EDITORIAL 



A Not bl ^ ' ls a P ecu ^ ar f act > not an d bearing upon the conservation 



c f recognized by many of and proper use of our natural re- 



those who have read in sources are worthy to be ranked as of 



the daily papers news articles in re- the deepest importance to the people 



gard to the coming conference at the of the land. 



White House, that never before in the The continued prosperity of a na- 



history of the United States has it tion depends absolutely upon the 



seemed advisable that the Nation's proper use and the proper conservation 



Chief Executive call into convention of that nation's natural resources. If 



the Chief Executives of the several the resources are wasted, then will 



States. No circumstance has seemed the nation sooner or later become 



so great; no contingency has loomed bankrupt; just as is assuredly the case 



so gravely upon the horizon, as to if the resources of an individual are 



make it seem necessary for the Presi- wasted, or permitted to escape their 



dent to call into consultation the Gov- fullest proper utilization. In the case 



ernors of the States, for the purpose of either nation or individual, ulti- 



of counseling with them as to the mate bankruptcy is certain unless capi- 



means to be adopted to forestall tal is husbanded; and in the case of a 



threatening disaster. nation, the resources originally pro- 



Not even when the civil war im- vided by nature are the capital. The 



pended, and the country's very exis- results accruing from proper utiliza- 



tence was menaced as it never was be- tion of such resources are the interest 



fore, was such a council suggested, earnings of that capital ; and no na- 



With war clouds lowering, and the tion that ever existed can sustain a 



grim mutterings of rebellion growing continued impairment of its capital 



louder and more threatening month without impairing its earnings, 

 after month, and year after year, no It is these facts, and the rapidly in- 



President conceived the idea of calling creasing general appreciation of them, 



together the different Governors, that that makes the coming conference at 



the disputed questions might be dis- the White House of such momentous 



cussed as calmly as possible, in the importance. Starting with a natural 



hope of finding, in a council of the equipment, in the way of timber, min- 



wise, a solution of the problems that eral and soil resources, of a richness 



afterward were discussed with rifle and diversity such as no other country 



and cannon and washed out in tor- in the world's history could boast of, 



rents of blood. we Americans have wasted our heri- 



But the thing that was not deemed tage to a point where its ultimate ex- 

 necessary, or that was not thought of tinction is a matter of years, unless 

 at all, when the Nation faced the pros- we face about and make a determined 

 pect of a bloody internecine strife, has and understanding start in the direc- 

 been considered vitally needful in a tion opposite to that in which we have 

 time of peace; and for months past been traveling. And that the confer- 

 preparations have been making for ence called by President Roosevelt will 

 this, the first conference in the history result in a crystallization of public sen- 

 of the country at which the different timent such as will make an about- 

 Governors will meet to consider, with face easily possible is the belief of 

 the country's President, and with the those best informed as to the present 

 ablest men now living, a problem so status of the nation's natural bank- 

 grave that even a brothers' war is play account. 



beside it. For surely the questions The preliminary steps in educating 



and the problems having to do with a people to the necessity for the adop- 



