36 
tions have appointed Conservation Committees. The National Conserva- 
tion Association, through its popular membershii), will serve as a medium 
to bring the work of these Commissions and Committees to the attention 
of the people and to bring the support of the people to their work. 
‘ ‘ There exist several useful associations which have given special 
attention to particular phases of Conservation, or to Conservation in 
particular portions of the country. There are also several leagues inter- 
ested in the promotion of Conservation, the members of which are 
societies and clubs. The National Conservation Association treats of 
the natural resources as a whole, and offers its membership to the indi- 
vidual citizen. The Association seeks to cooperate in all appropriate 
ways with existing organizations and to coordinate their work. 
“The Association is organizing State Committees. Its national head- 
quarters are in New York City. It also has offices in Washington. By 
bulletins and otherwise, members will be kept well informed of the 
work of the Association and will be called upon to render direct per- 
sonal service as occasion arises.’’ 
Another circular, after rehearsing the Declaration of the Governors, 
which is taken as the key note of the Association, states that the pur- 
pose of the Association is “to advocate and support the adoption by the 
people themselves and by their representatives of definite and practical 
measures to carry such principles into effect, and to oppose in all ap- 
propriate ways all action wffiich is in conflict with these principles, 
whether such action is attempted by individual citizens or by legisla- 
tive or administrative officials. Among such measures are the fol 
lowing: 
FORESTS. 
‘ ‘ The protection of the source waters of navigable streams, through 
the purchase or control by the Nation of the necessary land within their 
drainage basins, especially in the Southern Appalachians and the White 
Mountains. 
“The enactment and enforcement, both by the Nation and by the 
several States ,of effective laws to prevent, by active patrol during dry 
weather, and by other appropriate means, the spreading of fire in all 
forests, whether publicly or privately owned. 
“The reasonable but effective public regulation of timber cutting 
on forest land, whether publicly or privately owned, the conservation of 
which is essential to the public welfare. 
‘ ‘ The separation, for purposes of taxation, of the timben from the 
land on which it grows, so that the forest crop shall be taxed only 
when it is harvested, while the land shall be taxed every year., 
“The support and extension of practical forestry. 
WATERS. 
“The preparation, by a Commission appointed by the President of 
the United States, of a comprehensive plan for waterway improvement, 
extending to all the uses of the waters and the benefits to be derived 
from their control, including navigation, with the relation of railroads' 
and terminals thereto, the development and disposition of water power, 
the irrigation of arid lands, the drainage of swam}) and overflowed lands, 
the control of floods, the prevention of soil-wash, and the purification 
of streams for w'ater supply. 
“The immediate undertaking and continuous prosecution of works 
clearly necessary under such general plan. 
“The incorporation into all future grants of water-power rights by 
State or Nation of proA’isions to secure the following: , 
“ (a) Prompt development, on pain of forfeiture A)f the grant. 
“(b) Payment of reasonalDle compensation for the benefits granted 
by the people, with periodic readjustment of the rate of compensation. 
