Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-12-12
PROTECT. THE FORESTS.
Establishment of a Bureau OF For
estry IL Recommended

Establishment of a Bureau OF For
estry Is Fccom1ne nded.
The department Of agriculture during
the past fifteen years has steadily broad
ened' its work on economic lines and has
accomplished results of real value in up
building domestic and foreign trade. 1t
has gone into new fields until it is now
in touch with all sections Of our country
and with two Of the island groups that
have lately come under our jurisdiction,
whose people must look to agriculture as
q livelihood. It Is searching the world
for grains, grasses, fruits and vegeta-
bles specially fitted for Introduction into
localities in the several states and terri
tories where they may add materially to
our resources. By scientific attention to
soil survey and possible new crops to
breeding Of new varieties of plants, to
experimental shipments, to animal indus
try and applied chemistry, very practical
aid has been given our farming and
stock-growing interests. The products
of the farm have taken an unprecedented
place in our export trade during the
year that has just closed.
- 80 80 . q q 90 . . 80 80
T. Public opinion throughout the .
q United States has moved steadily to- .
q ward just appreciation of the value =
Of forests, whether planted or of .
q natural growth. .
w V3vVV~&x>
The great part played by them in the
creation and maintenance of the national
wealth is now more fully realized than
ever before.
Wise forest protection does not mean
the withdrawal of forest resources,
whether of wood, water or grass, from
contributing their full share to the well
fare of the people, but, on the contrary,
gives the assurance of larger and more
certain supplies. The fundamental idea
of forestry is the perpetuation Of forests
by use. Forest protection is not an end
of itself; 1t Is means to Increase and
sustain the resources of our country and
the industries which depend upon them.
The preservation Of our forests Is an
imperative business necessity. We. have
come to see clearly that whatever de-
stroys the forest except to make way for
agriculture threatens our we'll being.
The practical usefulness of the national
forest reserves to the mining, grazing, ir-
rigation and other interests of the regions
in which the reserves lie has led to
widespread demand by the, people Of the
West for their protection and extension.
The forest reserves will inevitably be of
still greater use in the future than in
the past. Additions should be made to
them whenever practicable, and their
usefulness should be increased by thor
oughly businesslike management.
At present the protection of the forest
reserves rests with the general land Of
flee, the mapping and description of their
timber with the United States geological
survey and the preparation of plans for
their conservative use with the bureau
of forestry, which is also charged with
the general advancement of practical for
estry in the United States.
q 80 80 80 90 80
. These various functions should be q
. united in the bureau of forestry, to q
. which they properly belong. .
%>>>>%>/< 80
The present diffusion of responsibility
is bad from every standpoint. 1t pre-
vents that effective cooperation between
the government and the men who utilize
the resources of the reserves without
which the interests Of both must suffer.
The scientific bureaus generally should be
put under the department of agriculture.
The president should have by law the
power Of transferring lands for use as
forest reserves to the department Of ag-
riculture He already has such power in
the case of lands needed by the depart
ments of war and the navy.