New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-09
TIE NATIONS FORESTS.

The Senate stands by It's amendment to the
Sund-y Civil bill suspending Indefinitely the
forest reservation orders proclaimed on Febru-
airy ~, 1897, by President Cleveland. but the
Public Lands Committee Of the House has
J unanimously refused to approve that reaction
AIRY policy. There Is still a chance, therefore OF
agreement upon the more intelligent proposal
that the period of suspension allowed by act
Of the present Congress at Its extra session for
the correction of possible mistakes IN fixing the
limits of the reservations shall be continued for
q year IN order that the survey and examna
ton now going on may be completed 1t Is
clear that no legitimate interest could suffer by
the adoption Of that course, while II would save
the country from the discredit and misfortune
Of reversing an enlightened action deliberately
taken
President HArrison's reservation Of nearly
100000 acres Of forest lands was generally
approved and did not arouse serious opposition
IN any quarter but President Cleveland's proc
lamation near the close Of his second term add
ing more than 20.0OOO00 acres to the Nations
forest domain, provoked complaints from set
tiers who believed that their Indispensable priv
ileges were threatened, and from railroad and
mining companies whose lucrative depredations
1t seemed likely to stop In the former case
the alarm was not well founded; in the latter
case the outcry, though natural enough, did not
deserve TO appeal strongly TO the represent
atlves In Congress Of all the people. whose pos
sessions had been continually despolled. The
able committee appointed by the National Acad
envy Of Sciences, on whose report the frcsl-
dents action was based. never contemplated a
wasteful sequestration OF these vast tracts with
out regard to their natural and superior uses
be withdrawn from occupation. but must be
made to perform their part in the economy Of
'the Nation by the sale to miners and farm
ers Of land more valuable for its mineral de-
posts and for agricultural purposes than for
It's timber, by the sale Of mature timber, and
by the granting Of suitable privileges to set
tiers and prospectors In conformity with these
views the committee proposed a scheme OF for
est administration ana sought to have 1t en-
bodied in law. The creation Of the reservations
was the necessary first step IN the formulation
OF q Nationa. policy which sooner or later must
be adopted
Those who learn from their own mistakes TO
repair past losses and avoid further misfortunes
are WISE Those who profit by the experience
OF others before disaster befals themselves are
wiser yet. II the people OF the United States
dc not soon adopt adequate measures to stop
the devastation which has already passed the
limit OF safety they will ultimately be com
PEELED 10 follow the example OF older nations
ana resort 10 the slow and costly process Of
refOrcStati0n. The reckless destruction Of tim
Der By design is not the only, and perhaps not
the greatest. evil which ignorant Indifference
in this matter tolerates Sheer carecssness
contributes enormously 10 the waste. The for
estry report says that while there are no Stats
tics TO show the annual loss from fires In the
Western States and Territories. nearly every
summer their smoke obscures for months the
sight Of the sun over hundreds Of square lilies
land last summer 0S98) your committee travel
ling for six weeks through Northern Montana.
Idaho and Washington, and through Western
Washington and Oregon, were almost constant
< enyeloped In the smoke Of forest nrea"