Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-04
Forest Preservation
Immediate and Vital Need.

Optimism is a good characteristic, but ~
carried to an excess 1t becomes foolish
ness. We are prone to speak Of the re-
sources OF this country as inexhaustlble
this is not so. The mineral wealth Of
the country, the coal, iron, oil, gas. and
the like, does not reproduce itself, and
therefore Is certain to be exhausted ulti-
mately; and wastefulness in dealing with
II today means that our descendants will
feel the exhaustion a generation or two
before they would otherwise. But there
are certain other forms Of waste which
could be entirely stopped-the waste OF
soil by washing. FOR instance, which
Is among the most dangerous Of all wastes
now In progress in the United states. r.
easily preventable, so that this present
enormous loss Of fertility Is entirely I'M
necessary. The preservation or replace
ment Of the forests is one OF the most inn
portant means OF preventing this loss. We
have made a beginning in forest preserve
ton but J Is only a beginning. At pres
eht numbering Is the. fourth greatest indus
try in the United states. and yet. so rapid
has been the rate Of exhaustion Of timber
in the United States IN the past. and So
rapidly Is the remainder being exhausted.
that the country Is unquestlonably on the
verge OF a timber famine which viii be felt
in every household in the land. There has
already been a rise In the price Of lum-
Der, but there Is certain TO be a more rapid
and heavier rise In the future. The pres
ent annual consumption OF lumber is GER
tainly three times as great as the annual
growth; and 10 the consumption and
growth continue UNCHANGED. practically All
49, ~ hhNAHfA
generation. while long before the limit 70
complete exhaustion Is reached the grow
ins scarcity viii make Itself felt In many
bnehtlng ways upon our national welfare.
About 20 per cent Of our forested territory
Is now reserved in national forests: but
these do not Include the most valuable
timber lands. and in any event the proper
ton Is too small TO expect that the re-
serves can accomplish more than a mit-
cation OF the trouble. which is ahead for
the nation. Far more drastic action IL
needed Forests can be numbered so as 10
give 70 the public the full use OF their
mercantile timber without the slightest
detriment 10 the forest. any more than IL is
a deriment 70 a farm to furnish a harvest.
50 that there Is no parallel between forcsts
and mines, which can be completely used
by exhaustion. But forests. II used as all
our forests have been used In the past and
az most OF them are stll used. will be
elther Wholly destroyed, or so damaged
that many decades have to pass before ef-
fective use can be made OF them again
All these facts are so obvious that IL is
extraordinary that 10 should be necessary
10 repeat them. Every business man I'm
the land every writer in the newspapers
every man OF woman Of an ordinary school
ought Ia be able TO sec that i'm
mense quantities Of timber are used in the
that the forests which supply this
TIMBER are rapidly being exhausted. and
mat " no change takes place. exhaustion
VIII come comparatively soon. and that the
effects Of u viii be felt severely in the
everyday life Of our people. surely. when
these facts are 80 obvious. there should be
no delay IN taking preventive measures
'h a. n NtAINM 10 De WNlllnE 10
proceed in this matter with happy-go-Ilckv
Indifference even TO the Immediate future
~ rs TINS attitude which permits the self
interest of a very few persons 10 weigh
iof more Than the ultimate interests OF an
our people There are persons who md
70 their Immense pccuuiary benefit 60
destroy the forests by numbering. Thev
lre TO be blamed Tor thus sacridcine the
-utufe % the nation as a whole to their
blame attaches to the peonie ~ large
.gi permitting such action. whether in the
y hlte mountains. IN the Southern ALE
,hehies ur iu the Rockies and Slerras. 4
pig numbering company. impatient for i'm
returns and not caring to look far
.noush ahead. will often deliberately des-
Toy All the good timber In a region. hop
ng Afterwards 90 move on to some NV
euntry The shiftless man OF small means.
no 49, noi care 10 become an actual
lt viii md It to his advantage to take
W lumber land simply 60 turn IL over e.
a big company. and leave IL val
eless for future settlers bic milne
Nner anxious only 10 develop his milne a.
y moment VIII care only 20 cut all the
De m~ture-prohably not looking ahead 10
pc condition q the country when the 10Y.
- tAhansted' any more Than he docs
Z ne condition when the milne Is worked
o. ] DO not blame these men ncar,v -
luch as ] blame the supine public opinion.
Indifferent public opinion. which per-
tneir action TO Eo unchecked OF
curse % check the waste Of timber mean
iat mere must be On the part % the pub
- "a temporary TrEfTNTNa
m % the lavish use 81 timber. In order h.
fcfent the Total loss Of this use in the
-llre Ihere are plenty % men in public
% private ne who actually advocate the
lhlnusnce OF the present system Of un-
iecken and Hasteful extravaeance. uquz
an argument the fact that 70 check 90
H OF course mean Interference with the
80 and comfort % certain people who
~ ger lumber a. less cost than they
q Day. a. the expense 20 the future
nea some Of these persons actually
msnu That the present forest reserve
NlF'Hn open o. destruction. because
'in fhef fnInk that thereby the
'i lumber could be put down again
f tHfHe more years Their atu-
n D. pfeciseiT like that ~ an aEtafnr
ung aeairst me outlay II money b.
ines on manure and IN taking care %
fE farms generally Undoubtedly. u the
farmer were content absolutely g.
~ NJ farm. he could Tor fwo or three
~ avoid srendinE any money on "a. and
2 make q Ensd deal u money cut % o.
= "nl q savage suuid. ln hHs private A.
she's such reckless disregard % the
lAfe ~ % h. precisely this reckless ais
sara % TIE future Which the opponents %