Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-28
PRESERVATION OF FORESTS
Annual Meeting of the American Forestry
Association.
The Sessions Devoted to Busincss-A
Call on the President - Report of
the Executive Committee.

The thirteenth annual meeting of the
American Forestry Association was held
this morning ct the Agricultural Depart
ment. AS usual at these annual gatherings
the time was entirely devoted to the trans
action of business. The reports of various
committees and especially that of the OK
ecutive committee, OF which Prof. B. F..
Fernow is the chairman, were made and
considered. The president of the associa-
ton, Secretary Morton, was not able to be
present during the entire session, and his
place was taken by Mr.. Willetts, one of the
vice presidents, and formerly assistant sec
rotary of agriculture The morning
session was begun at 10 O'Clock, ana
shortly afterward recess was taken in
order that the members might proceed to
the White House and call on the President
to thank him for the Endorsement in his
message of the policy of the association
which aims to preserve the forests Of the
country.
A review of the work of the year was
given in the report of the executive COM
mittee, in which ii was stated that there
has been a considerable Increase of activity
and progress in forestry matters during the
past year within and without the associa-
ton. 1t was stated that the membership
of the association has been increased SO
that 1t is now nearing the five hundred
mark. During the year three special meet
ings have been held; the first at Albany
n. Y, the second at Brooklyn, and the
third in the White Mountain region.
Important Legislation.
The report states that the most important
event which the association may note as a
direct result of it's own efforts was the
passage by the House of the McRae bill.
This bill is of great value, as 1t recognizes
by legislative enactment the status or for-
est reservations, and places them under
special protection with the aid OF the
-, n CO. a~Nrn of
Interior. 1t will now devolve upon the
association to make strenuous EFFORTS Tor
| the passage of this bill by the Senate dur
| ing the present session or Congress ana
| then to secure by executive proclamation
the further reservation of public timber
lands from sale and entry.
ut may be proper in this report once
more to refute the imputations made on the
| fl oor of the House of Representatives that
| the bill was inspired or its passage in cay
way Influenced by the lumbermans inter
ests of the west. These interests nave been
naturally against the bill, and the restrict
| i've amendments may be traced to that IN
| fuence. .
1T may also be proper to state that the
association does not consider the present
| bill as it's ideal, but only frst step To-
" ard a more rational treatment of the pub
lie timber lands; for its ideal 1t still adheres
| to the bill 8. 3235, Fifty-second Congress,
which became known as the Paddock bill.
| This provides for fully organized FOR
estry management of the public timber
lands and has been abandoned only tenn
porarily on account of the difficulty of
having such a comprehensive measure d.
cussed or enacted at the present time"
Western Forest Fires.
A review Is given in the report OF the
various phases of the forestry movement
| in all parts of the country.
"In the west the terrible forest fires.
which IA ged more fiercely this summer and
have cost more lives than for many years
| past, have aroused public attention to the
necessity of measures to prevent recur-
rences of this scourge; the Wisconsin and
| the Minnesota State Forestry Associa-
| tions, in conjunction with the chamber
| OF commerce of st. Paul and others in
| terested, are trying to pass forest-fire legis-
| lation in the respective states.
| At the session which was held this after
| Econ officers were elected as follows: Pres
| ident, j. Sterling Morton; corresponding
| secretary, f. III. Newell of this city; re-
! Ccrding secretary, N. III. Egleston of this
| city; treasurer, DIR. II. NJ. Fisher of Phila-
| delphia, and the executive committee. OF
| which Professor b. f. Fernow is chair.
| man.
| A joint meeting with the National Geo.
| graphical Society will be held in the Ma
| tional Museum Hall at o'clock this even
| ing when an address on The Economic
| Aspects of Erosion will be delivered by
| Pref. n. s. Shaler of Harvard University
| The speaker of the evening will be intro
duced by the Secretary of Agriculture.