The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1908-07-02
THE APPALACHIAN sILI


ance and rapacity Of corporate ana
private ownership-is to be set ON
foot, once for all, without false star,s
is must be undertaken not only n
a patriotic spirit, but with imagins.
ton. It IS easy to learn what has been
wasted in the century past-publie re.
sources probably sufficient to havs
made IL unnecessary for any American
citizen to have paid a cent of tar
What is needed, is to project the mind
fifty years ahead, to consider the prob.
lem in the light Of the enormous for.
eign population that is coming to No
and learning from us CHASTITY lessons
OF laissez-faire-a policy which in mat.
ters Of forestry their own govern
ments have learned through disastrous
experience to abandon.
There are unmistakable signs OF a
reaction In the excesstbe indlyidualIsm
the go-as-you-p please, every-man-for.
himself, I-may-do- what-I-wish-witb
my-own Views Of life. A new spirit il
upon US. with a new definition Of EN-.
inent domain, enlarging its scope to the
control OF private interests that exist
to the injury Of the public. This is
not socialism in the violent sense Of
the word; rightly conceived, It is
new sense of brotherhood. Its prin-
ciple Is, you ought not to get your
happiness at the expense Of your fell
low men," It does not point TO con-
fiscation; on the contrary, 1t promises
TO supply working substitute for an
archy. It may easily be misapplied or
carried too far. But 1t is not more
dangerous than certain false methods
OF corporate ownership and the eQral-
ly tyranniSal excess Of trade unioMsm,
which togetser have created % much
Of the new social nnress. The trend
Of progress points to a more excellent
way.
To apply this to a single aspect Of
the forestry question: Why should
owners OF enormous tracts OF mountain
forests be permitted to denude them 10
the manifest injury of the agriculture,
navigation and commerce of the val
leys and streams which they supply?
We are accustomed to think Of nature
as dominating force whereas, its
modification by human action is the
most constant Of phenomena. The life
Of man has been described as substan-
tally a warfare against the animals,
against his fellows, and against the
face Of nature. It is the business Of
government not to promote, but to re-
strict this warfare, as it has done In
the reservation Of western forests-ons
Of the most important notes Of pro-
gress the country has struck since the
civil war II is the Office of the wise
not only to protect the weak against
the strong but to protect the foolish
from themselves.
There are signs that In this matter
other countries are awake to their
peril and responsibilities. British Co
lumbia is taking Time by the forelock,
and, by a sweeping act, reserying for
governmental control every acre OF
forest land not already leased Colon
bia in South America. has also passed
new forest laws in keeping with In
telligent modern public opinion. The
conference cannot directly legislater
but its recommendations and influence
ought TO shape a policy Of cooperation
between the nation and the states
along uniform lines. The Appalachian
bin is a step In the right direction
and ought to be enacted, but we must
go farther, considering the forests Of
the country with. all due respect 70
private ownership a heritage Of pos
terity
An important and commendable step
has just been taken by the state OF
New York in the purchase OF Mount
Marcy and other peaks Of the Adiron-
daeks at the very headwaters OF tne
Hudson. This policy should at once
be continued until the reservation
reaches its maximum extent Then
the whole tract should be administered
under system which. while guaran-
teeing private rights. will give the
state supervision Of the cutting Oh
trees. The public health, the Interests
OF agriculture, commerce and navisa-
ton in New York and PennsylyaniA
call immediate consideration TO lns
whole subject BE wise In time us
madness to defer. Prom an editorial
in The Century.