Cherokee scout. [volume] (Murphy, N.C.) 188?-1961, 1908-02-04
FOREST PRESERVES
Given Boost at Big Meeting
in Washington.
CANNON is WON OVER
Speaker Promises Early Consideration
of Appalachian BiII-Hot Fight
to Be Made. for Its

That this nation has reached the
point where it must decide whether 1t
is to lose the use of the rivers In the
east and sotuh through the non-pres.
ervation of forests which safeguard
the water sheds, was the declaration
of Secretary of Agriculture Wilson,
president of the American Forestry
Association, which convened in Wash
ington Wednesday. The secretary
said that the rivers of the west were
fairly well taken care of ON account
of forests. He expressed the hope
that congress would take action to
assure the beginning of the work Of
| the preservation of the forests and
the safeguarding of the watersheds.
Speeches were made at the morning
session by Clifford Pinchot, chief of
the forest service; ]. T. Rothrock,
secretary of the Pennsylvania State
Forestry Association, and others. John
A. Walker, game and fish commission
er of Alabama, said that his state
was not only making wise laws to pre-
serve it's forests, but is enforcing
them.
The membership of the association
is $685., of which 1,735 were added
during the past year.
One of the objects of the convention
is to further the movement for the
establishment of national forests in
the White mountains and the South
ern Appalachian range, bill appro-
priating 100000 for the creation of
which is pending in congress. The
territory to be set apart comprises
about 5y00O,0OO acres in the south
and 100000 in the White mountains.
To further this project, a hearing
will be given before the committee
on agriculture, to representatives from
i the states affected and also represen-
tatives of all societies interested in
the preservation of the forests.
At the afternoon session Secretary
of Agriculture Wilson was. reelected
president, and the following vice pres
idents were chosen:
Edward Everett Hale, chaplain Of
United States senate; B. E. Burnow,
dean of the Canadian School of Fores-
try; ]. w. Pinchot, Washington, D.
c.; w. ]. Bachelor, master Of the Ma
tional Grange; George F. Peabody,
| New York; George c. Pardee, Califor-
mia; Rutherford D. Hayes, Ohio; Al
bert Shaw, New York; W. w. Finley,
Washington, D. c.; D. ]. Rothrock,
Pennsylvania; George T. Oliver and
DR.. Van H- otto >LeauE6ert was
elected treasurer.
Three important resolutions were
adopted, one recommending the pass
age at this session of congress of the
| bill providing for the establishment OF
national forests in the White noun
tains and the Appalachians; another
providing for census of the timber
lands of the United States, and still
another asking congress to enlarge
the Hatch fund law, so that out of the
receipts from the national forests an
addition would be made to the. fund
to be spent strictly on forestry educa.
ton and experiments.
At the concluding session Wednes.
day night Gov. Hoke Smith of Georgia
announced the arrangements for the
; hearing before the house committee
on the establishment of the proposed
forests. Addresses were made by E
T. Watson, South Carolina; Professor
L. C. Glenn, Vanderbilt University
Harvey N. Shepard, Boston; and w
]. MeGee, Washington.
'Uncle Joe" Cannon, speaker of the
national house. of representatives, or
Wednesday announced that the com
bination of the Appalachian forest re
serve people from the sotuh and the
White mountain men from New Eng
land was SO formidable that he coufG
no longer defer the consideration o.
the Appalachian forest reserve bill
This means that the bill will be per
mitted to come to a vote in the house
That 1t has not done so. heretofore has
been due to Speaker Cannon's attitude
exclusively.