The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-11-12
FOREST FACTS "FoREWoRD"

| Washington, d. c., Nov. 6.-The APP
lpalachian National Forest Association
proposes to keep faith with itself,
with the south and with the handful
of devoted men and women of the
south who are helping with hands
and mind and money the effort we
are making to have the south under
stand and know what the forest ques-
tiOn is, and what is the south's vital
concern in its present use and its
peTpetuation through all future years.
The south breathes Opportunity
opportunity to use proftably its vast
stores of natural wealth in soils and
streams and minerals and forests.
an opportunity that is being so COM
pretended and grasped that in the
south lies the new and almost unfal-
lowed field for natural endeavor and
profit and upbuilding-bu Opportuni-
ty carrying with it grave responsible
ties and duties that this upbuilding
and exploitation shall be accompanied !
by wise craftsmanship and unselfish- /
ness.
The forest question is of large i'm /
port in the south; it has enormous
present and future value; it affects in /
an intimate and vital way every man. /
woman and child in the south: it has
an important relation 10 and bearing .
on southern agriculture and manufac- .
ture. southern health and climate. .
southern water power, water supply /
and navigation; its rapid and system
attic destruction means the ultimate
turning into a barren and desert
waste Of our present fair and pros
porous southland.
Because the south was ignorant of.
or Indifferent to. these things, our as
sOciatiOn came into being two years /
ago: that present conditions imply a |
better understanding is a sign of hope 4
that our efforts are in part rewarded,
but much remains to be done. for We
have not vet won our fight for the APP |
palachian National Forest, nor has
much substantial progress been made
in our work for state forests and for |
the doing of the satte duty in forest |
conservation.
There remains. therefore, a field!
an urgent demand-fOr a work that |
can properly be described as a ma !
tiOnaI and patriotic duty. and this |
involves a continued educational cam |
paign in which the forest facts and ]
conditions and the south's concern in !
them, shall be persistently and truth |
fully set forth until the south fully
awakens from her indifference, and
ACTS.
In thus keeping faith. ii is proposed |
TO contribute TO all the leading south |
ern papers a weekly forest letter tas
part of a forest department 10 be |
maintained as a future feature OF this
paper. carrying reliable forest news. |
practice. happenings and needs, Gov
ering not only the national and state
forest work in our own country. but
telling what other nations are doing |
in the great work of forest perpetual |
ton: NOT dry statistics. but live news
of a live topic. for the forest is a Iiv-
ing thing,
Il is the work that the Ocala Ban
ner gladly endorses and gives space
TO. II is work that must continue if
the fair south is to endure. it is work
that merits and calls for all the
south's devotion ana energy and pre-
vision. Il should enlist the potent
arm of every believer in. or worker
for the south.
The Banner stands pledged TO the
forest cause