XLII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



We find, however, that in the great republic to the south a very 

 strong note of warning is already being sounded in respect to its 

 future. This took form in an address delivered by President Roose- 

 velt to the Society of American Foresters in 1903. In September, 

 1906, Mr. James J. Hill delivered an address which presented for the 

 first time in popular form, under the title of "The Future of the 

 United States," a remarkable collection of economic facts. Let me 

 give a brief summary of its contents: 



The supply of coal and iron, a prime factor in the nation's industry 

 and commerce, was being exhausted at a rate which made it certain 

 that before the end of the century the most important manufactures 

 would be handicapped by a higher cost of production. The supply 

 of merchantable timber was disappearing at a much more rapid rate. 

 But far more serious than all other forms of wastage was the reckless 

 destruction of the natural fertility of the soil. Within a period for 

 which the present generation was bound to provide, the United States 

 would be pressed hard to feed its own people. Mr. Hill told his 

 hearers that the danger which threatened the future food supply of 

 the nation could be averted only by the intelligence and industry of 

 those who cultivated the farm lands, and that they had it in their 

 power to provide a perfectly practicable and adequate remedy by 

 applying the discoveries of physical science to the business of farming. 



Many other men of leading in the United States, among whom 

 Mr. Gifford Pinchot must be especially mentioned, became impressed 

 with the importance of these great questions, and in May, 1908, 

 President Roosevelt called at the White House in Washington, a 

 conference of the governors of all the states in the union, members of 

 the Cabinet, justices of the Supreme Court, together with the heads 

 of the great scientific bureaus of Washington and other leading 

 citizens, to consider the question of "the conservation of our natural 

 resources," stating that in his opinion this was "the weightiest problem 

 now before the nation." The importance which was attached to 

 this conference was marked by the fact that, for the first time in the 

 history of the nation, the Governors of all the states were assembled 

 to consider a great national question. This led to the appointment 

 of a National Commission of Conservation. 



Following this, the Governments of Canada, Newfoundland 

 and Mexico were invited to join with the Government of the United 

 States in appointing representatives to a North American conference 

 to meet in Washington in February, 1909. Upon the receipt of the 

 report of the Canadian representative at this great 'conference, our 

 Government decided to appoint a permanent Commission of Conser- 



