Evening journal., 1907-11-06
WIPING FORESTS
OFF THE MAP

WASHINGTON. Nov 6-'In 20
years the timber supply in the United
states. on government reserves and
private holdings, at the present rate If
cutting win be exhausted. although It
is possible that the growth Of that
period might extend the arrival Of the
famine another five years" This an
nouncement was made to-day by Gif-
ford Pinchot. the government forester.
who has just returned from a six
month inspection trip, ON which he
travelled 10000 miles
In soundiES his warning Mr.. Pinchot
urged that the danger of the situation
should not be underestimated. He
said that the United States uses more
timber per capita than any othar
country. and that every man, woman
and child would be affected. He de-
cried the policy of discounting the fu-
ture of the country by failure TO pro-
tect the natural resources and he adj
vises everyone who has not already
done so to read President Roosevelts
speech at Memphis and this general
subject
Government Reserves.
About one-ffth of The forest area of
the country is in government reserves.
but Mr.. Pinchot called attention to the
fact that as privately owned timber
lands are better than The government
reserves as a general rule. the gov
ernment does not control one-ffth Of
the timber supply. The Forest Ser
vice will ask Congress for more money
ana more men in order 20 extend the
service and viii push the work of re-
foresting the denuded timber lands.
Mr.. Pinchot says. however. that Il Is
utterly beyond the possibility of the
service to meet the situation and pre-
vent serious trouble. One hope enter
tanned is the Appalachian forest and
an effort win be made to protect this
and promote the growth there.
A Iheme advocated by the State
forester of California is being watch
ed with a great deal of interest. Under
the police powers OF tho State the
forester Is endeavorlng 20 protect the
water sheds and prevent private own
ers from devastating these lands IN
such manner as viii iniure irrigation
OF lands below. If this plan works
we'll the government forester believes
it viii be taken up in other States, aud
the federal authorities win be aided
greatly by the cooperation. In speak
ing of the protection Of the natural re-
sources, Mr. Pinchot said that there is
a changing sentiment throughout the
country, and that the people are be-
ginning TO see that the right TO use
such resources docs not carry with
it the right 70 destroy them. The
forest service viii make additional ef-
forts to educate the people along this
line.
Increase in Value.
Mr. Pinchot produced figures to
show that at the present increase in
the value of timber land the owners
Of such land are making more money
by letting the timber develop than
they would by cutting il, marketing Il
and putting out the proceeds at IN
terest
President Roosevelt expects TO can Q
! conference in Washington shortly n
governors Of States ana experts in the
study Of natural resources. The con-
ference VIII be for the purpose OF de-
veloping sentiment in favor OF the adj
ministration's policy OF locking into
the future in the matter of conserving
/ natural resources. such as timber
coal, oil and gas, and the various min.
erals. 1t is believed by administra.
tion officials that when the people
realize that the increase In lumber
prices which began in 1900. and ha.
continued rapidly since that time, was
based not on actual shortage of sup.
ply. but upon the fact that the owner:
Of private tracts of timber land wer,
| merely looking into the future, tn,
government policy viii be endorsed
without question.