The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-19
TIMBER PRESERVATION.

"Woodman, spare that tree" has come to
be as practical suggestion as it was a
sentimental one when MORRIS wrote the
song. To the Congressional committee on
public lands Secretary NOBLE has written
letters asking that efficient steps be taken
for the preservation of the natural forests,
and all who give the subject a thought will
agree with him that only by taking care of
the timber at the headwaters of the mount
ain streams of the middle and far west can
those streams be kept from going dry and
the tributary country lapsing into arid
waste. But somehow Congress, though
repeatedly enioined, has shown an indispo-
sition or an Indifference to acquaint itself
with this, one of the most interesting and
important matters that could come before
body supposed to be looking to the vel
fare of the whole country. A few weeks
ago, at the meeting in Washington of the
association for the preservation of forests,
its tenth annual gathering, although a
special invitation was sent to each Senator
and Representative of the western states
interested, the only legislator who at
tended was Senator DAWES, of Massachu
alive that, in order the more readily
to accommodate itself to the convenience
of Congressman, the meeting was called at
| the capital, where the facts and arguments
Of those best acquainted with the ques-
tions involved could be heard, and where
the members might participate if they
chose. That this opportunity was utterly
| neglected is sham eful, and calls for unqual-
| flied Reproduction.
The law Of March last authorizes the
President to withdraw woodlands from
sale or entry and to protect them from
spoliation. 1t is well known that
the ingenuity Of the interior depart
ment has not yet equaled that of the
despoler, and what is needed is some plan
of action by which this fault can be RENE
died. Whilst Mr.. PLUMB was in the
Senate there was one man there who thor
oughly understood the Importance of this
matter, to which he gave much study and
in which he was zealously interested. But
some man of his vim and vigor of purpose
must be found around whom to rally a
working force in this particular
The measure proposed calls for new
division of the general land office, with a
competent chief and assistants or inspec-
tors and superintendent for each reserva-
ton, with assistants for every 500, 900 acres,
and rangers for every 0,000 10 q, 600 acres
1t looks to a supervision of all applications
to cut timber, to restrict entrance upon the
reservations, regulations under which all
cutting must be done, etc.
One would think, if a Massachusetts
Senator could lind time to attend meeting
where questions like the foregoing were
discussed, those Senators and Representa-
tiyes who have a vote in Congress repre-
senting the states where irrigation and
kindred themes are so important, might
find it no great task to look into them q
little. In past times members of both
houses, from the prairie and desert districts,
lave been so absorbed in their service to
the high tariff protectionists, mortgagors,
trust companies and manufacturing CON-
bines of the northeast, that it became
natural TO overlook the material interests
of their constituents. But the western
revolution is coming on, and we may have
hopes of better things hereafter