ADDRESSES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST National Conservation Congress HELD AT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AUGUST 26-28 1909 PUBLISHED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FIRST NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS. T OPENING SESSION. Thursday, August 26. HE opening session of the National Conservation Congress, assembled in the Fine Arts Building, of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, was called to order at 10 o'clock a. m. by Mr. H. W. Carroll, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Washington Conservation Association, who said: "As Chairman of the Executive Board of the Washington Conservation Association, the honor devolves upon me of calling to order the first National Conservation Congress of the United States. "Since its inception and organization less than a year since, the Washington Conservation Association has met with most hearty and liberal encouragement from the citizens of the State of Washington, and I doubt not that soon. after the holding of this Congress there will be enrolled on the roster of that institution many thousands of the most active and loyal citizens of the State of Washington. "Our great hope has been that this Congress should be a success, and in that event we feel satisfied that the great conservation movement will be emphasized and go on to do great and glorious things with the assistance of the other States in the Union, which we trust will emulate the example set by the State of Washington. And we hope to see other great cities of the Union vie with each other for the holding of National Congresses annually as the years roll on. "I will not undertake to deliver an address, for the reason that many valuable and interesting papers and addresses are to be heard. Suffice it to say, I trust that the deliberations of this Congress may proceed with both harmony and dispatch." (Applause. ) Dr. N. L. Larson, of Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., being called on, invoked the benediction in these words: Oh God, our Heavenly Father; We thank Thee this morning for all the good gifts that Thou hast bestowed upon us. We thank Thee for the riches that Thou hast laid in nature and that Thou hast given unto man to enjoy and possess. We thank Thee, Lord, that Thou art opening the eyes of humanity to put the right value also on these things. We thank Thee for the great riches that Thou hast bestowed on our country in the way of forest and mine, yea in all possible ways that we may need. We pray Thee, Father in Heaven, that Thou wouldst pour Thy blessings on this Congress, that Thou wouldst bless our great nation, with all its different constituents of different nationalities: Oh, Lord, we pray Thee that this Congress may aid us to see what value we have received from Thee, that it may help us to conserve nature as well as ourselves. Bless, oh Lord, the addresses that shall be delivered; bless the speakers, bless the audiences; may they take more interest in our great nation and the great subjects that shall be treated upon here. We now commit ourselves into Thy care; keep us these days, as well as all the days of our lives; forgive our many shortcomings; and help us one and all to be more true to Thee, more ready to use all the good things Thou hast bestowed on us. Be with us. Bless our own nation, our President, our Governors, those who are in office. Bless Thy Church in this country. Bless the youth, bless the students in all the different universities and colleges and schools; we pray Thee to pour out Thy blessing upon all and finally gather us into the great Congress where conservation shall not be necessary any more, and where perfection shall be all-prevailing. Hear us in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen. MR. CARROLL: Public duties of an urgent character compel the Governor of the State to remain at his post in Olympia today. He regrets all the more his inability to welcome |