Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-15

TEN of forest reserves, which are deem
ed essential to the preservation of
American woods, to the protection of
American forests and sources of water
supply He has consulted from time to
time with Mr.. Clifford Pinchot, now at
the head of the forestry division of the
agricultural department an an acknow-
LEGGED authority on forestry matters for
the United States. With his assistance
and that of other experts in the govern
ment employ. the secretary has worked
out his present plan. For the benefit of
the officers OF the recognized division
he has outlined his general policy and
administrative policy as follows:
Additional forest reserves, with
boundaries drawn to liberate the small
est possible amount of scrip, should be
created during the present winter, be-
fore the disappearance Of snow from the
mountains permits the establishment of
additional claims next spring. The wide
extension of the forest reserve are. in
my judgment, the most vital need of
our western forests, and of the vast in
terests which depend upon them.
Every effort should be made to gain
the good will of residents in and near
the reserves. and especially to create
public sentiment against forest fires and
the Willingness to assist in reducing
them.
The use Of real agricultural land
within forest reserves for agricultural
purposes should be promoted and en-
couraged, and every other resource of
the reserves should be made available
for the conservative use of the people.
Systematic investigation of the re-
serves should be undertaken. and every
effort should be made to make them ac-
cessible and useful.
Each forest reserve and each part of
a reserve should be dealt with on its
own merits. The present system of uni
form rules for diverse conditions is
simply destructive. Similarly, the pay of
forest officers should be varied from
place to place, in accordance with the
expenses devolved upon them by the
performance of their duties
I'm accordance with your intention,
the chief weight should hereafter be laid
on field work. in contradistinction to the
present plan, which administers the re-
serves purely on the basis of papers and
reports from the Office in point of view.
with llttle reference 10 aCtudl WORK III
the field Field and office work should
be brought into close contact, and every
step should be removed.
The office of superintendent is such a
step.
"As opportunity offers from time to
time, the Office of superintendent should
gradually be dispensed with. and the
supervision over supervisors
and rangers should be reached thru the
medium of inspectors familiar with the
woods.
"The direction, control and discipline
of their suhordinates in the field and the
work should be left as largely as posi-
bic with the higher resident forest Off
GERS. The interference of the office in
these matters beyond certain point
damages the authority and destroys the
responsibility of the superior officer
every effort should be made to ere
ate an esprit de corps among the forest
officers. To this end good work should
be recognized by promotion. and the
distinction between field and office men
should be obliterated as rapidly as pos
sible. Especially should the field men
be made to realize that the department
Ia hahipd them