Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-02

Much is being said and written about
the rapid destruction or American forests
startling prophecies uttered Of the
bald and desolate future of the hills, OF
the rainless sterility Of long denuded val
leys, of the transfer Of surface soil 10 the
frightening delta Of shOal-bound torrents
and crystal rivers once bordered with
living green. rejecting life, animation and
beauty. changed to murky floods OF de-
struction in winter, and to stagnant pools
divided BY glittering ssndbeds IN summer
all of which. flowing from natural causes,
are sure TO happen under any hye-te-day
and-die-to-morrow system of industrial
economy. so far as evidence serves We
are warranted in asserting that not
single extinct, or still existing but effete
empire of the earth, would have
diminished aught Of life and yigOr. if well
governed, its people had known how and
possessed the will and energy to preserve
the country they professed so much TO
love. We profess the same amount Of
love for our country, and call it rich,
beautiful and great. So spoke the brave
and patriotic Romans, Greeks, Persians,
Modes, Hebrews, HindoOs and Egyptians,
and vet their empires persisted. They
.-deyoured the land'' as clouds of locusts,
and when its substance was gone they
too persisted, or sunk down TO weakness
and imbecility. If we pursue the same
course Of cutting down the forests, destroy
ing vegetation, wearing out the soil, and
floating it away in the streams to form
{ - .A will
be difficult to calculate the period future
history will assign as the beginning of
1.-The decline and fall'' of the American
empire. There win be less apology offered
for a modern empire well informed on the
great experiences of the past, and fairly
ablaze with the glOries of developing
science. There is even danger that the
accurate and fearless historian may
write Of the present age, that while
we were beginning, through the
| light of science and the study
| Of history, to make some effort
| toward the preservation of our wonder
| fully fruitful country, it appeared, never
| theless, that all were willing to seize at
every hazard, present fortune, apparent
| ", without the least regard to cOnse-
| quences, present OF future.
Would we like for this to be written in
/ history about our day and generation:
1t is in our power to prevent tive can
mould that beginning into an established
/ system of permanent imprOvement-We
/ can acquire fortune without a reckless
1 disregard of consequences and with
out destroying the fountains of
/ human subsistence and wealth, designed
/ by nature TO be perennial. The hills and
valleys need not be vandalized or shorn
! Of their landscape beauty by the enlight-
/ ened agriculturist, nor the serried forests
1 be swept as with the bosom of destruc-
] ton by the considerate wOOdman. There
I are modified forms of procedure. methods
/ of preservation and reproduction known to
/ civilization, that will doubtless meet the
appreciation of all intelligent men when
made a common purpose and enforced
! throughout the limits OF a State.
! But the work must begin, in our
/ opinion, in the halls of legislation.
! Where there is no legal restraint, there is
not likely to be pause even in the most
! destructive enterprise conducted for pres
ent gain. Education and the press may
! reconcile. and even convert the people to
/ the warmest support of such restraint,
I but they are pOwerless to call a sudden
/ halt, and il will be too late to repair when
/ the work of destruction is complete.