The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-07-18

Wcu W " hlli'NH NHd h"h A'h"'N ~
task that falls TO few men, ouc can
count upon the fingers OF one hand the
worlds great captains OF industry who
have shouldered and borne to success
similar responsibilities, Their names
are hlaxoned as the kings OF finance and
the princes OF the new rcglem OF mill
tant industrialism by the Wall strct
ard counting house standard Of ethics
they arc heroes and prophets This sig
niheant aduation brings out In sharper
contrast, ia more vivid prospective, the
brilliant results accomplished in u few
years Of hard hut transformations labor
hy Clifford rinchot, forester, chief Of
tho Forest Service Of the Federal De
partment Of Agriculturei founder Of
scientific and practical forestry In the
United States, and, according to the tes-
timony Of Senator Reseridge and Com
grcssional Investigators, the creator Of
the model bureau in administrative ci'
hciepcy oi tho entire government ser
vice the bureau which ii is the desire
Of President Roosevelt shalt serve AS
tho example and inspiration for reform
in methods throughout tho Federal de.
partments
A man whose career ledger can show a
credit balance Of such proportions, not
only revomtionires the popular concep-
tion OF the public official genus, but also
furnishes u human document that Ia In
itself Of striking interest The incisive
personality that can bew its way to Sue
cess through tho pamlyting inertia Of
government red tape and initiative'dc'
stroying precedent could easily have
carved Tor itself brilliant career in
private enterprise and captured the al
mring prizes Of that fascinating strife.
Chose Career OF Hard Work.
In fact the path OF least resistance
for young Pinehot when he made his
deliberate choice OF career OF hard
work and high ideals during his last
year at Yale, was business life lie
was urgel to II by his grandfather, u
man OF great wealth and many large
business enterprises. and in other ways
the path was cleared for him and the
stcp4 made easy to success. With in.
dependent means of his own and a SO.
cial position that left nothing TO be de-
sired, there was presented also the OPP
portunity OF a life of illeness and plea.
sure, varied with intermittent cntm
slams OF tho dilettante. But such Il life
had no attractions to the young student.
nor did business career appeal to him.
Intensely democratic in his tastes and
opinions, the most popular man in his
class which showered honors upon him in
recognition OF unsoupht leadership, he
was dominated with the idea al self
sacrificing civic duty, an ideal which,
until the present time has received scan.
ty rccongition in the national conscious
ness, save in times Of the country's peril
and stress.
1t was under such conditions that he
made his choice Of forestry as q life
career recognizing that the scientific APP
plication OF its principles was rapidly
becoming a vital national necessity, The
criminal waste OF the cunt great
forest resources, the crude methods Of
numbering fo-tered by ayarice and fraud
that have reduced vast areas to desert
land, have cost the country untold mil.
lions and constitute disgraceful chap
ter in the nations history, 1t is now
an old story But the old methods die
hard, and that the pocket nerve Of the
lumber barons l. still active Is shown by
continued bitter assaults upon the forest
conservation policies OF the government.
Following his graduation from Yale
in 1889, Mr. Pinchot spent several years
in the study OF forestry in Germany and
other parts Of Europe. Returning to
the United States he began the first
practical and systematic forest work in
,ne United States ut Bitmore, the great
Vanderbilt property near Asheville, n.
G., in 1899. In July, 1898, he became n
member OF the National Forestry Com
mission and later was made chief of the
Federal division of forestry now the
forest service.
Ha1 Withstood Powerful Assaults.
From modest beginnings the service
has grown TO enormous proportions, due
TO no small extent to Mr.. Pinchot's un-
Tagging zeal and untiring efforts and
enthusiasm. 1t has withstood the 0s-
saults Of some of the most powerful f..
nancial interests in the United States
and has come out victorious from the
combat. In the beginning il was the
target Of sneers and jeers. To-day the