The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-28
WALLACE FAVORS
 FOREST RESERVE Advocates Forestry Plank In
 Democratic Platform
  FOR EASTERN RESERVE
Believes Majority of People Want the Proposed White Mountain and Ap- palachian Bill Made Into Law.
 He Discusses It's Merits.

Montgomery, June 27.-(Special. )-State Game and Fish Commissioner John H. Wallace, Jr., who is also secretary of the state commission of forestry, thinks that the chances for democratic success in the national election would be materially strengthened by the incorporation of a strong plank in the democratic platform demanding the passage of the White mountain and Appalachian forest reserve bill
 In discussing this question, MT. Wallace yesterday said:
 There is unquestionably a strong and powerful sentiment in the east favorable to the establishment of the White noun tain and Appalachian forest reserve. The republican party now in power has per sistently defeated this measure, and Speaker Cannon declined to allow the bill to be called up in the last con- gress
 while the recent republican convention has incorporated a forest reserve plank in the national platform, it is palpable that this was done merely for the pur- pose of deluding the manufacturers of the east, who are yitally interested in this proposition, which is of vast eco- homie import to them. On the other hand, the democrats in both the house and senate have favored this bill, and a strong reiteration of their position will have a marked tendency to induce those who favor it to vote the democratic tick ct when persuaded of the sincerity of fn l1y mas
 while at Washington last February l heard such eminent statesmen as the governor of New Hampshire and Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, when they ap- peared before the committee of agricul- ture in behalf of the bill, assert that by reason of the forests cling cut away that the supply of water for manufacturing purposes in the east during six months of the year had become so low that many of thp industries, the machinery of which were propelled by water power, had to cease operation. It will be re- membered that when the heads of rivers are protected by forests that the water supply is given out gently after soaking into the earth, and that it does not rush off rapidly into the small streams and rivers, thereby causing floods and entail fin a vast destruction of life and prop erty.
 Many of the manufactures in Virgi- nia North Carolina. South Carolina, Ten nessee, Georgia and Alabama are owned by people who live and vote in the north They are likewise intensely interested in the passage of the forest reserve bill In fact, the very life of the industries run by water power is at stake. The terri tory that is said will be acquired by the White mountain and Appalachian forest reserve bill extends from New Hampshire to Alabama.
 "While conditions are most propitous for democratic success caused by the un- rest in the country engendered by f1nan- c;al depression and business derange- ment induced by republican incompetency I know of no plank that could be insert ed that will be more potential and con- spicuous factor in contributing toward an overwhelming democratic victory than the unqualified demand for the passage of the White mountain and Appalachian forest reserve bill.'