44 McGEE MEMORIAL MEETING 



From Governor N. C. Blanchard, of Louisiana: 



I came to know Doctor McGee first in connection with the Mis- 

 sissippi River problem, and then in connection with the movement 

 for the Conservation of Natural Resources. 



I found him an exceedingly well informed and resourceful man. 

 Indeed, so well equipped was he for intelligent discussion and consid- 

 eration of the subjects mentioned, that I looked upon him as one of 

 the country's leading experts thereon. His knowledge was so pro- 

 found, and so well digested and systemized in his broad and compre- 

 hensive mind, that he was, indeed, in respect to these matters, a sci- 

 entist. 



In May, 1908, President Roosevelt invited all the Governors of 

 the States of the Union to meet him at the White House in confer- 

 ence over the vital question of Conservation of the Natural Resources 

 of the country. The Conference lasted three days and attracted 

 world-wide attention. 



During the course of its deliberations, it was thought advisable to 

 appoint one Committee to embody in a report or Declaration the 

 conclusions and results that should be arrived at by the Conference, 

 and that this Committee should be composed of five Governors. 



Accordingly, such Committee was created, and President Roose- 

 velt named as the Committee the following Governors: 



Newton C. Blanchard, of Louisiana, 



John Franklin Fort, of New Jersey, 



John C. Cutler, of Utah, 



James O. Davidson, of Wisconsin, and 



Martin F. Ansel, of South Carolina. 



At the Committee's first meeting, Chairman Blanchard suggested 

 that a sub-committee be appointed to prepare the report or declara- 

 tion, to be afterwards submitted to the full Committee for its con- 

 sideration, amendment, and adoption, and, in that connection, stated 

 that if the work of preparing the draft of the report were turned over 

 to him, he would call to his assistance Gifford Pinchot and Doctor 

 McGee, both of whom were in attendance on the Conference. Ac- 

 cordingly the Chairman and Messrs. Pinchot and McGee were ap- 

 pointed a sub-committee to draft the report. 



