The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-14

stable conditions, it will be found diff
ficult if not impossible, to get the tim
Der owner to enter actively into the
methods required for the perpetuat1on
of the forests by spending even the
minimum required, which I understand
to be about so cents per thousand.
While this does not seem large
amount, there are concerns making as
much as $50 million feet of lumber per
annum, and hence to these, the cost
Of this item would be $l25,000 per an
mum. If his or its, competitor, was
pursuing the same practice, all would
be we'll; if not, he would, Tor the I'M
mediate present, be out that much
more money than his competitor, and
during dull periods. such as now, when
prices were close to the cost line, even
for the better grades OF lumber, ne
would hardly feel disposed to contract
for such an outlay
The government only owning about
% per cent of our forest area. CANNOT
alone to any great degree, erect what
we are seeking in this conference, SO
far as forests are concerned. 1t might,
however, accomplish the purpose IN
one of the following ways:
First-The government could, by a
contractual relation with the owners
of the forests where numbering opera
lions are not being carried on lWno
constitute at least 30 per cent OF the
timber holdings Of the United States)
provide that conservation and reIor-
estation should be practfced under
rules prescribed by the forestry oe.
nartment, and assess the cost Thereon
against the timber lands proportion
ately.
These rules should provide that the
numbering operations, so far as con
starvation and reforeStat1on were COIL
cerned, should be conducted under gov
ernmental control; that no more iiiI-
her should be cut than was necessary
70 sunnIy the current demands, thus
maintaining such uniformity OF prices
as would Justify the operator TO utli-
ize every log the tree woulo prouucS,
that only trees of certain size snouio
be cut; that seed trees, propehy the
Young growth should be protected from
6res and other elements OF destruc-
tion and it would seem clear that the
establishment of such relatlonshiP
would certainly accomplish TINS hisniy
desired object. out
Jointly between the owners OF the tiin m
her lands, and the government, ny
which conservation ana reIorssta.ioi "
would be practdced along sucn Lnes %
the government might lay down, as
o,,tlined above, and the timber owners
he protected in the prices OF All fanos
c,,tover and handled under the con-
Must Be an incentive.
Whatever pan 10 dNOPSSN -.
nish an incentive, substantial ~
dncement to the timber owner, 10 iore-
% a present gain for the public good.
ssnd in this matter it can only De ac-
comnMshed by governmental co-opera-
tion And what is done, should De
done quickly, for the time is 1ast ap
100 aching when our forests VIII De SO
ppaorlv gone. when the destruction De
so nearly completed, that 1t Will De TOO
| late. ,;I ;tsa,f of
this golden opportunity of giving AID
TO the conservation of this splenoiu
natural resource. in order to supply
the timber for future generatons' pc
! wise and patriotic enough to PROVIDE
for the inevitable result that must
ncc,r before the middle of the TWEEN
tieth century, and thereby perform
/ the true function OF all good gov
ernments In the promotion of the
! health. wealth and prosperity OF the
| neonle7 Or, with climatic changes
foIIowinp the destruction of our for
| ests shall manufacture die with them,
and commence fall as a natural result
of AGRICULTURAL and manufacturing
| decadence?
| Disclaiming all partisan. or political
| references, and speaking only OF
| economic conditions as we find them,
II do not think I should neglect to
1 saw that the present demoralizine
conditions existing in our commercial
and manufacturing life, and the con-
shequent waste and loss incident