Maech 26, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



493 



tion of those -who are responsible for putting in 

 this provision to a fundamental fact which is 

 often ignored in discussing and comparing the 

 action of the executive and the action of the 

 legislative branches of the government. Neither 

 one is responsible to the other. Each must act 

 as its wisdom dictates. But each is responsible 

 to the people as a whole. It is for the people to 

 decide whether they are represented aright by any 

 given servant; and one element in enabling them 

 to reach a decision must be that public servant's 

 record in such a case as this. 



At the Joint Conference on ConserTa- 

 tion, in December, a resolution was offered 

 providing for a joint committee of nine to 

 prepare a plan of cooperation among con- 

 servation commissions, six members to be 

 appointed from state commissions and 

 three from the National Commission; in 

 the course of discussion, provision was 

 made for including also the chairman and 

 secretary of the latter body (Hon. Gifford 

 Pinchot and Mr. Thomas R. Shipp) and 

 in this form the resolution was adopted. 

 The first formal meeting of this joint com- 

 mittee was set for March 5; and on that 

 and the ensuing day the committee met and 

 framed a plan for joint work which will be 

 circulated during the present month. On 

 March 6 several members of the committee, 

 headed by ex-Governor Pardee, of Cali- 

 fornia, and accompanied by Governors 

 Deneen, of Illinois, Willson, of Kentucky, 

 and Quinby, of New Hampshire, submitted 

 the general plan for continuing the conser- 

 vation work to President Taft, who re- 

 iterated his frequently expressed intention 

 of continuing the task begun by his prede- 

 cessor, and using every effort to secure 

 legislative action. In the course of the 

 meeting of the Joint Committee on Conser- 

 vation, it was found that thirty-seven states 

 have appointed state conservation commis- 

 sions, and that some thirty organizations 

 of national character have appointed com- 

 mittees of like character and purpose. Def- 

 inite arrangements were made for coordi- 



nating the work of these organizations in 

 such manner as to yield increasingly ac- 

 curate inventories of the natural sources 

 of national prosperity and perpetuity. 

 Messrs. Pinchot and Shipp, respectively, 

 were made chairman and secretary of the 

 committee, and headquarters were estab- 

 lished in the Wyatt building, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. W J McGee 



NOBTH AMERICAN CONSEKYATION CONFEEENOE 

 DECLAEATION OP PEINCBPLES 



We recognize the mutual interests of the na- 

 tions which occupy the continent of Ncrtxi Amer- 

 ica and the dependence of the welfare of each 

 upon its natural resources. We agree that the 

 conservation of these resources is indispensable 

 for the continued prosperity of each nation. 



We recognize that the protection oi mutual 

 interests related to natural resources by concerted 

 action, without in any way interfering with the 

 authority of each nation within its own sphere, 

 will result in mutual benefits, and tend to draw 

 still closer the bonds of existing good will, confi- 

 dence and respect. Natural resources are not 

 confined by the boundary lines that separate na- 

 tions. We agree that no nation acting alone can 

 adequately conserve them, and we rtcommend the 

 adoption of concurrent measures for conserving 

 the material foundations of the welfare of all the 

 nations concerned, and for ascertaining their loca- 

 tion and extent. 



We recognize as natural resources all materials 

 available for the use of man as means of life and 

 welfare, including those en the surface of the 

 earth, like the soil and the waters; those below 

 the surface, like the minerals; and those above 

 the surface, like the forests. We agree that these 

 resources should be developed, used and conserved 

 for the future, in the interests of mankind, wnose 

 rights and duties to guard and control the natural 

 sources of life and welfare are inherent, perpetual 

 and indefeasible. We agree that those resources 

 which are necessaries of life should be regarded 

 as public utilities, that their ownership entails 

 specific duties to the public, and that as far as 

 possible effective measures should be adopted to 

 guard against monopoly. 



Publio Health. — Believing that the conservation 

 movement tends strongly to develop national effi- 

 ciency in the highest possible degree in our re- 

 spective countries, we recognize that to accom- 



