The herald., 1898-10-16
ALGERLSM AND FORESTRY

When the recent forest fires were burn
ing on the adjacent mountains, The Her.
aid sharply criticised the evident mis-
management in the efforts to control
them. We now find in an eastern
newspaper, thorough ventilation of the
so-called ranger system" as operated
by the government. A personal exami-
nation was made in several states by a
competent observer, and the result
shows that nothing but inefficiency
could be expected.
While the system in itself is COM
mendable, as we learn from this au-
thority 1t has been hampered by the ap-
pointment Of incapable persons. mot
more than one-flfth Of the employees are
more than apologies for forest rangers"
we are told, and this extract follows:
A system has been inaugurated by
which salaries assignable to forest
rangers have been distributed to po-
lit!cal workers, with little or no pre-
tense Of anything else. I found one
forest ranger with a carpenters apron
on and nails in his pocket. He was
helping to build house, working as
tourneyman at his trade, and yet draw
ing q regular salary from the govern
ment.
It seems from such disclosures that
Algerism Is not confined to the war de-
partment. The governmental appro-
priation for the forestry service is only
s175,OOO for the present year, but
larger allowance Is expected next year.
The increase will swell the political op-
portunities, but there is no hope for
more efficient service as matters are now
conducted. Here is another extract,
still more closely attaching Algerism TO
the interior department.
Instances Of this kind might be gath
cred In great numbers. Party workers
who cannot get any other government
office In the west are appointed rangers
and those who will accept the modest
compensation provided are usualiy
broken down men, wholly unacQualnteo
with the work and unfit for It's PERFORM
anca. Their supervisor Is often an
act,ve nol.tic!an, who '1s going among
the people, and so helping to carry the
caucuses.
IT Is. of course, useless to hope Tor any
d,m,nution in destructive fires unoer
such conditions. Water supplies IN ara
sactions are endangered, and vast loss
~ valuable timber is incurred, while the
money that should be used In preventing
such damage is frittered away IN the
support of small bore political drones.
II is said that much more tlmper 1alls
every year by fire than by the saw. IN
one wear. 1894, the loss in Minnesota and
wisconsin alone aggregated twelve MIL
lion dollars.
The suggestion has been made that
forestry preservation should be man
aced by the regular army. The absence
of fires in Yellowstone Park, where
small detachment of soldiers is STA
toned, is pointed to as evidence that this
system Is practicable throughout the
forest regions. It looks anything but
practicable, unless a large army should
be employed specially for the purpose OK
fighting fire.
AS the present system has the endorse
ment of Intelligent observers, the proper
thing, evidently, Is to purify 1t OF po-
litical corruption and then extend It.
The same system Is said to be success
in several European countries. AS the
accusations to which we have alluded
are specific and circumstantial, the mat
ter is a proper one for investigation by
congress. 1t would be hardly worth the
effort, however, to call the attention of
the present congress to IT. The only
probable result would be requisition on
the administration for more whitewash.