The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-10-13
FORESTRY AND brought
Public Safety Involved In State For
estry Problem.


estry Problem.
Not in many years has there been
such an impressive warning of the
necessity of conserving our forest re-
sources and protecting our water sup
plies as that now being given by the
severe and widespread drought. says
the St. Adams Messenger:
In discussing this subject the Barre
Times well says:
with the constant denuding of the
forests which form a natural water
shed for the tributary streams of
Lake Champlain, allowed TO continue
such conditions as we are today eX-
periencing are apt 10 be repeated and
with increasing frequency. AS the
forests are cut, the natural storage OF
water IN swamp land and lowland OF
all kinds is destroyed; the water Is
no longer protected from the rays of
the sun and is drawn up whereas it
naturally would remain IN storage or
would run its course down into Lake
Champlain. Inere is much water
temporarily lost, which in drought
times like this is very valuable. To
be sure, il will come again in the
form of rain when the drought is
broken, or in part al least; but its
services will be of the minimum val
ue then whereas it would be of maxi
mum value in dry periods. So, with
the continued hacking of the wood
lands we may expect shortages of
water more and more frequently.
That the rainfall does depend in
part upon the forest area has been
demonstrated again and again. It is
necessary only to turn to country
like China, denuded Of almost every
green tree, TO see that terrible
droughts are followed when rain
comes by the most severe freshets
washing the hillside of the soil and
leaving barren rocEs
Vermont cannot afford 10 ignore
the forestry problem At first thought
it may appear for the plausible tim
Der owner to say, These trees are
mine to do with as | please A lit
tie reflection, however, will show
that the rights Of the community al
ways transcend those Of the indiyidu.
al Every year additional laws are
placed on the statute books of the
states and the nation, restricting in
diyiduals freedom for the good OF the
general public
The father may say My child is
mine to govern as please, but the
state win punish that father if he
deals cruelty with his child. The
right to 20 and come at will Is one
of the basic principles Of human free
dom. but the state. for the good OF
the community. forbids that freedom
to an individual who has been expos
ed to a contagious disease.
The state says to a dealer in
foods and drugs, You must conduct
your business according 10 certain
rules I'm accordance with the laws Of
health, or you will be punished The
! nation interferes I'm the business OF
great corporations setting forth Ger
tain things that they must do and
| forbiddlng certain other practices.
| Turn where you will. individual free
dom Is hedged in by restrictions tc
protect the general public from the
| might and the cunning of the few
who hold for the time great power
and to prevent those things harmful
o the public al large.
II the timber owners Of the state
are not wiling TO pursue enlightened
methods. cutting trees that have
reached a suitable size, and carefully
spaung the smaller growth, it may
become necessary for the state tC
step in and prescribe rules for the
cnmng OF timber. Ii would be better
! for owners Of their own yolition to
exercise care in the matter.
In this respect the Vermont state
grange and the board OF agriculture
working together, might very profit
ably pursue a campaign OF education
along these lines That should result
in great good.
The drought teaches us in a very
forceful way the necessity Of pro
tectlng our forests and guarding
against fires