Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-10
THE NATIONS FORESTS.
How tn Preserve from Ruthless Destruc-
ton by UnscrnpuIons SpeculntOrs.

the National domain should be tho
withdrawal from sale Of all forest
lands belonging To the Nation. 1t will
not be necessary to preserve and main
tain all these forests permanently, but
the extent OF forest territory which
will be required by a practical plan OF
forest-presel walton and management
FOR our Western mountain regions can
not be at once precisely determined.
A thorough examination of these re-
gions, and of the agricultural country
depending upon them for its water
supply will be necessary, in order to
show what forests must be retained,
and what tracts OF timber can be put
upon the market without injury TO tho
important interests involved. Until
such an examination has boon made,
none OF the forest lands now belonging
TO the United States should be sold
The second step should be to COM
NIT to the United States army the care
and guardianship of the forests belong
ing to the Nation. There is in time of
peace no other work of National de-
Tense or protection so important as
this which the army can perform, and
ii is plain that under existing condi-
tions the forests on the National do
main will not be-iudeed can not be-
adequately guarded and protected by
any other means. The measures
which have been tried including those
now in operation, or nominally in
operation, have proved almost entire
ly ineffective. The forests on the pub
lie lands are pillaged by settlers and
by the employees of railroad aud min
ing companies without scruple or
limit. Other instruments will have TO
be employed if the forests are to be
preserved. Their complete and final
destruction, with that OF the soil
which sustains them, is, under the
present system, or want of system,
only question of time, and of very
short time.
The officers Of the United States
army are educated by the Nation for
its services, and they constitute a body
of men not equaled by any other in our
country in their equipment for guard
ing and protecting the great forest re-
gions belonging to the Nation. They
possess every kind of fitness for this
work in greater degree than any other
class of men, and if authorized by law
to undertake this service they would
have the power and the means neces-
sary for its performance, while every
body else is at present inevitably pow
erless and incapable. AS there is like
ly to be very little work for the army
hereafter in the care of the Indians, it
will be available for this service of
guarding the National forests. The
work can be done we'll by the army.
and it would cost nothing, or very
little. while any other plan would
necessarily be both Ineffective and
costly. This guardianship and de-
Tense of the Nations forests
by the army of the nation should be
continued and maintained until suf-
fcient number OF adequately trained
and equipped foresters has been pro-
vided by the National Government for
the administration Of complete and
permanent system and policy for the
management Of the forest on the pub
lie domain.
This brings us TO consider the third
step. This should be the appointment
by the President of Il commission TO
make thorough examination of the
condition of the forests belonging to
the Nation, and OF their relation TO the
agricultural interests of the regions
through which the streams flow which
have their sources in these forests,
and to report, with the facts observed,
comprehensive plan for the preserva-
ton and management of the public
forests, including a system for train
ing, by the Government, of a sufficient
number Of foresters for the National
forest service.
The Commission should determine
what portions of the existing forests
on the public domain should be per-
manently preserved, and in what man
ner the remainder should be disposed
| of. The National forests can be so
managed that they will be perpetually
reproduced, and will yield forever an
abundant supply of timber for the in
habitants of the adjacent country, and
a revenue which will more than sus-
| tain the cost OF the forest service A
National School of Forestry should be
established at a suitable place in one
Of the great mountain forests on the
public lands, and its equipment should
be as thorough and adequate for its
| purpose as that of the National Mill
tary Academy at West Point. Garden
and Forest.