The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-24
CONSERVING THE FORESTS.

OONSEhVlN0 THE FOf6EISlS.
These terribly disastrous forest fires
which are ravaging the forests in many
sections of the Northwest, driving
hundreds of people from their homes
which are being destroyed as fast as
they leave them, and rolling up death
list of large proportions, only empha-
size the fact that while the country
has been flooded during the past few
years with talk on the necessity for
the conservation of its natural re-
sources, nothing much has been done
actually to promote such conservation,
and particularly in the matter of pre-
serving existing forests.
The worst enemy of large and val
liable forest is not the woodchoppcr,
although he is a disturbing element if
he is not properly regulated. The worst
enemy is fire. Hence it should be
fought with the utmost vigor. And the
time to fight 1t is not after it has got
well started by rushing to the scene
hundreds or thousands of soldiers and
all other available men who can be
hired, and turning them into a force
of hre-fghters. If forest fires are to
be controlled and put out they must
be taken In their ipcipiency. This can
only be done by having the forest pa
troiled necessarily by an adequate
force of rangers. Expense is involved
in this procedure but the expense would
be mere bagateile as compared with
the saving that would accrue from such
efforts.
Attention WIS called in these columns
the other day to the fact that more
than so per cent of the large tracts of
forests in the United States. privately
owned, are not patrclled at all or guard
ed against fires in any way. Not only
that but the patrol force in tire national
forests is so small that. in some in
stances single rangers territory that
he is supposed to look after comprises
as much as 100000 acres. How ridicu-
lous!
Experts believe that a proper force
of rangers is one man to 1000 acres.
In the great forests of Prussia which
through their proper maintenance and
culture. are a big asset to that ma
ton. the force Of rangers numbers one
man to LOO acres.
Why wouldn't it be a good plan to
have a little less talk on the advant-
ages of the conservation of forests and
considerably more practical activity in
bringing about such a conservation?
THE PARADOX OF WEAKNESS.
lone dismal afternoon, bank
president was surprised by a knock at
the door of his private office" says a
writer in the current Harper's Weekly
"a young assistant cashier came in
whose people and belongings the presi-
| dent knew. The young fellows face
was pale, and his whole look was
harassed and anxious. After a mo-
ment of nervous silence. he biurted
out: Tim beginning to be afraid OF
| myself. The change Is tremendous
from that small country bank. where
things are so differnt. The response
bilities are too great, the opportunities
to go astray INSTRUMENTATION still! ]
don't know what has got into me, but
it's like temptation at my elbow to
| togo wrong. to try, just TO see how
easy it would be. And-I'm telling
YOU The president had wheeled round
upon him, and was regarding him
steadily. You're leading your life toe
wholly and persistently along one line,
he said quietly. I'm neither afraid OF
yon nor for you. Your mind and
thoughts are too closely concentrated
upon your work. and they need to be
diffused over wider area of interests
in order to enable them to work well
and with ease to yourself, at Just this
particular juncture. But you must let
me help you out. Report to me every
evening, no matter how late. That
will give you poise and tide you over
the day,-so that you need take but one
day at time, and not keep looking
into far and fearful future. And
I'm going to enter you at the Country
club-that's to be between you and me
land 1 want, you to use it. You're
getting yourself on your mind
WASN'T he wise. this oresidentl thus