The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-06
SPEAKS ON FORESTRY
ROOSEVELT ADDRESSES CONGRESS-
 IN SESSION AT WASHINGTON.
Representative Lamb Predicts Disaster to Farmers of Nation as . Re-
 suit of the Denudation of the Lands.

Washington. Jan.- 5.-President
 Roosevelt was the principal speaker at a special session of the American For- estry Congress, held this evening at the
 National Theatre. Secretary of Agri- culture Wilson presided over the ses-
 sion and many of the most distin-
 guished people in official and social life were in the audience. On the
 stage were many prominent members of the Forestry Congress. President Roosevelt was the first speaker. The Presidents address was punctuated frequently by applause.
 President Roosevelt delivered an ex-
 haustive address on the forest situa-
 tion, declaring he considered the sub
 ject of vital importance. He showed
 that the use of wood was being stead-
 fly increased. in spite of the fact that
 so much iron was now being manufac-
 tured. In the matter of railroad ties.
 alone, he said;i an immense amount of
 trees were annually cut down.
 He referred to the fact that the users
 of the forests were the ones who should
 take up it's preservation. declaring that nothing except a direct interest would
 save the wooded lands of the country
 from destruction. He declared 1t was
 q short-sighted policy that did not look DeyOnu tu0 present. anu urged on the delegates the importance Of immediate steps towards forest pres ervation.
 In concluding. President Roosevelt
 said:
 T want to add a word as to the cre- ation of a national forest reserve which have recommended repeatedly in mes- sages to the Congress and especially in the last. I mean the concentration of all the forest work of the Government in the Department of Agriculture. "As I had occasion to say over and over again. the policy which this ad- minfstratfon is trying to carry out through the creation of such a service is that of making the national forests
 more actively and more permanently
 useful to the people of the West. and am heartily glad to know that Vest
 ern sentiment supports more and more
 vigorously the policy of setting aside
 national forests, the policy of creating a national forest service and especial ly the policy of increasing the perma- nent usefulness of these forest lands, to sell to all those who come in con-
 tact with them.
 with what Is rapidly getting to be the unbroken sentiment of the West behind this forest policy and with what is rapidly getting to be the unbroken
 support of the great industries. by the general policy of the conservative use of the forest we have a right to feel that we have entered on an era of great and lasting progress.
 Much. very much yet remains to be
 done but the future is bright and the permanence of our timber supplies Is far more nearly assured than at any previous time in our history. To the
 men whom this Congress contains and represents this great result is due" Secretary Wilson then introduced M. Jusserand, the French Ambassador,
 who delivered an address on the For est Policy of France" Ambassador
 Jusserand was given a most cordial hearing, his address being applauded frequently.
 Other speakers were R. L. Widgins. Vice. Chancellor of the University of the South. who presented the necessity
 of the study of forestry in the great educational institutions of the country
 as the overshadowing question of the twentieth century and Representative John Lamb, of Virginia, who depicted
 the disastrous results on the 5.70O. 900 farmers of the country of the denuda- tion and unnecessary destruction of the
 forests. MT. Lamb said the farmers of the country. for whom he spoke. hailed
 with appreciation the work of the For
 estry Congress and expressed the hope that through their interest in practical
 forestry renewed growth of forests
 might he rendered an accomplished fact
 in the Atlantic States. particularly, and throughout the country.