The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-24
In anticipation
Of Rrbor Day

For The Tribune.
~, HE CONSEQUENCE OF dcaowctins and tic.
,uurina our forest trees is not unknown To
i u.s. There is scarcely year in wh'ch one
or the other Of our great rivers docs not
overflow its banks, carrying dcath ana ucso'"',o" M
in its track. We see cities like Pittsburg' 81
Louis. New orleans and others, spending nun nun
,ircts Of thousands Of dollars in lc'ees an' a''
fetal ombankments; hut when it comes TO mat
the axe can effect more dcstructireness III
year than the engineer can counteract IN tweh'!
In no other direction that ! am aware oi whe'e
man deliberately intcrteies with nature Withou'
calculating upon prospective results uo's Ic',i M
button so quickly ovcrtakc the heels OF ioiS.
But the ominousness OF the danger of denuoa,'on,
actual and potential, is not in an occasional
food or tho prospective scarcity OF timber, pu'
in its c1cct permanently on our climate.
IT. is very difficult matter to get people 10
entertain specific ideas on the deep and signlti-
cant relation which exists between natural phc.
uonenu and their individual as we'll a. social
comfort and happiness until they arc the VIC
tins Of a catastrophe or arc suherihs "o''
physical disability It is difficult II not imposs''
bile TO get the man on the street to stop 10 hs'
ten TO tho fact that every pulse of his heart Is
regulated. controlled, by the sun; that If the
suns rays were intercepted completely Tor n
second all organic lie would be wiped out in
that time. Nor will he pause to consider that
mountain fires food his cellars, choke his drains
and discommodc him. with impassablo streets
II is quite hopeless to call his attention 10 Inc
fact that he is ignorant OF the earth upon
! which he works out his brief existence as he u
of the physical sequences which make tolerable
his existence at all. Ii you ask him what Is
| coal. he will probably answer that all he knows
| about it Is that 1t burns. Yet, doubtless, our
! worthy friend has comprehensive. 1t not an IN
tellcctual, comprehension OF all the ntrigues in
| the city hall and fair notion OF other things
| which arc of service to him here or hereafter.
| IT. is because Of this purblindness that he will
| look with the utmost indifference on mountain
fires from Carbondalc to Wilkes Barre without
! giving the matter a second thought. ] do not
! say that any man should neglect for an hour
| his ordinary yocations to indulge in scientific
! research But the ordinary facts OF nature in
| relation to wch.beng are easily assir,.
| Hated and the man who does not understand
them. matter what else he may be, is an
| ignorant man.
| The forest laws of this state farce. In
some respects the penalties for setting woods or
fire are moderately severe on.-the statute books
, But what can couple Of forest rangers dc
| over wide territory, ilpaid, and with nc
technical education in woodcraft, to protect oui
forests from the deliberate incendary and tho
criminaly negligent who set fire. during th'
summer months, to our forests? They may alight
accidentally once in moon on such scoun
dlel, but all to no purpose. The state squander!
more money in many devious ways than woult
preserve to us the incalculable wealth in health
comfort and climatal equability represented b.
our forests. There is necessity to preserv
our forests in tropical density. II forests ar
thnned or cut down scientifically, there is nj
reason why the lumber needs Of one generation
should place foreclosure on the necessities o
the next. l think it was the great admiral
Colingwood, who in his old age used TO wande
around his estate with pocketfull Of acorns il
order that there should be sufficient oak il
England ior to build her wooden walls. Their
is no necessity for such provisional foresight
now Very likely fifty years hence, timber vii
have almost entirely disappeared in architecture
and mechanical it has in engineerin
construction. But our meteorological and util
tartan, not TO speak OF our aesthetic, require
ments will bc none the less imperative.
! wish 10 say few words on .irbor Day. s
far As | can see or learn, the object which
seeks TO embody in practical form is shame
fully disregarded in this valley Trees do no
grow in night. 1t is much more in the spiri
OF Arbor Day TO preserve the trees that hay
reached maturity than to plant or transplar
. shoots which like all immature forms of organl
ille SUBJECT 10 lnnulneTdDle accidents. lTcC
on building plots are ruthlessly sacrificed
some imaginary advantage. A fine and health
tree is not infrequently cut down TO prcserv
: the unattractire symmetry of a door wiz
dow, the steps of porch some other arch
tcctural triviality. There are hundreds of plo
in this city clotted with unsightly rubbis
which with very little trouble and less cxpen:
, might be made beautiful altars dedicated 10 IL
sylvan deity. The ancients held their grow,
sacred. One of the least helpful qualities of o,
civilized liic is tn uproot and desecratc Il
: natural il mistaken Difference to what We n
I pleased to call the utilitarian. But if the mil
of the gods grind slowly, they grind cxccedr
snail nor do they ever rest.