The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-08-18
THE DESTRUCTION CT OUR FOR
ESTS,


The foundation of all enduring pros
perity for any nation is the physical en-
vironment of its people. A prosperous
empire cannot be built up in desert nor
can a nation however prosperous long
survive after the soil from which 1t draws
its very existence has become barren and
unproductive.
The accumulated evidence of history
must convince us beyond the possibility
of doubling that one of the most essential
factors that render country fit for hui
man occupation is a wide forest area.
Aside from the necessary uses which the
forest materials serve in any community,
civilized or barbarous, must be reckoned
the powerful and far reaching influence
OF forests on climatic conditions. With
regard to this most important point, all
human experience speaks with but one
voice, for the results of careful scientific
study and observation confirm the YER
diet of history. Tie fairest lands of
Europe and Asia, once the blooming gar
dens of the civilized world, to-day are all
but barren deserts. The cause of this
wide spread desolatIon which has crept
like destroying blight over the once fair
fields of Greece and Italy and fertile pro-
vinces of Asia Minor is unmistakable.
Humanity, reckless of its future good
and seeking only Its own present enjoy
ment and profit, has laid Its destroying
ak to the roots of the cedars of Lebanon
and the sacred olive groves that dotted
the Athenian hill slopes, and the insulted
gods driven from their living temples
have taken dire revenge. Summer and
winter still return at their appointed
season, but the cloud that hid the glory
of the living God on Sinai, and the mists
that yelled the mystery of Olympus, have
vanished never to return. The Naiad
haunted fountains that once dubbed
over with the living waters that refresh
ed the fertile fields are dried, and the
rocky beds of Illyssus ard Scamander lie
bare and brown beneath the fierce rays
of the blazing sun. Apollo drives his
flaming chariot as of old across the wide
reaches of the blue armament but no
kindly cloud floats through the brassy
heavens to veil his killing brightness, or.
distilled in rain falls in gentie showers
to refresh the parched soil or scanty vege-
tation that withers beneath his ardent
gaze.
Night still descends upon those barren
plains, but no spreading screen of vege
tation or rustllng carpet of fallen leaves
is interposed to modify the extremes of
heat and cold, and her once kindly cool
ness is changed to killing frost.
The mighty races thai once were nour-
ished among those happy fields aud rear
ed their faues and temples on wooded
hill and by the running streams have
passed away forever and their few de-
graded and lgnoble descendants drag out
painful existence among the mournful
wrecks of former greatness and civlliza-
ton whose mutilated records are still the
wonder and model OF the world. i:eck-
less and shortsighted still, and needless
of the lesson that Is craven on every fallen
shaft and broken column, and torrent
SCARED hillside, they still sacrifice the
future to the present and wherever
gnarled and stunted tree remains on the
sloping hillside or wide stretching plain
inviting with its dusty leaves the longed
for rain and flinging cooling shade upon
the sun dried earth 1t fslls a victim to the
all devouring ak; while herds of goats
are scattered through the fields to crop
The tender shoots that if left untouched
or guarded with Jealous care would
spring to lofty growth and harbinger a
national life and prosperity.
Is there no lesson to be learned from
all this mournful record. Alas, we do
not need TO cross the sea to read among
the barren hills and sun parched deserts
OF an older civilization, the painful story.
Our own mighty forests are fast disappear
ing before the fierce attacks of AK and
torch, and tie barren fields of New Eng
land already bear silent witness to our cri-
minal recklessness. They early floods that
deyastate our still fertile iowland3 when |
our winter SHOWS now unprotected from