Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-18
ests. In April, 1908. there was a

ests In April, 1908, there was a
pitched battle in congress over the
appropriation bill for the forest bu-
reau. The sum asked for was $780,
200, and a charge was made by Rep
resentative e. N. Pollard Of Nebraska
that the service was in collusion with
the newspapers to broadside the sem
ators and congressman opposed to Its
plan of action. Pinchot entered a
general and specific denial, and the
money was finally voted.
The forester In expanding his ma
tional forests got possession Of about
one-third Of the mountainous section
Of the state of Washington and a
sixth Of Idaho. In Utah about twen-
ty-eight forests were established,
many of them growing only sagebrush.
The Calveras Big Tree tract In Cali
fornia came In, thus saving the most
important Of the sequoia groves from
extinction.
Finchot's work with each forest
varied with the local demands. In all
his rangers stacked and burned tho
fallen timber to prevent the spread
Of fires. Coyotes were poisoned to help
the sheepmen who had grazing privi-
leges in return for consideration.
And In Big Cottonwood Canon, Utah,
for the growing Of pine seedlings This
was the beginning Of what was meant
to grow into a system Of extensive
reforestation.
Experimentation by the bureau de-
veloped a way Of getting turpentine
from the southern trees without kill
ing them, as did the old boxing" pro-
cess in vogue for many years. A
treatment was discovered for the wes-
tern hemlock that made 1t less quick
to warp them when used as timber,
and the lodge pole pines" that were
supposed to have no market value
were made to do duty as railroad ties.
Growing trees for ties having become
matter of the greatest Importance,
interested the railroads, and eleven
railroads now have forests OF their
own.
The forestry bureau established a
lecture bureau through which Ii ex-
planned the purposes and ways of con-
seryatism. AS a result Of one OF Its
lecture tours some 100000 trees were
planted by the people Of one Texas
community.
Senators Hepburn, Clark, Fulton
and Carter have been the chief oppo-
nents Of the conservation idea. They
have pictured the areas reserved as
vast solitudes," wastes Of idleness"
and game reserves" The Forester's
latest report shows that 100000 cat
tie range on the reserves and that
about 500, 100000 feet Of lumber was
cut from "ripe" and selected trees last
year.
Friends of Mr.. Pinchot insist that
a modest man. That he had no "de-
partmental" training which would At
him for service as a helpful and
loyal subordinate" in a general sense,
his action in going out Of regular
channels" with his complaints clearly
indicated. What will happen next 1t
Is difficult to forecast. The presidents
word and Mr.. Ballinger's word have
both been pledged that conservation
will still be carried on, as far as the
law will allow, to the same ends as the
Roosevelt policy. Mr.. Pinchot will
probably be inclined to help by CIV
ing the public on all possible occasions
the benefit of his forestation knowl-
edge and Of his zeal for tree covered
watersheds.
some quarters is that the Pinchot let
ter represents the throwing down OF
gauntlet in a new "return-from-
Elba" political movement aimed at
having a certain African hunters per-
sonal baggage delivered In 1913 at
the same address from which 1t was
taken away in 1909. One suggestion
is that Clifford was altogether too good
tennis player to be thoroughly at
home on the golf links. Everywhere
II is conceded that the issue is increas-
ing and not declining in magnitude and
that the exciting scenes Of last week
in washington will be reenacted dur
ing the Ballinger-Pinchot investiga,,
tion by congress, at which Pinchot Will
now appear probably as sort OF spe-
cial prosecutor. Ballinger, well In
formed on departmental procedure,
will retain the support OF MS 1eiioW
officers in the administration, and all
will be agreed that President Taft did
the only possible thing in letting Pin
chot work without instead OF WITHIN
his official family.