New-York tribune., 1882-03-01
Nrw.yoRK DAILY TRIBUNE, WEDNESDAY MARCH J. 1882

possible. Timber has been squared IN the
woods leaving the ground covered with dry
CHRIS and score blocks to feed the fires which
have desolated whatever the axe and saw may
have chanred to leave and burned out OF tne
soil itself its capacity to support pine growm'
1t is useless now to mourn over what mas
been done, although it is plain to see that the
supply of needed pine could have been Sis
tanned indefinitely in growing forests II trees
below a certain standard size had been ieit'
But we have forests of other timber trees
in the Pacific States, of yellow pine IN the
South, and hard wood in considerable quantl-
ties scattered all over the Union. The warn
ing sounded by this report ought to awaken
public sentiment and bring about some con-
certed action for checking this wan
ton waste of the National wealth. If owners OF
woodland fully realized what their property
would be worth few years hence, lumber
would not be exported at price which barely
pays for the labor of preparing it for market.
The Government too, might be induced 10
throw some restrictions about the sale
of it's timber land And if private own
ers and Government officers were prop
erly instructed, we might hope for the
adoption of some conservative policy, un-
der which our remaining forests could be
preserved to yield rich annual harvest Tor
an indefinite period. 1t is plain that Ii our
forests are swept away at the rate OF millions
of acres every year, the white pine is only one
of our trees which will be practically exter-
minated. It should be remembered, too, that
the direct pecuniary loss to the country Is
only one of the evils entaied by this destruc-
ton. 1t seems to be established that climate,
soil and health must suffer whenever the ratio
of the forest area to the cleared land of any
country is reduced below fixed limit. The
frequent floods and drOuths from which we
suffer may be put in evidence to prove that
we have already transgressed the danger line.
SENATOR SHERMAN AND HIS ENEMIES.
In private letter to a friend which has been
published, Senator Sherman says: Il see by
"your letter that you appreciate the ordeal
through which my enemies have made me
"pass After what supposed was Il successful
"and beneficial term of duty III the Treasury,
al am obliged to contest with dead beats
and liars for my reputation. Still, 1t is the
9order of the day thus to break down, If pos
@sible, all who arc not of certain school.
GThe men who are putting forward these hDels
"and slandcrs are irresponsible; suit with
them for damages would be joke, and the
@ail refuge" This is the simple truth,
stated with entire moderation when we con-
slider the provocation to strong language.
After a term of service in the Treasury Depart
ment which will rank in history as one OF the
most remarkable and beneticent which the
with Shpr-
man was justified in believing that whatever
else the public might do to show its apprecla-
ton of his work, it would not greet him with
SANDERS. 1t would be mistake to say the
public has either done this, or has given its be-
lief to the ISLANDERS which malignant and un-
scrupulous enemies invented about him. The
shame of it is that the public failed to so ex-
press its indignation as to make an investlga-
ton of the charges unnecessary.
Why they were started everyone knows. Mr..
Sherman and Mr.. Blaine together defeated the
third term scheme at Chicago. Nothing but
their patriotism, which will be forever remem-
bered to their honor, in bidding their sup
porters leave them and vote for any opponent
of the third term who could be nominated,
saved the Republican party from the commission
of n fatal blunder. Both men have never been
forgiven by the defeated faction, and never will
be. They have been pursued from that day to
this by hatred as malignant as it is cOmpli-
mentary. The people are on their side as
strongly to-day as they were in June, 1880,
and all the brass medals and murderers' bullets
in the world are not potent enough to change
them.
It looks very much as If a section of oblivion had
fallen upon that volcanic Irish patriot ODonovan