Conference of Governors facts for kids

The Conference of Governors was a very important meeting held at the White House in Washington, D.C., from May 13 to 15, 1908. President Theodore Roosevelt helped organize this event. It was the first time governors from all the states and territories gathered together to talk about big national issues. This meeting was the start of the yearly governors' conferences we still have today, run by the National Governors Association.

Why the Conference Happened

The main idea for this conference came from Gifford Pinchot. He was the top forest expert for the U.S. government at the time. Pinchot was a strong "conservationist." This means he believed in using and protecting nature's resources, like forests, rivers, and minerals, in a smart and careful way. He thought the government should manage these resources well for everyone.

Pinchot had also helped create a group called the Inland Waterways Commission. This group suggested that a meeting like the Governors' Conference was needed. So, in November 1907, President Roosevelt invited all the governors to the White House.

What They Talked About

The main topic of the conference was how to use and protect America's natural resources. President Roosevelt gave the first speech, titled "Conservation as a National Duty." He talked about how important it was for the country to take care of its land and resources.

Many important people spoke at the conference. These included famous business leaders like Andrew Carnegie and James J. Hill, as well as politicians and experts on natural resources. They discussed how the country needed to use its resources, especially those that could be renewed, like trees. They also noted that different states had different needs, so they would need different plans for conservation.

A Big Step for Conservation

This conference was a huge moment for the idea of "conservationism" in America. It made the public pay much more attention to how important it was to protect nature.

After the conference, two important things happened the next year:

• The National Conservation Commission: President Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot set up this group. It included people from different states and federal government agencies.
• The First National Conservation Congress: Pinchot also led this meeting. It brought together private groups and individuals who cared about conservation.

Who Attended

Governors from all over the country came to the conference. For example, Newton C. Blanchard, who was the Governor of Louisiana, attended. Even though his term as governor officially ended just before the meeting, he was still there.

Two other important conservationists from Louisiana joined Governor Blanchard:

• Henry E. Hardtner: He is known as "the father of forestry in the South." He worked hard to protect forests.
• William C. Edenborn: He was a businessman who created a special kind of barbed wire that was safer for cattle.