St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-26
TO CLOWN EMERALD.
He Would Compel the Growth
Of Trees About Every
Mans Land,
And Again Make the Aneri-
can Desert Flow With Milk
and Honey.
81 Am a Dakota Democrat"
and Shall Come In, Says
Harvey Wilson.
Division the Republican Pol
iey--Gifford Talks Sweet
ness to Grigsby.
Special 10 the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-"All coun-
tries are bounded by imaginary geo.
graphical lines" says Prof. Smith, of
the botanical gardens, "but those i'm
aginary lines might easily be made
visible and useful for the nations and
states.' We had been talking of Arbor
day and the great Importance of it,
especially to the Northwestern states
and territories, which are wholly timber
less in some places, and being ruthleSSly
denuded of rain seekers and heat
storerS in other portions. Prof. Smith
continued: IF | could make forestry
laws for the people 1 would direct them
them to mark the boundary lines
between the states and territories with
trees. Every fifty feet there should be
planted an oak, hickory, elm or ash
tree; and these trees should make Wis
IDLE and tangible every state line which
is now imaginary in the geography and
gueSSable by the citizens. | would pur-
sue my lawful autOcracy further and
command that every county line should
MARKED BY TREES
BldIllGu anu DlullltulllCu hloUouSO
of not more than ten feet. This would
seem mandatory and harsh to some
people, and many would try to shirk the
mandate, but would provide punish
ment to fit the crime of negligence.
Better still, would have all Dakota,
Montana and the treeless plains of New
Mexico and Arizona glowing in emerald
green inside of decade. l would COM
pei every land owner to fence his pos
sessions with trees. These might be of
the fruit-bearing varieties if he chose to
have them so, but they should be care
fully cultured and nurtured."
what excuse would you offer for the
enactment and execution of such rigOr-
Gus measures"
The excuse of intelligent compre-
henSion of mOmentOuS subject. What
excuse does the legislator offer for the
provisions of the law against arson? Is
any excuse needed for the law which
Furnishes man for the murder of his
fellow-man. or the burning of his house?
Does it make any difference whether
life is taken with the swift stiletto or
the slow poison? Does it make any diff
ference whether infanticide is COM
mitted prior CT subsequent to the birth
of child? Then, does it make any diff
ference whether ignorant men lay bare
the fertile regions of the great West
and Northwest to the ruthless burning
rays of a relentless sun or not? Is any
excuse needed for law which would
say to the pioneers and residents: You
shall not compel these
PLAINS TO DIE
and their inhabitants to Shrivel into
mere memories of a great people, by
drying up their watercOurses, and thus
numbering future generations" Ger
tainly not. Have not the civilizations
of former ages upon this continent been
driven out of existence and out of his
tory, too, by the drying up of all their
waters? What was recently known as
the Great American Desert was at one
time pOpulouS country, and pros
porous people filled it. The ancient
adventures marched from Mexico into
Central North America because they
found land flowing with milk and
honey. When the plains and hills again
shine with ceIulean luSter, wealth and
prosperity will smile upon a great ma
ton. The trees will bring rain, and
rain will produce grass and grain. The
soil now called barren will renew its
youth and strength. Cities will grow
where now even the coyote has difficulty
in finding a livelihood. Trees not only
BRING RAIN,
but hold snow. They prevent floods.
They also store the heat in summer,
and relieve mankind from suffering by
the superabundance of heat. They
store away the heat and give it back in
fire for the stove and ingleside in VIM
ter. We cannot have too many of them,
and no laws can be too rigorous which
compel the cultivation of them. No eX-
cuse will be needed for such law"
win there ever be such enact
ments?"
- That is question of intellectual de-
velOpment, If the people learn fast
enough and comprehend fully enough
the importance of the great principle
involved; if they see the case as it is, in
time they will attend to tree culture
without the making of laws. But there
may always be, and probably will be,
men of that order of selfshness and in
difference which will necessitate law
and punishment for the general welfare
] hope, for the general we'll being of the
immediate future of our people, that
the time may speedily come when they
will do as ! have suggested without
cOmpulSion."