New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-01

Forester or the United States
boundaries of the Cleveland forest reserves He
has been a large contributor to the literature Of
the subject which supplies his Network. and has
done much in this way to bring It home to the
popular comprehension. He became Forester
under the Department OF Agriculture on July /
1895. and has gradually perfected the organiza-
ton OF superb working force Of young men
which covers the entire country. In tho
South and the Adirondack region Of NewYork
his plans for scientific numbering and reforesta-
ton have been generally accepted by those en-
gagged In the industry.
II Is In the great mountain regions Of the
West. however that Mr.. Pinchot finds his widest
and most important field. There the relation OF
the forest 10 the economic life Of the entire
munity is much deeper and more fsr-reachins
than anywhere else. The preservation OF the
forest Is not merely question OF a continued
supply Of timber in It's and manufactured
forms but Il is also question OF conserving the
water supply. upon which agriculture and mining
are directly. and su other kinds OF business In
directly. dependent. And IN the Far West the
policy Of scientific forestry has had to contend
with powerful opposition. for Il IS regarded as
some what revolutionary. Remote from large
centres. sparsely populated and instinct with
spirit OF enterprise which older regions can
hardly appreciate. the Far West has craved de-
veloPuent and couTted capital without the most
thoughtful regard for the interests Of posterity.
The destruction OF tlmbered watershed here
and there ~ wasieful numbering has been re-
garded as the loss OF only drop from the full
bUcAet Of local resources. while the investment
OK capital In mills railroads and the employment
Offset.
The frs tep I'm the new plan was the setting
aside Of I.ll.IOHs OF acres as forest reserves.
ms excited intense opposition IN many local.
ties ii was contender that mucn land which
had no value tof me purpose was IHCIuueu
wlthin the reservations. and that both Brazins
and the settlement Of agricultural soh woald be
unTcasonaDiy inJeIfeIeu with IN consequence
Mr.. PInChOt TepAeG 10y saying that these bOun-
daTies were only tentative. ana that wnen aGcu-
tate lines were run ali iand not valuable tor ire
serves woCIQ be excluded further, tnat Ave
stock wlIl be allowed 20 sraLe ID the reserves
UnGer permits PROVIDING for the enforcement OF
reasonable regulations.
There were many influential men who as
serted that The fOreS.s were not valuable IN
conserving water supply. and Claimed tnat they
ABSORBED more water IMAM they sdEOu' u 1'4Ni
more, they saIa that the forest grows a6aiH
quicA!y. and tnat the brush which SPRINGS up al
most soon as the trees are cut ho4ds Tie sho"
better than the forest Itself
In answer 10 TINS objection, Eir. Pnchot re-
Piled that those VINO put II IoItn we've Simply
E.lsIakea-tLat the experience OF all mantlhd
shows that the forests do regulate the streams;
Tins experience is definitely confirmed by IocaI
STUDIES maze ia ali parts Of the country, and Is
ooneiusIveiy accepted 10y TIE highest aulho'l'ie'
on the subject IA the United STAGES.
But the most serious apprehension was the
notion that the setting apart OF reserves ana tt1G
scieuufc METHODS OF fol es.ry 10 loiIoW WO-lu
end or Largely curtaiI the numbering industry on
mountain watersheds. TO tins Objection the
Forester made the following response:
Il am not a IreScTVeT Ga Trees. am q Cullel
down Of trees IL is the essence Of forestry TO
have trees harvested when they are ripe. ana
followed 10y successive ciops. The human race
is not destroy ed because the Individual uIes-
Every Individual must die. but the race lives on
So every tree must die, but the forest VIII De
EXTENDED and multiplied. II by no means ioI,
lows that the face Of the land snal De oSIuuSu
SO that the character Of the wa eTshed shatii De
altered, with the resulting OF IuJdIy 10 So cams
and to agricultural lands denenuent upon men
IL Is not necessary for the people To uLdeI-
stand the real object OF the ne" pOAcy 70 HI
rre.late the fact that IL is really conserving az
tie true economic interests or the couilIiS
ct,l+-1re mining. grazing and iumbeTlnS tSeis as
web as VI all the commercial interests WilisIl
pend upon The prosperity OF these 1ulu@'ii'eA''-'
TLere is inspiration in the work 90 which Gif-
ford Pinchot has set his hand. lie IS not ON.
a ming TO establish q forestry system ulueI
v,hirb existing timber belts shall yield their
| rroduct forever in regular crops. but to make
trees spring into life where they nave Deen -" III
| tonIy destroyed and even Whtie tIieS 10 "
| grown within tie memory OF living nan, ,,,,
A bill pe9ding in Congress ana I',1U.s Ssr
reported in the House provides Tor the udllsio -
| of these reserves 20 Mr.. Pinchots bGiea az -
| Forestry in which is to be consolidated an "a
forestry work Of the soFefhH4eIit' III"
among several bureaus. .
B,if tire government looking to its present.
| Welfare as well as to future generations, VIII
| bavs TO go further even than this. The present
| practice under the Timber and stone law "a
selling at 81 90 acre timber laflos Wi sIn, On
| vyorth in many instances 500 and even SACy IN
acre is likely TO give way to the placing OF a."
the nublic timber IN the reserves 10 De IoIS.S'
owned By the government, the government 20.
ester TO sell the timber thereon but unoer
latjous which will insure the perpetuation OF tIis
forests and prevent the denudauon OF vast a. -.
and preserve water supplies. BY seilng go
eminent timber at it's real market value ti,e
coyernu,ent would obtain S1,OOoOOO WheIe u
go -acetves 81 600 under the operation OF the
Timber and Stone law. To this e1o 49,
acatIon of the Desert Land act ana tne , 49,.
rSent OF a new timber and stone act WLeIS -
The government Will be authorized 10 sen TN III
/ AZ its actual value are TO be atteInpted al ~
| tn.-oducei by Senator HansbrouSh- -, -,
The oficiaI statement Of the COMMISSIONS %
,he General Land Office that the government l
! Ioet in actual cash between SIU1oOV.VVo So 80
S115 900 ooo through the operation OF the IIin
| - "a stone ACT viii doubtless be poweILuI
| argument in favor OF the enactiie''' Oh 'Ne NN