Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-05-02
THE APPALACHIAN
FOREST RESERVE.

mas created considerable excite.
ment and talk, / wish to give ex.
preston to my views on the sub
|ject, if you will allow me space in
your columns. So far as / have
been able to learn everybody is
much interested either for or a.
gainst it. am at a great loss to
know what seized the minds OF
the greatest men whom we have
chosen to lead us and watch our
interests, that they should want
to assassinate Joy and murder
happiness in the sanctuary Of
love. If we understand the Eng
lish language, we are inclined to
believe that no man who under
stands the bill and understands
the country, and understand the
people in this country, and have
a single vestige ofpatriotism and
love of home and native land, is
in favor of the bill in question.
The bill is a republican meas
ure, and therefore the republi-
cans feel alittle backward to raise
their voice against it, Then some
of our democratic leaders have
endorsed the measure, and there
fore democrats are afraid to op-
pose it-consequently there is
more excitement than talk.
We are opposed to every clause
of this bill, first, last and all the
time, hnt will only call attention
to a part Of Sections l and 3,
which reads as follows:
'sThat the Secretary OF Agricul-
ture is hereby authorized and do
rected in his discretion, to ac-
quire by purchase, condemnation,
gift or otherwite, lands suited to
National forest reserve purposes.
THAT when the owners oflands
saught to be acquired for thep pur
pose of this Act are unwilling to
sell the same on terms satisfac-
tory to the Secretary of Agricul-
ture, condemnation proceedings
for the requirement ofsuch lands
shall not be had so long as the
said owners protect and perpetu-
ate the forests on said lands, un-
der such legislation as may be
prescribed by the Secretary Of
Agriculture"
This is written in the English
language, SO whatsoever can read
let him read and be Judge. Why |
should the great men upon whom
fortune has smiled, who have |
never Travelled the thorny path
way of poverty, why, we say,
they envy 'ur humble noun
tain homes? Why disturb us peace
ful mountaineers? Why convert
our fine fruit gardens and beauti-
ful grassy slopes into a lonely for
est filed with wild animals? Why
exchange our democracy for a
government? Why fetter
the feet OF liberty. cruelty hope in
our breast and leave our future
without a dawn, without a star?
Why clog the wheels of prosperi-
" and smite the house of con-
sent with the rod of destruction?
What sin have we committed that
ye should be driven from our
peaceful mountain homes which I,
iod has given us and willed that
hey be our oWn--like Adam and
Eve from the garden of Eden, and
he Acadians from, the land of
Acadia? These hills, these noun
aims, these streams, these flowers,
,hese vines, this sunshine, this |
lir, are all sacred to us. We love
hem. This is our home. Home!
Fhe last place OF retreat, the last
tand of defense, the last place /
vhere friends are found, the last
'lace OF contentment and love. 4
Destroy the home and patriot ,
SIN, hope, liberty and love will /
tand out without any meaning. |
iome is not merely a staying /
lace, neither is it necessarily a s
emple; butrather the place where
ontentment, peace. Joy, liberty ,
nd love dwells. These are the :
characteristics OF almost every !
ome in the mountains, whether /
be a magnificent mansion, or /