New-York tribune., 1908-01-30
RIVERS NEED FORESTS
Secretary Wilson and Clifford Pm
chot address Contention.

Washington Jan 29-That this nation has
reached the point where it must decide whether
If ia 10 lose the use Of the rivers in the East
and South through the compensation OF ter-
ests which safeguard the watersheds, was the
declaration of Secretary of Agriculture Wilson,
president of the American Forestry Associa-
tion which convened here to-day. Inc oeefe-
tarv said the rivers of the West were fairly well
taken care of on account of the forests. He ex-
pressed the hope that Congress would take ac-
ton to assure the beginning Of the work OF the
preservation of the forests and the safeguard
ing of the watersheds.
Clifford Pinchot, chief of the forest service
who followed, restated his well known views on
the conservation of forests. He said that the
one great essential for navigation is to prevent
the filing of channels with silt, and that de-
pends directly upon forest protection The
movement for the preservation Of the nation 5
forests. the speaker declared. is farreaching IN
its influence 1t will help the nation IN our
time Mr. Pinchot said but its advantages VIII
be still more apparent in the future. The neg
lect of our water and land resources, MI Pm
chot declared, would bring about the same con-
ditions in this country that are to be seen In
North Africa, in Greece. in Spain and in Pales-
tine.
Short speeches were made by James Peek,
Of Cleveland and Lakewood, n. j., protesting
against taxing timber out of existence; by John
A Walker Game and Fish Commissioner of Ala
hama. who said that his state was not only max
ing wise laws to preserve its forests, but was
enforcing them and by Commissioner Whipple.
Of the New York State Forestry Board, who held
New York up as a shining example of forest
methods.
The membership of the association is 6,555,
of which 1875 were added during the last year
One of the objects of the convention Is TO fur
ther the movement for the establishment of ma
tional forests in the White Mountains and the
southern APPALACHIAN range, bill appropriating
So 600 900 for the creation Of which Is pending
in Congress The territory to be set apart COM
prses about 100000 acres in the South and
COO 600 In the White Mountains.
To further this project hearing Will be given
tomorrow and Friday before the House Com
mfttee on Forestry to representatives from the
states affected and also representatives of all So
cieties interested in the preservation of forests
A delegation of about fifty from the New Eng
land States headed by Governor Floyd Of New
Hampshire and Lieutenant Governor Lake OF
Connecticut. besides many other prominent men
from that section, is here. From the South
there are twenty representatives from each of
the nine states affected and delegations from
various commercial bodies.
At the afternoon session Secretary of Agri-
culture Wilson was reelected president and the
following vice presidents were chosen: Edward
Everett Hale, chaplain of the United States
Senate; B. Z. Furnow, dean of the Canadian
School OF Forestry: ]. W. Pinchot, Washington:
w j. Bachelder master of the National Grange;
George F. Peabody, New York; George c. Par
dee California; Rutherford p. Hayes, Ohio;
Albert Shaw, New York; W. W. Finley, Wash
ington; j. Rothrock, Pennsylvania; George T.
Oliver and DR.. Van Heiss. Otto Leukbert was
elected treasurer