The Delta independent., 1906-07-06
FORESTRY AND HOMECROFTS
ADDRESS OF GEORGE Il. NAX.
WE'LL, DEAN OF THE HONE.
CROFTERS GID OF THE
TALxSMAN,

Before the Biennial Convention of
the General Federation of Niomen's
Cuba, at st. Paul. Minn., June
Fourth. 1906.
MADAME PRESIDENT AND DELE
GAIES-LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN:
When received the Invitation to be
with you here to-day and speak upon
the subject Forestry and Home
crofts," as 1t is announced on the
program. felt that the occasion was
one Of SO much Importance, and the
opportunity one which l SO greatly ap-
preciated. that 1 ought to do some
thing which rarely do, and that was
to at least think out a speech in ad.
vance. l was asked for manuscript
OF 1t for the press, but l felt that it
was unsafe to give 1t because I never
did that yet that something didn't
happen that made me lay aside my
speech and talk about something else
i have n speech epared which was
planned to last for half an hour, and
there 1t Is Cholding up n card. Now,
l have fifteen minutes to speak, and
! am going to save that speech for
some other occasion, In some other
place. and talk to you about something
which has been suggested to me here
this morning by the address we have
just listened to from Mr.. Mills.
l was born In California and spent
my life there applause from the CALI
fornia delegates) until within a very
few years when my work In the Ma
tional Irrigation Movement took me
away from my native state. But I
want to take advantage OF this op-
M ~ N ats nj a,.l
plea for the preservation OF those
Temples OF God-the Big Trees Of
California. Appiause)
question very much whether those
who are here to-day realize the power
that Is yours. In bringing about right
action, whether II be In congressional
or state legislation. We often say
that this Is government OF the peo-
pie. and that II is controlled by their
votes. So II Is. But behind the vote
Is the thought OF the people 1t is
public opinion which controls this
country. The vote Is merely n regis
tering OF that opinion: and the thought
OF the people which prccedes that
opinion and brings about reforms, Is,
In my Judgment, often a thing that
springs from the minds OF the women
OF the country rather than from the
minds OF the men Of the country.
! am free 10 say that In my earlier
years. and before had n wider ex-
perience and opportunities Of OBJ
servation. ] was not n believer in CIV
Ing the ballot TO the women. I am
not here To make n plea for that to-
day. because ! am not SO much I'm
pressed with the Importance Of Il as
others who think that the ballot is the
main thing. II is the conversation of
the home circle and the thoughts that
spring most often from the minds OF
the mothers OF the country that con.
troll this country. tApplausc.)
And although ! believe to-day that
the stntus Of the man and the woman,
% far as their rights of citizenship
and rights before the law are con-
cerned. should lie the same. want
TO lay that conclusion before you
simply ms basis for the broader
statement that women can control
this country by the power OF thought
without the ballot. II the women who
are here to-day and those who are af.
S'lintcd with you In this great orHani-
Gation. would take up one or two
things as the result OF this conference
and go hence and ngitate II In every
home circle, and In every women's
club. and In every village and city.
and through the columns Of every
newspaper In the land. and by cor
rcSpondencc. you could accomplish
within the next twelve months two
great things which would be record
OF accomplishment sufficient for one
year OF hard work for your orcaniza-
tion, and that Is. first, 10 save the big
trees OF California (Applause): and.
second. TO secure the passage OF the
bill providing for forest reserves In
the White Mountains and on the Ap-
palnchian Range. (Applausc)
II those great trees In California
were once destroyed they could not
DE replace In centuries and probably
never. They were there when Christ
walked the earth. They were there
when Rome shone rcsplcndent In all
her glory. They were there when
Carthage nestled amid green fields
and vineyards on the southern shores
OF the Mediterranean. They We're there
when Palmyra, with all her mngnih-
cencc. was the meeting place OF the
caravans travelling between Asia and
the Mediterranean country. And to-
day they stand there pleading with
their out-spreading branches against
ruthless destruction TO satisfy the
greed Of man.
We may go back through history,
and ruined city after ruined city
shows how cphcmcral Ii everything
that man builds. Did Is never occur
to you, has II never occurred to those
who are interested In uplifting and
Increasing the power fer good OF the
church. and In carrying Its missionary
work into the cities and into the slums
and into the tcncmcnts, where, God
knows, It Is needed most OF anywhere
on this earth-hns II never occurred to
you that child nurturcd In the tcne-
ments and In the slums and In the
City fats. and seeing nothing around
II but bricks and mortar and asphalt
and trolley cars and things that man