The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-11
THE REPORT ON FOREsTRY.e

Remarks of Hon. d. Wyatt Aiken, OF South
Carolina, In tho House Of Representation
Tho Way the Money Goes for Printing
and tho Agricultural Interests of tho
Country Neglected.
In the House of Representatives, on
the 26th of March, resolution was un-
der consideration which proposed to
print 5000 copies of the report on fores-
try by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
Mr.. Aiken moved to amend by inserting
25, 900 copies, and on this amendment he
spoke az follows:
Mr.. Speaker, some explanation is me-
cessary to acquaint the House with the
subject before them that they may vote
understandingly upon the report of the
Committee on Printing.
In che spring of 1874, memorial MAS
presented to Congress from the "Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement Of
Science" asking fer such legislation as
would tend To encourage the cultivation
of timber and the preservation of forests.
That memorial was referred to the Com.
mittee on Public Lands, who, after ma.
turely considering its merits, reported
fa7orably and presented bill authoriz.
ing the appointment by the President Of
Commissioner of Forestry, who should
make investigations upon this and all
kindred subjects. This commissioner
was subsequently appointed, and he is the
agent of the government who now pre-
sents to this body the result of his in
vestigations in the shape of report
upon forestry, and of which report ] ask
the publication of $4,000 copies, instead
of 5000 as proposed by the Committee
on Printing.
am not here, sir, to defend this agent,
for I never knew him uItil met him
before the Committee on Agriculture
but he is man of national reputation,
and presume has his reputation some
what at stake in submitting this report.
He has labored assiduously for two years
to fulfill the order of Congress in making
these investigations upon the subject Of
forestry, forest culture, and all other ques-
tions incidental thereto.
The printing of this report was ma
turely considered by the Committee on
Agriculture, consisting Of eleven mem.
bers. The manuscript is sufficient to fill
two volumes, one volume of closely
printed matter of perhaps $50 pages, the
other volume of statistical matter,
comprising about $50 or 400 pages. Your
Committee on Agriculture believe it
would be prudent, wise and proper to
publish the entire report, making per-
haps 1000 or LOO pages. But by a
peculiar rule of this House, to which l
am not now Offering an objection, after
the consideration of the subject by the
committee of eleven members, we have
the matter again submitted for the con-
sideration Of the Printing Committee,
which is composed of but three mem
bers, who in their wisdom decide that
the Committee on Agriculture were 95
per cent. wrong. To my mind, sir, this
is most remarkable conclusion.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I ask the chairman
of the Committee on Printing if he has
delved into this mass of manuscript
matterH Has he o, conception of the
magnitude Of this work, and of Its i'm
portance to the people Of this country :?
If he has, would ask why is it that his
committee have suggested the printing
of only 5000 copies? Is it because
printing large number would not be
din the line of econorny?" If this is the
purport of his report, and it should be
approved by this House, shall on a
proper occasion introduce a resolution,
to be referred to an appropriate commit
tee, asking for definition of that Oft
repeated cry, harped upon this floor SO
constantly, 'it is not in the line of econ
omy."
5000 copies of this report, and instead
OF spending q larger amount for che
| benefit of the great agricultural interests
| of our country, the Committee on Print
| ing favor that economy which would al
most smother the report and prevent
single copy from falling into the hands
of the farmers. Sir, compare this species
of economy with that which appropriates
| for defunct navy or for an inefficient
army more millions of the public money
than we are asking for thousands. Yes
sir, we give more as an annual salary to
a single commodore or general than is
asked for to spread information among
the people.
This is the first time during this ses.
sion that the agricultural interests have
asked that some benefit shall accrue tc
them from the appropriations made te
develop the recourceB of the country.
MIR. Finley-Will the gentleman from
South Carolina allow me 70 make sug'
gestion in the way Of an inquiry?
Mr.. Aiken-Certainly.
Mr.. Finley-The gentleman stated thai
| it would cost S., 900 to print 5000 copies
of this report. Now, is it not true tEa
it would only cost $4,000 to print 25,GO(
copies?
Mr.. Aiken-I can print $4,000 copies
for $1,000.
Mr.. Speaker, I undertook to rummagt
through this mass of manuscript to sat
isfy myself about its contents; and hav
ing learned its supposed contents by al
examination of the captions to the vari
GUS chapters, I ask the privilege of sta
ting them to the House.
The first chapter contains an accouh
of the distribution of forests Throughout
the United States, and their extent il
the respective States and territories.
The second chapter is captioned "Th'
methods of preserving and increasing
these forests !" the third speaks of th'
methods of planting out forests, and de
scribes the trees best adapted to differen
localities. Fourth, "Wood as o materia
for pager making" Fifth, "The manu-
facture of charcoal and its uses, will
wood gas for illumination and other pur
poses." Sixth, 1.-THE consumption o
wood by railroads, the respective con
sumption for fuel and for cross-ties.
Seventh, "The comparative value of dit
ferent kinds of wood for heating purpo
ses." Eighth. "The resinous product
of our forest, and the European metho'
of preserving resinous trees"
Now, Mr.. Speaker, it is a we'll know
fact that the resinous industries of tn
Southern States, in which so mucl
money is annually invested, are bein