THE CONFERENCE PROPER 



ii 



from our forefathers as a magnificent heri- 

 tage. Some course ought to be mapped out 

 now for our future conduct. 



If a National administrative system does 

 not meet with approval, then let it be State. 

 The conflicting interests of the States, the 

 different conditions which prevail in the 

 humid and semi-arid regions, in soil, in 

 climate, in topography and finally in laws 

 and judicial interpretation, will render the 

 enactment of a uniform code a task of great 

 difficulty. It cannot be done here and now, 

 but the initial steps may be taken for the 

 appointment of commissioners from the dif- 

 ferent States to confer together and agree 



if possible upon a code for submission to 

 the different State legislatures. 



But whether the policy for the conserva- 

 tion of our natural resources be National or 

 State, there should be hearty cooperation on 

 the part of both the National and State 

 governments, for without it, all efforts must 

 fail. 



To you gentlemen of the East, the North, 

 and the South to you gentlemen from 

 every section of our country in control of 

 the Federal government, we of the West 

 promise our best efforts in the work of con- 

 serving all the natural resources of all these 

 States for the benefit of all the people. 



THE CONFERENCE PROPER 



Sessions at the New Willard Hotel Report of the National Conseiv 

 vation Commission Section of Minerals 



ON WEDNESDAY morning, De- 

 cember 8, in the Red Room at 

 the New Willard Hotel, the con- 

 ference proper began with the reading 

 by Governor Blanchard, of Louisiana, 

 of the report of the National Conserva- 

 tion Commission. This report being a 

 State document, prepared for the Presi- 

 dent and to be transmitted by him to 

 Congress, of course cannot be published 

 in full. A condensation, however, cov- 

 ering the work of the four sections and 

 giving the principal points contained in 

 the report, has been prepared, and these 

 four summaries are available. 



After a brief talk by Senator New- 

 lands, in reference to other matters, 

 Senator Flint was called upon for the 

 report of the Section of Minerals, of 

 which section Hon. John Dalzell is 

 chairman. He prefaced his remarks 

 with the statement that the most im- 

 pressive fact faced by the Section was 

 the lack of exact knowledge in regard 

 to mineral resources; and he added 

 that this fact emphasized the impor- 

 tance of continuing the Commission in 

 all its branches until a thorough in- 

 ventory shall have been made of the 

 resources of the country, mineral and 

 others. 



