The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-31
The Necessity Of Forest Preservation

| Washington. July 2S.-Stlrred up bv
the assertions of the agricultural de-
partment that large part of the hot
wave now prevailing in the west is
due. directly or indirectly, to the de-
stfuction of the forests in that part
of the country and to the north, it is
probable that the people there will
urge upon Congress at its next ses-
sion advanced steps to preserve what
forests are left and to plant others.
This whole subject was fought over
towards the close of President Cleve-
lands term, not on account of the
heat but on account of the floods and
droughts that have always been
harged up to the destruction of the
forests. Mr.. cleveland realized the
danger of forest destruction and issued
an order withdrawing from entry and
sale 81, 379, $40 acres of timber lands
in the west and northwest. This or
der was made upon the recommended
tion of the American Forestry associa-
tion and the National Association for
the advancement of Science in order
to preserve the forests from destruc-
tion and to secure a permanent supply
of water for irrigation and manufac-
turing purposes in the arid regions.
For twenty-five or thirty years be-
fore, every secretary of the interior,
every commissioner of public lands
every forestry association, every irriga-
tion convention, and every scientist,
economist and philanthropist, who
has studied the great question of wal
ter supply has urged congress to enact
some law to spare and protect the trees
in the western mountains, but it was
not until 1891 that any attention was
paid to their appeals. Through the
influence of the American Forestry as
sociation new policy was then adopt
ed authorizing the president to reserve
and set apart any portion of the pub
lie lands as forest cover upon slopes
and mountains to hold back the snow
and rainfalls, to prevent rapid evapora-
tion and to encourage the deveoppment
of the timber supply. For many
years the cultivation Of artificial
groves had been encouraged by lib
eral bounty in lands, but no effective
measures had been taken to protect
the vast natural forests that clothed
the mountains and sheltered the water
courses of the west. Thousands of
square miles of magnificent timber
had been destroyed by unchecked
fires, and thousands more had been
denuded by thieves, without any COM
pensation to the government or sin
gle thought of the consequence to fu-
ture generations.
An appropriation of $4,000 was
41o of ha
ton for the Advancement of Science
to enable experts to select the tracts
to be reserved, and upon its recon-
mendation President Harrison issued
a proclamation withdrawing from entry
and sale some 100000 acres of
lands.
Shortly after President Cleveland
came into power he issued an order re-
serving the Cascade range in Wash
ington. embracing 4. 1872. 800 acres, and
later he issued the other order re-
ferred to above.
At once the settlers and especially
the lumber spectators Of the north
west began an assault on the law,
based upon short-sighted. temporary
local interest. The strongest objec-
TORS were EUe railway COulPdHlSS. luc
miners ard local lumbermen, who
were enjoying the benefit of these TIM
Der tracts both lawfully and unlawful
", and who complained that the presl
dents order would paralyze industry.
retard immigration. and deprive the
inhabitants of the regions adjacent to
these reservations of the building lum
Der and fuel that they needed. In re-
Spouse to their demand Congress
adopted an amendment to the sundry
civil bill. suspending President Cleve
lands proclamation for some nine
months. at the end of which time
President Mckinley was to say what
part should be withdrawn and what
restored.
When the time was up. President
Mckinley undid a good deal of the
work Of his predecessor, although he
allowed the larger part to stand. If
he had stood by President Cleveland,s S
order and extended it. instead of WELD
ing to the demands of the men wfo
were making fortunes by cutting the
timber on which the prosperity of tie
country depended, it is probable that
the present hot spell would not have
been as widespread and disastrous IS
it has been.
Rock Hill. July 2S.-ThiS afternoon