The Washington herald., 1909-11-14


creation OF a national forest in these
mountains has been on the verge Of sue
cess. only TO fail at the last moment, not
through any lack of effort on the part
OF those who are interested in II. but
through political opposition which. short
sightedly, has looked at expedients Of the
present rather than TO a broad states
manship for the future
The creation Of Southern Appalachian
and the White Mountain National For
ests, both separately and Jointly. have
been urged at the last three Congresses,
with great earnestness. Before that for
seven or eight years the work toward
these projects was more sporadic and
less well-organized, though none the less
enthusiastic. At present there is a special
| organization whose main object is the
| contamination Of the legislation needed
this is the Appalachian National Forest
Association. In addition. the Southern
Appalachian Good Roads Association. in
! session at Asheville last month, passed a
| resolution in favor Of Federal action FOR
| the preservation OF the forests In these
mountains, and almost every commercial
| body and national organization Of con-
| sequence South and In New England
| have passed similar resolutions.
Has Had High Endorsement.
Governmental Endorsement has not beer
lacking
! Secretary Wilson. OF the Department OF
Agriculture. prepared a special report
10 Congress published as Senate docu-
ment 81. in which he discussed the South
ern Appalachian Watersheds and the re
latlon OF the forests thereon to stream
flow OF Southern rivers.
William I. Hall. OF the Forest Service
IN THE Waning Hardwood supply" telli
OF the relation OF the Appalachian for
ests TO the country's discriminating
! hardwood resources IN these mountains.
Mr.. Leighton, Of the Geological Sur
vey, in two government documents. dis
cusses the relations OF the Southern Ap.
palachian Mountains TO inland water
navigation and 70 the development o.
water power
The practical significance Of these doc.
uments, representing tho verdict OF two
great constructive Federal departments
Agriculture and Interiors; that the ex
ecutlve branch of the government ha,
i fully Endorsed and earnestly recommend
ed the Southern Appalachian nationa
forest
4 Congress Slow to Act.
What has been the legislative action
In tho Fifty-ninth Congress a bill wa.
prepared and received the approvals O
the committees TO which It was referred
but II was never called UP on the foo
OF the House OF Representatives, an
i consequently "died-a-borning," through
the action and the active opposition o.
Joseph G.. Cannon Speaker OF the House
What his motives were no man can say
but It Is likely that he has been actuateJ
throughout by a desire 70 keep out OF 1
Republican budget any extra expense. 81
order that his party may not have TO ex
: plain "extrava gance."
At the following Congress the progress
was far more satisfactory as the bill
passed the Senate, but again significant,
failed to pass the House. though II wa
favorably reported from committee. 1
lost this time through the fact that /
was not allowed 20 come up until the en-,
Of the session. and then did not come 4
a vote before adjournment Neverthe
less, & concession was made on com
promise bill BY which a, commission wa
to be appointed TO investigate and repor
further on the forest. The report Of thi
commission favored the establishment o
the National Forest.
Start Campaign Again.
Then again at the last Congress.
spite Of all these set-backs the advocate
! of the bill started their campaign again
. full Of determination. -Four bills. practi
, cally Identical, were introduced simulta
: neously, by a Democrat and a Republ!
can, respectively, in both the Senate an.
the House The Senate bills passed al
most without discussion. In the House
: Representative Lever. Of South Carolina
and Weeks. of Massachusetts, worke
! indefatlgably for their measures, an
the fact that New England Republica
= and a Southern Democrat were shOulde
20 shoulder for the same end, indicate
that this was In no sense q measure c
political partisanship
: Again the measure was referred TO III
) Committee on Agriculture, which re
] ported II favorably with recommendatio
/ for enactment into law. But anothe
: obstacle was placed in its way. and It wa
referred to the Committee on Judiciar
on a question OF the constitutionality Q
the Federal government acquiring Stat
: land.
Act Would BE Constitutional.
It was demonstrated here that It wa
constitutional on the interstate oommerc
basis, since it was for the maintenance
of commerce and navigation on interstat
rivers; and It was reported back fror
committee favorably.
But the delay had been sufficient an
in the rush Of the closing hours Of tn
session the bill failed to reach a vote an
thus died with the Congress.
Now, however. the advocates OF tn
bill and particularly the organizations
familiar with the form Of opposition an
tho tactics used. are in better positio
than ever to command success, and Wi
work from the opening day until the oh
ject Is accomplished, 1t IS conhdentl
expected, at this session. Aggresiv
measures can win the fight. when IN
South acts. JOHN h FINNEY,
Secretary A. n. F. A.
Game in Yangtze valley,
The hornless river deer Chydropote