New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
STATE TIMBER DEPREDATIONS.

STATE TIMBER DEINEDA llONc.
From an advance copy Of the report OF the
committee appointed last year to investigate
depredations on the States timber lands In the
Adirondacks Garden and Forest" makes care
full and doubtless an accurate summary OF the
committees findings. 1t is evident that the III
vestigation was not undertaken too soon, though
a cure for the mischief which it exposes may
not be promptly and easily applied 1t appears
from the testimony of slXty-fve competent ana
mostly reluctant witnesses that great part OF
the States timber has been unprotected during
the last five years, and that 1t has been pretty
freely invaded How much has been appropr'-
ated-that is TO say stolen-by persons having
no right to touch it the committee Is unable 10
determine, but the testimony indicates that the
total is very large. AS Garden and Forest
puts the case 1.-THE loss Of an enormous amount
of timber, local public opinion which justiiies
"the pillage Of the State lands and the made
"quacy Of the machinery provided by the state
"for protecting its forests are the three facts
(which stared out prominently in this report.
1t must be admitted that this Is a sorry sltla-
ton to be in after years of earnest effort TO pro
tect and increase the States forest holdings. ny
discussion and legislation eliminating in a CON
stitutional decree Ncighborly feeling and the
fact that they all want to trespass some if they
get chance" make depreciation safe. in the
absence of adequate means of protection by the
State and Of power TO iniict adequate penal
ties in rare cases of conviction Mofeover. the
operations Of the thieves are SO managed as TO
divide and shift the responsibility and make 1t
hard for the authorities TO nab an offender IN
such a manner as TO hold him. Contracts are
sublet through a series OF agents, boundaries are
to considerable extent underlined. though for
the most part locally known. the isolation OF
numerous small State tracts facilitates pilfering
whether through inadycrtcnce or design. there
Is steady demand for the product of Illicit
activity, and the sure profits outweigh the Sigh;
risk Our contemporary Justly says that it
should be made criminal offence to steal timber
from the State, but sagaciously adds that with
out a compelling public opinion behind it such
an act would never be enforced.
The question therefore Is how such public
sentiment can be awakened, and we suppose
the only answer Is: BY Just such slow proc
ess as has been going on for years, with results
which are certainly disappointing. but yet
recognizable and Of substantial value. There
certainly Is more knowledge this subject
than there was ten years ago, and more DISPOSE
ton to apply the lessons OF observation and eX-
perience to the service Of the State OF that fact
the law and the existence Of a policy however
imperfectly carried out are proof. The feeble
ness Of the moral sense among those whose
proximity to the forests is a strong temptation
| to evdoing Is the chief source OF trouble. But
the residents Of cities, including the metropolis.
have little reason 10 boast of superior virtue.
| They do not steal timber from the State prob
| ably because they have no chance TO. They do
| not hesitate, however, to take public property
| In another manner by making government more
expensive than 1t needs to he-by increasing the
ways which the Commissioner has repeatedly
| pointed out, contrary to law and the obligations
Of good citizenship or course this Is no OK
cuse for Adirondack pilferers, but 1t suggests
the prOprety Of their accusors' coming into court
with clean hands. An enlightened public con
science. producing sense OF personal RESPONSE
bility for the common welfare is the chief need
Of society. This Is not likely to be developed
rapidly, and If 1t is developing at all we should
| thank God and take courage. But the fact re-
| mains for our consolation that little leaven of
| the right sort sometimes does produce great re-
| suits In brief time. 1t seems to us that there
are many places In which the leaven Of civic
morality is al work, and that the forests well
as the cities are beginning to feel It.