Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-06-01
ROOSEVELT ON FORESTRY
(By JNo. NJ. HoRNER)

In an address delivered March &c
1908. before the Society OF American
Foresters. professional body, OF
which President Roosevelt Is an asso
ciate member. he said: 81 have felt
that the meeting this evening was OF
such character as not merely to war
rant but to require that | should breal,
through my custom of not going out to
make speeches of this sort, for I be
lieve that there is no body of men who
have II in their power today to do a
greater service to the country than
those engaged in the scientific study
NJ and practical application of approx.
ed methods OF forestry for the preser-
walton of the woods of the United
States. And now, first and fore.
most. you can never afford to forget for
one moment what is the object of our
forest policy. That object is not to
preserve the forests because they are
beautiful, though that is good in itself.
nor because they are refugees for the
wild creatures of the wilderness,
though that, too, is good in itself; but
the primary object OF our forest pol.
Icy, as of the land policy Of the United
States. is the making of prosperous
homes. II is part of the traditional
policy Of home making Of our country.
Every other consideration comes as
secondary. The whole effort of the
Government In dealing with the forests
must be directed to this end, keeping
In view the fact that it is not only nee.
essary to start the homes as prosper.
Gus, but to keep them so. That Is why
the forests have got to be kept You
can start a prosperous home by de.
stroying the forest, but you can not
keep II prosperous that way. You
yourselves have got to keep this prac.
tical object before your mind: to re.
member that a forest which contrib.
utes nothing to the wealth. progress.
or safety OF the country Is OF no inter.
est to the Government, and should be
Of little interest to the forester. Your
attention must be directed to the pres.
ervation of the forests. not as an end
in itself, but as means Of preserving
and increasing the prosperity of tho
nation.
Forestry Is the preservation of for.
ests Is wise use: keep before
your minds that definition. Forestry
does not mean abbreviatlng that use;
II means making the forest useful not
only to the settler. the rancher, the
miner, the man who lives in the neigh.
borhood. but indirectly, to the man
who may live hundreds OF miles down
the course OF some great river which
has had Its rise among the forest.bear-
ing mountains. The very exist.
ence of numbering. of course. - and
numbering is the fourth great industry
OF the United States,-depends upon
the success OF our work as nation
In putting practical forestry In to ef.
fective operation. =. | believe that
the foresters of the United States will
create more effective system of for.
estry than we have yet seen. No
where else Is the development of o
country more closely bound up with the
creation and execution OF d judicious
forest policy. Not only Is sound ma.
tional forest policy coming rapidly into
being, but the lumbermen OF the coun.
try are proving their interest In for.
estry by practicing it."
We don't feel Obliged to apologize
for having copied and re.copied 80
largely from our Presidents forestry
speech. as 1t comes at this time as a
voice OF Inspiration to at least the PEG.
pie Of these Islands, who are at this
time quite excited over forestry pro.
duction and forestry protection.
II the people of these Islands will
heed this wise council. we are fully
convinced II will produce millions for
our people and become home capital
Tor working up a prosperity and a hap
piness that cannot come to us 10 any
other way.
II may be true. the plan proposed
for putting the Presidents wise coun
ell In motion on these Islands is moi
.he best, but the way Is open for bet
ter, II It can be produced. Certain II
Is. all details Of the work are not YET
complete.
Let MS look at the working OF the
proposed plan and its reasonable ant
sure effects. II put in motion all ma
tive forest In reach OF the people FOL
| fuel or lumber Is opened for the graz
ing of stock. This will insure thei