and bound 

 together by ties of mutual benefits, responsi- 

 bilities, and duties. 



"We agree in the wisdom of future con- 

 ferences between the President, members of 

 Congress, and the governors of the States 

 on the conservation of our natural resources 

 with the view of continued co-operation and 

 action on the lines suggested. And to this 

 end we advise that from time to time, as 

 in his judgment may seem wise, the Presi- 

 dent call the governors of the states, mem-, 

 bers of Congress, and others into confer- 

 ence. 



"We agree that further action is advis- 

 able to ascertain the present condition of 

 our natural resources, and to promote the 

 conservation of the same. And to that end 

 we recommend the appointment by each 

 State of a commission on the conservation 

 of natural resources, to co-operate with each 

 other and with any similar commission on 

 behalf of the Federal Government. 



"We urge the continuation and exten- 

 sion of forest policies adapted to secure the 

 husbanding and removal of our diminish- 

 ing timber supply, the prevention of soil ero- 

 sion, the protection of headwaters, and the 



maintainance of the purity and navigability 

 of our streams. We recognize that the pri- 

 vate ownership of forest lands entails re- 

 sponsibilities in the interests of all the peo- 

 ple, and we favor the enactment of laws 

 looking to the protection and replacement 

 of privately owned forests. 



"\\'e recognize in our waters a most valu- 

 able asset of the people of the United 

 States, and we recommend the enactment 

 of laws looking to the conservation of water 

 resources for irrigation, water supply, 

 power, and navigation, to the end that navi- 

 gable and other streams may be fully util- 

 ized for every purpose. 



"We especially urge on the Federal Con- 

 gress the immediate adoption of a wise, 

 active, and thorough waterway policy, pro- 

 viding for the prompt improvement of our 

 streams and conservation of their water- 

 sheds required for the uses of commerce 

 and the protection of the interests of oi-.r 

 people. 



"We recommend the enactment of laws 

 looking to the prevention of waste in the 

 mining and extraction of coal, oil, gas, and 

 other minerals with a view to their wise 

 conservation for the use of the people, and 

 to the protection of human life in the 

 mines. 



"Let us conserve the foundations of our 

 prosperity. 



"Respectfully submitted, 



••NEWTON C. BLANCHARD. 

 ■'JOHN F. FORT. 

 "J. O. DAVIDSON. 

 "JOHN C. CUTLER. 

 "M. F. ANSEL." 



Commenting on this report, Gov- 

 ernor Blanchard said that the Com- 

 mittee, while endeavoring to make its 

 report broad, liberal, and of national 

 scope, had tried also to' limit its dec- 

 larations to subjects concerning the. 

 conservation of natural resources. He 

 said that he had long thought if the 

 Governors of the several States could 

 meet from time to time and exchange 

 ideas on Governmental affairs and af- 

 fairs of their states, much good 

 would come of it. He said that the 

 problems of conservation were proper 

 subjects for the fullest co-operation 

 between the states of the United 

 State, and on his motion the resolu- 

 tions were adopted. 



Following this, Honorable William 

 Jennings Bryan addressed the confer- 

 ence. He said, in part: 



"I hesitate to speak at all, because the 

 Governors who are assembled here repre- 



