The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-20
LETTER FROM A. F. HAYES.
Statement Regarding State Forest
er's Remarks Regarding PinchOt
Affair.
Burlington, VT,

To the Editor of the Montpelier
Journal:-I am somewhat surprised
at the Interpretation which the Jour
nal has put upon my remarks on
the Pinchot affair. No one ques-
tions, as far as | know but what the
President followed the only wise
course in Diminishing Mr.. Pinchot az
ter his letter to Senator Dolliver.
My purpose in abiding to the affair
in my forestry lecture at Barre was
not to criticise the Administration,
but to praise Mr. Pinchot. The peo-
pie at large can only know Mr.. Pin
chot as they read about him in the
press and magazines. There are
some who are inclined to believe him
him demagogue posing in the lime
light as the peoples servant for his
own political ambitions.
Every one knows that the present
widespread interest in forestry today,
if not in the whole subject of conserva-
ton, is due almost entirely to the
wonderful and devoted initiative Of
Mr.. Pinchot. Every forester in the
country loves his profession and in
loyalty to him who has made the pro-
fession possible, is bound RI give the
people the benefit of his personal
knowledge of Mr.. Pinchot. 1t was my
good fortune to be connected with the
U. S. Forest Service for four years
in the days of it's small beginnings,
when there was much more intimate
relationship between the head forest
er and his assistants than has been
possible since its remarkable growth.
/ Throughout it's history there has
been an esprit de corps in the for
est service seldom found in a govern
mental bureau due to the democratic
relationship of the chief with the sub
ordinates whether in the woods, the
office or at the Pinchot residence.
where all the foresters in Washing
ton gathered informally every Thurs
day evening.
Mr.. Pinchot who inherited great
wealth, chose the unknown profession
of forestry upon graduation from
Yale, because of his love for the
woods without any idea of the politi-
cal career which later developed for
him. He studied in the National
Forest School at Nancy, France, and
returned to this country to practice
private forestry. Some years later he
was given charge of the Division OF
Forestry in the Department of Agri-
culture, a small investigative branch
with an appropriation of but $27 900
The development of this small divis.
ion into the great forest service WITH
administration over 100000 900 acres
of forest land is more or less known
to all. What can only be guessed arr
the lnnumerable struggles which
have taken place between the fores
service and the moneyed interests
through all of which Mr.. Pinchot has
stood the loyal to his deals of serv.
ing the people of the country.
The President could not have bees
more fortunate in his selection of the
new head of the forest esrvice thar
in his. appointment of Prof. Henry S
Graves, who has been director of thu
Yale Forest School from its founda
, ton by the Pinchots. Professor
Graves is an Independent thinker an
will undoubtedly conduct the fores
service according to his own ideas
but in the main these are known t,
coincide with those of Mr.. Pinchot.
A. F. Halves.