Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1904-01-11
IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS.
President Roosevelt Made an Impressive
Speech at Forestry Congress.

er at a special session or the
American Forest Congress held
this afternoon at the National
Theatre. AS the President ap-
peared before the immense audi
ence, which filled every part of
the house, the people received
him standing. while the theatre
rang with applause and the Or
chestra played a patriotic air.
The President said in part:
1.-THE place Of the forest in the
life of any nation is far too large
to be described in the time at my
command. This is peculiarly
true of it's place III the United
| States. Wood is an indispensable
part of the m~atstructure upon
which civilization rests and civil
lized life makes continually great
or demands upon the forest.
1T is a fair question then
whether the vast demands of the
future upon our forests are likely
to be met. Unless the forests of
the United States can be made
ready to meet the vast demands
which this growth will inevitably
bring, commercial disaster IS in
evltable.
"Both the production Of the
great staples upon which our
prosperity depends and their
movement in commerce through
out the United States are insepa-
rably dependent upon the exis-
tence of permanent and suitable
supplies from the forest at q rea-
sonable cost.
"If the present rate Of forest
destruction is allowed to continue
a timber famine is obviously inc
vitable. Fire, w~asteful and de-
structive forms of numbering, and
legitimate use re together de-
stroying our forest resources far
more rapidly than they are being
replaced. What such a famine
would mean to each of the indus
tries of the United States it is
scarcely possible to imagine. For
tunately the remedy is a simple
One."
M. Jusserand, the French am
bassador, delivered an address on
the forest policy of France, de-
scribing the methods by which
the people of France conserve
their forests.
Other speakers at the session
Yer B. l.. Virgins, Vice Cham
cellor of the University of the
South, who pressed the necessity
for the study of forestry in the
great educational institutions of
the country as the overshadowing
question of the twentieth centu-
ry; and Representative John
Lamb of Virginia, who depicted
the disastrous results on the s.
100000 farmers of the country of
the denudation and unnecessary
destruction of the forests. Mr..
Lamb said the farmers of the
country for whom he spoke, hail
ed with appreciation the work Of
the Forest Congress and express
ed the hope that. though their in
terest in practical forestry, re-
newed growth of forests might be
rendered an accomplished fact in
the Atlantic States play, and
throughout the country.
Today's meeting of the Forest
Congress vas the most important
Of it's five days session, The
morning meeting was devoted to
| discussions of the relation of rail
roads and forests.
Among the speakers was Presi-
dent L. E Johnston, of the Nor
folk & Western railroad who de-
clared that it was 1mpracticable
! for railroads to hold forest lands
for future timber. To enable
railroads to acquire sufficiently
large timber tracks to meet al
demands, a modification of ex.
1stsng laws was essential and he
said it was a question of such
magnitude and Importance that
it could be handled only by in
vestment of private capital Of