14 FOREST LANDS FOE THE PROTECTION OF WATERSHEDS. 



Be it remembered that at the second meeting of the Red River Improvement 

 Association, held in Denison, Tex., on November 6, 1908, the following resolu- 

 tion was unanimously adopted : 



" Resolved, That we favor the passage of the bill now pending in Congress to 

 create a national park and timber reserve in the canyons forming the head of 

 Red River, believing the preservation of the forests to be essential to the 

 improvement of Red River." 



Respectfully submitted. 



JNO. H. STEPHENS, 

 Author of bill referred to, etc. 



To the chairman Red River Improvement Convention: 



We, your committee on forest reserve, beg leave to submit the following 

 report : 



Whereas this convention, recognizing the great natural resources of the Red 

 River Valley and of the paramount importance of restoring navigation on the 

 Red River, not alone to the people along said river, but to the nation as well, 

 and of the importance of preserving and fostering of the native timber at the 

 head of and along said river and its tributaries ; and whereas the Hon. John H. 

 Stephens, Representative in Congress from the Thirteenth District of Texas, 

 has introduced in Congress a bill seeking to have a national park established in 

 the Palo Duro Canyon, in Randall and Armstrong counties, Tex., on the head- 

 waters of Red River. 



Therefore we indorse said bill and recommend that the same be passed by 

 Congress at its next session, and further recommend that this association take 

 steps to encourage the people along the Red River and its tributaries in 

 systematically preserving the natural forests along said stream and its tribu- 

 taries and engaging in fostering the growth of timber as well. 



We further recommend that the secretary of this organization be requested to 

 furnish a copy of this document to the Senators and Representatives in Con- 

 gress of the States of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas and request 

 their united efforts in support of the above measures. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



J. W. CBUDGINGTON, 



Chairman, Amarillo, Tex. 



HENRY Cox, Fulton, Ark. 



H. P. MAYEB, Paris, Tex. 



S. R. CBAWFORD, Graham, Tex. 



J. B. LEEPEE, Denison- Sherman, Tex. 



H. G. EVANS, Bonham, Tex. 



HUGH COREY, Alexandria, La. 



R. D. BOWEN, Pan's, Tex. 



Mr. STEPHENS. If the governor of Massachusetts will permit me, I 

 will inform him that the governor of Texas will take pleasure in 

 joining with vou and with the governor of South Carolina, and with 

 greater zeal, because she is much larger than all the Southern States 

 and all New England combined. [Laughter.] 



Governor GUILD. And you might add one more thing, that the 

 other States joined together to make a nation, but Texas as an inde- 

 pendent nation joined the United States. 



Mr. STEPHENS. The gentlemen must remember that Texas annexed 

 the United -States. Texas was an independent government itself, 

 and I always contend that Texas annexed the United States, and not 

 the United States Texas. [Laughter.] 



Governor GUILD. There is no compliment which you can pay to 

 the Lone Star State which we of New England will not take pleasure 

 in joining with you. 



I take pleasure in presenting as the next speaker a gentleman who 

 is obliged to leave very shortly, and I therefore will introduce him 

 out of order, one of the governors of the West. I take pleasure in 

 presenting Governor George E. Chamberlain, of Oregon. 



