Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-05

ne HERALD.
Forest Dcnudation- Herr Lasker.
The New York Sun is engaged In q
crusade against forest denudation that
cannot fail to have lasting effects for
good all over the United States. That
powerfuland intelligent journal, it is true.
IL directing It's efforts mainly towardsthe
preservation OF the Adirondacks and
other forests which form the watershed
Of the Hudson river. In the prosecution
Of this useful work, however, our con-
temp orary has very naturally developed
; wealth of illustration bearing upon the
topic which will be both instructive and
admonitory to the people Of the United
States at large. What Is now seen to be
iuimical to the most storied river on the
American continent will alse be accepted
ns menacing the future Of the Ohio, the
Mississippl, the Columbia and number.
less other rivers. Arguments which
promise to be potential enough to infiu-
ence the New York Legislature to enact
salutary laws restraining the rapid denu-
dAtion Of the forests Of the Empire State
will prove to have for larger prism,
and will be needed, in time, by other
State Legislatures. both on the Atlantic
and the Pacific Coast.
It will be remembered that, short
time before his lamented death, Herr
14asker, the distinguished German Lib
eral. paid Los Angeles visit. He was
even then in very debilitated condition
physically. At the banquet rendered to
him at the Pico House he could scarcely
speak above whisper, and those who
vat but a few feet away from him had
great difficulty in hearing what he had
TO say In response to the enthusiastic
ovation extended to him by his com
patriots OF Los Angeles. But, though
weak in body, Herr Lasker retained un.
diminished the intellectual keenness
which had enabled him, against preju-
lices Of race and religion, to attain the
leadership Of the most enlightened
thought of Germany. The most casual
opinions of such o man are worthy Of
preservation. In view Of the fact that,
after he left Los Angeles, he was proba-
bly, too i'll TO express any views what.
ever on this country, we deem 1t only
right that those he did express should be
repeated for the benefit Of the American
people.
During his sojourn here Herr Lasker
was the guest Of his co-religion-
ist, Mr.. |. w. Hellman, the Presi-
dent of the Farmers and Merchants
Bank. In the course Of the social and
unrestrained intercourse which follow ed,
where there was no call upon his voice,
the great German liberal leader gave
cordial and emphatic expression to his
admiration of the United States. He
regarded the premier American Republic
us the greatest nation in the world; and
MS invested, TO remarkable degree, with
the leadership Of the International poll.
tics Of the future. In an especial manner
he was pleased with Southern California,
as developed in the orange groves aud
vineyards of Los Angeles.
Herr Lasker, however. found two
things to deprecate in the United States
ns far as he had had opportunity to dag.
nose our salient characteristics. In the
first place, he deprecated the prodigal
waste OF the forests with which this
continent is SO prodigally endowed. He
pointed out the fact that while, natural.
ly, we are so far superior to Germany in
this regard, the older country was far
more enlightened in its policy ms to for
ests. There the people and government
were at the utmost pains to conserve and
to replace the occasionally denuded
parks. While there the grand, primeval
trees were not encountered in anything
like the prodigious stretches character
istic of the United States, there was the
most persevering replacement OF every
tree which was compulsorily sacrificed
for fuel or other purposes. He suggested
|that while necessity would ultimately
compel us to adopt the European plan in
this matter, it would be wise to antic-
pate the iron exigency of the future,
thus saving us much positive damage
and vexation, ON the principle that an
ounce Of prevention is worth pound Of
cure.
The second regard in which Herr
Lasker found the United States vastly
inferior to Europe was in our roads. In
the old world, however great the sacri-
flee and inconvenience in despotic forms
of government, the people had splendid
highways and by-ways. The initiative
set by the old Roman Republic and the
old Roman Empire of perfect roadways
culverts and sidewalks, was religiously
adhered to by Germany and the other
nations Of Europe. He thought that, in
this respect, as in the other, We might
well borrow lesson from the eflete
monarchies of the old world.
Even the most fugitive opinions of a
man of Herr Lasker's emnence and
worth deserve to be treasured, which is
4ha avcuaa for this articla