The record-union., 1897-04-14
FORESTRY RESERVATIONS.


movement is on foot to break up the
national forest reservations, at least in
part, and to permit Tom, Dick and
Harry to enter and Craze stock, cut
timber and play the vandal generally.
OF course the claims for opening the
reservations are not phrased in that way.
but misery and ruin Will be the outcome
of any considerable letting down of the
bars.
The Government of the United States
has scarcely any more important mat
ter before it to-day than that of con-
serving forest growth and preserving
the wooded watersheds of the lesser and
greater streams. Hough, in his cele-
brated report to Congress in 1871 made
that so clear that the attention of the
whole country was arrested and turned
to consideration of the matter, though
with the passage of time the sensitive
interest has dulled somewhat.
Hough had been sent to Europe by
Congress to study the forestry ques-
ton and gather data. He returned and
made local studies and got together the
facts relative to American forests and
forestry interests. His report convinced
Congress that its duty is to preserve
large tracts of forests for the purpose of
conserving growth of timber, prevent
ing the extinction of certain conifera,
q crah h 10
and otherwise. Following the Federal
movement, New York took up the ques-
ton and acted with great vigor in pro-
tecting the great Adirondack region
forest growth, and she has never re-
GREETED it for a moment.
The reasons for preserving forest
growths are many. but only few need
to be cited, and they are very easily I'M
derstood First, for timber variety
preservation. Second, for protection of
the soil of watersheds that feed the
initial streams Third, for conservation
of salubrity of the atmosphere and the
prevention of aridity. Fourth, that
rivers may be fed by streams steadily
and sudden rises and disastrous floods
be prevented. Fifth, denudation of the
hills and mountain tanks and the wood
ed lands means abnormal increase of
temperature in one season and ex-
ceeding low temperature in an
other it means flooding OF low
lands and washing out of hill
earth, and hence unnatural erosion;
1t means the deprivation of the at
mosphere of certain essentials furnished
by the leaf of timber growth, and which
deprivation is followed by injury to
the public health, and hence forest
growth should be conserved.
There are other reasons. but these are
sufficient for present purposes. Aside
from them, however, it is the right of
the Government to preserve the forest
not the right of anyone to enter on such
lands for private gain, or use them to
the filing of his pocket at Government
expense.
The Forestry Commission is about to
submit to the Government an elaborate
report setting forth the reasons for
forest preservation, and the present
need for action to that end. 1t will ask
that troops may be used temporarily
to prevent forest destruction by graz
ing of sheep, by fire and by the ak of
the timberman. Second. that a perma-
nent Forest Bureau be established.
Third, that a commission be raised to
gather data, make surveys and deter
mine Just what reservations shall be
protected, and how far permanent
tracts shall be reserved. Fourth, to
authorize the erection of rules and reg
r1lations for the protection of forest
growth and Improvement of forests on
reservations, and for the granting of
privileges to take out timber for manu-
featuring. for use in the working of
mines within reservations and for use
of actual settlers, etc.
Tt is outrageously unthinkable that
anyone, sheep men, timber men or any
one else should seek to influence the
Government to any course of action