The Conservation Conference. 59 



the Belasco Theatre. This was presided over by President-elect 

 W. H. Taft, who was introduced b}^ Mr. GifEord Pinchot. the 

 temporary" Chairman. 



The speakers of the evening were President Roosevelt and 

 Governor Chamberlain, of Oregon. President Roosevelt spoke 

 of the need for conservation of the national resources. He 

 sketched the constitution and work of the Conservation Com- 

 mission. Three things there were that should be done without 

 delay: first, to provide for a comprehensive plan of waterway 

 development ; second, to begin at once on work already planned 

 that would fit into the larger plan; third, to provide amply for 

 forest protection against fire, reckless cutting and wanton or 

 reckless destruction of all kinds, and to secure the Appalachian 

 and White Motmtain National Forest. If current revenues did 

 not provide sufficient money to carry out this programme, he 

 favored the issue of bonds for the purpose. 



Governor Chamberlain then addressed the meeting, treat- 

 ing especially of waters and waterw'ays and the difficulties in 

 the way of establishing a just and equitable modus vivendi 

 between the national and the state governments for their control. 



Section of Mines. 



The sessions of the Conference proper began on Wednesday 

 morning, December 8th, in the Red Room of the New Willard 

 Hotel. 



The first item of the programme was the reading of the 

 report of the National Conservation Commission. The report 

 of the Section of Mines was then read by Senator Flint. Among 

 the startling statements in the report were the following: the 

 gas now escaping, unhindered, from the oil and gas wells of the 

 United States is sufficient to Hght all the cities in that coimtry 

 of over 100,000 inhabitants; the known coal fields of the coimtry 

 contain only enough unmined coal to last imtil the middle of 

 next century; the high-grade iron will last only till the middle 

 of this centurv^; of all the minerals produced in the United 

 States one-sixth is wasted and the loss of life in mining operations 

 is far greater than in any other country in the world. 



Addresses were also given by Prof. J. M. Bogert, President 

 of the American Chemical Society; Mr. A. W. Damon, Vice- 

 President of the National Board of Fire Underwriters; Hon. 

 Thos. Walsh, of Washington and Colorado; Governor Johnson, 

 of Minnesota, and Governor Hoke Smith, of Georgia. 



Section of Lands. 



On Wednesday afternoon the report of the Section of Lands 

 was considered. 



The first speech of the afternoon was given by Senator 



