The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-12
FOREST PRESERVATION.

President Schurman, Of Cornell univer-
sity. has not been especially happy in his
public utterances, at least in his charac-
ter as peace commissioner at the Philip
pines. The popular concurrence which is
denied to that gentleman's conclusions re-
ga1ding our course in the Philippine ISL
ands will not extend to the annual report
recently made by him On the subject of
forest preservation in the state Of New
York
The subject of that report possesses
especial interest to the people of Minneso-
Ia at this time on account of the action
which has been taken With reference to
the establishment of national forestry
preserve, park and pleasure resort with
in CUR own limits.
1t is not generally known that in the
constitution adopted by the people of
New York in 1894 provision was made for
the establishment of a forest preserve.
That provision is contained in the follow
ing clause:
The lands of the state, now owned or
hereafter acquired. constituting the for
est preserve as now fixed by law, shall
De forever kept as wild forest lands.
They shall not be leased sold or ex-
changed. or be taken by any corpora
ton, public or private, nor shall the
timber thereon be sold, removed or de-
stroyed.
Two years ago the legislature of the
state further provided for theoretical and
practical instruction in the principles of
forestry preservation, under the direction
of Cornell university, and made an ap-
preparation for instruction at Ithaca, de-
voting a further sum 20 the acquisition
Of tract Of three thousand acres In the
Ad1rondacks, the use Of which IS assign
ed to Cornell university for a period of
thirty years. The report of Prof. Schur-
man is devoted to the first years work
Ger this provision, and the report shows
the most gratifying results
The deliberate and most criminal de-
struction which has been wrought on
the forests of the United States and the
entire absence of any provision, either on
the part Of the states severaily or the
United States, for the replacing Of the
vast areas of forest land which have been
denuded by the ak Of the lumberman
have made this entire question of the pres
ervation Of our timber growth one Of the
most important that relate to our in
ternal policy. The constantly recurring
forest fires, moreover. have added great
ly to the havoc which has resulted, and 1t
Is gratifying to note that even at this
late day public authority has awakened
to the certain results following this era
OF destruction. Under the prevailing sys-
tenn Of land ownership, the result has
been inevitable, in the absence of such
precautions as those represented by our
own action as we'll as that of the state
Of New York, that our vast natural re-
SC urces In this direction must inevitably,
before many generations, become totally
exhausted. The tremendous growth in
population and the rapid filling up of
several states have, of course, operated
in natural way to decrease our timber
supply, but the extravaganza which char
acterizes American life in all Its aspects
has been woefully shown by us in this
particular direction.
We have entered recently, even if
only in a half-hearted way, on a period
of recuperation. If the policy adopted
In New York were generally to prevail
throughout the country the results would
be most beneficent before many years
had passed. Self-preservation will I'M
doubtedly, sooner or later, compel us to
such course. The vast forest areas
Of the South will soon be made the object
Northwest, even to the Pacific ocean, and
the same story of failing timber sup
ply will soon be told In that section
which relates to our own experience.
Scientific forestry Is coming into vogue
The first serious attempt at It's cultiVa-
ton is that made by Cornell university
Doubtless the example will force itself
for adoption before long upon other
states. In the interval 1t seems to be-
the duty of all thoughtful and patriotic
citizens to urge as strenuously as may
be the preservation by public authority