The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-13

back track. II we here gathered together
ever wish. TO be of service in the world, II
we realize that we owe any duty to pos
terity, in spite of the fact that posterity
never did anything for US, here is our
chance. Never again will the gates Of OPP
portunity open so wide, never will that
pathway Of benefcence be so plain. Never
again can we do so much good as by de-
voting our time, our ability and our
means to giving to all the people the great
treasure which mother nature so evident
ly dedicated to them"
Chief of the United States Bureau of
Forestry Clifford Pinchot was then intro
duced. He said in part:
OUGHT TO BE SAVED.
when / first saw the forest of Mount
Tamalpais It occurred to me at once that
it ought to be saved-s Although have
been up the mountain but twice or three
times 1 am convinced that it should be
used by every one and not be enjoyed
by a few individual owners. All great
cities are now purchasing parks and for
ests for the recreation of the residents of
these big cities. Forest parks are, in my
opinion, the best of all parks. / know a
little town in Missouri which recently
purchased 2 small forest that would not
for a moment compare with the Tamal-
pals reserve, yet every Sunday YOU can
find the place thronged all day with chill
dren and men with their wives getting a
little taste of nature. Vienna, Paris and
the big cities all over the world have pur-
chased forest parks, but cannot recall
one park which in my opinion can COM
pare with the forest which you are now
contemplating buying.
"A good forest conducted in scientific
manner costs nothing. The trees are
growing all the time and the selling of
the timber alone will pay all the neces-
sary cost Of guarding the park. You have
a superb opportunity and you should
avail yourself of the chance to buy this
property. The question comes up. How is
this park to be obtained? 1t is useless to
ask the United States Government to buy
it; It is purely a State affair. Congress
would not be willing and you must re-
member that the United States has al
ready been asked to buy the Calaveras
grove. The only way for you to do it is
TO purchase the property by individual
enterprise and public spirit
GIVE IT TO UNCLE SAM.
LAS a private citizen. think that the
United States would accept the property
should you purchase 1t and donate 1t to
the Government. Uncle Sam would then
take it under his care and guard It in
every possible way so that it could be
used by the people,"
President David Starr Jordan was the
next speaker. He said:
II am very glad to be here and to bear
witness this afternoon. You ought TO
have the park and 1 hope you will get 1t.
You know all about it-perhaps a great
deal more than do. but those of you
who don't only have to climb up back OF
this mountain and you can get an idea
what beautiful park II can make.
Time changes everything, even timber.
I remember when 1 was a boy back in
New York how people used to look upon
forests, or rather they called them woods
in those days, with horror The forests
used to cause fires. and were the place
for harboring wild animals which used to
come down and kill the sheep. The great
thing in those days was to get rid Of the
forests as fast as possible. Then people
would cut down the trees to sell the lum-
Der for firewood and to improve their
land.-They could not understand that
their land was worth less after the timber