The Washington herald., 1911-01-14

Declaring that 1t was the duty of the
Individual States to carry on the work
Of conservation and reforestation, Presi-
dent Taft, speaking at the annual ban
uuet of the American Forestry Associa-
tfon. last night sounded the call for a
new movement in the care and preserVa-
tion of the national forests.
"It is the business of the several
States" said the President, Ito provlde
a forest service for themselves. They
should provide trained foresters to carry
out the policies of the national organlzaT
ton. We have experimental great deal,
and there is a vast deal which we do not
vet know about forestry, but the Secre-
tary of Agriculture and the head OF the
Forest Service are going ahead 10 make
tha work more effective. We VIII yet
save our forests"
The President arrived at the oanque'
hall shortly after Ii o'clock. coming from
the theater. He received an enthusi-
asuc welcome from the diners, ana was
Immediately introduced to the assemplaSe
nv the toastmaster, ex-Gov. Curtis Guild,
jr., of Massachusetts,. Mr.. iait re-
mained throughout the remainder OF the
banquet, and heartily applauded the ao-
dress T
Senator Lodge was introduced as the
frs1 sneaker of the evening. Mr- Lodge
referred to the present course of whole
sale destruction of forests, and called at
tention to the Weeks bill for the Appa-
lachian reserve now before congress.
ThA announcement that it was the be-
lief of the Senator from MASSACHUSETTS
that the bill would pass was entnusi-
astically received. Senator Lodge SAID
that there were only two great questions
now before the public, Of which con-
servation of national resources was one
and immigration the other
Introducing Thomas Nelson Page
Toastmaster Guild characterized him as
the master of the English language,
and one "endeared to both North and
South through his writings. Mr.. Page
said, in part:
Il feel that the work Of this great
forestry movement is larger and less sec
tional and less political and more ma
tional than can be measured by any ap-
peal to questionable governmental pow
erS"
EuIosixes PinchOt.
Referring to the work of Clifford Pin
chot, Mr.. Page said:
No man in the world comprehend:
more fully and appreciates more highly
the debt which the country now owes
and which coming generations will con-
tinue to owe to the zeal and far-sighted-
ness of the man who is the true father
of conservation in this country than l.
Forestry is his passion, and the enoblins
influence of this noble pursuit was never
more plainly manifested than in the en-
largement of his mind to take in and
comprehend the extended scope of the
idea of conservation.
IF at one time or another, if in this
matter or that matter, he has been over
jealous and even wrongheaded, II yoJ
please, this in no respect affects the basic
fact that, owing to his zeal and his pas
sion and his patriotism, has come into
being the sudden realization on the par
of the American people that they have Z
great possession which was steadily
passing away forever. and that they have
awakened to the vital Importance OF pre-
serving that possession for the futur'
benefit of posterity.'
The only other speaker of the evening
was Henry Graves, the Chief Forester
Mr. Graves reviewed the history Of tn
association, noting that for thirty year
it had been working for the forests o
the nation. He said that the country hat
at last awakened to the need Of traine'
men to care for their forests, and tina
the work was steadily going on. MI
Graves pledged his support to the aim
of the association Sand urged the passag
of the Weeks bill.
Predicts Passage of Bill.
Discussion of the Appalachian fores
reserve bill. now before Congress, con
sumed the greater part of the second
and last session of the association, helt
yesterday morning. Its early passage
was predicted by President Guild, al
though he urged the forest workers tc
use their efforts to prevent the adoption
of the amendments to the bill Offered
by Representative Weeks.
Following the conclusion Of President
Guilds speech, a motion was made by
Frederick W. Kelsey, of New Jersey
that the address should be adopted by
the association as an exposition of it:
aims and beliefs on the subject of forest
preservation. Mr.. Guild was heartily
complimented upon his work for Stht
association, both as its president and hi.
independent effort throughout the year
and vote of thanks was extended II
him in testimony of the feeling of tn
association.
In the unavoidable absence of Prof
Herman H. Chapman, of the Yale Fores
School, his address was read to the con
vention by Mr.. Kelsey, of New Jersey
The subject was Shall the State regulat
the cutting of timber, and following tn
presentation of the paper a discussion OF
its various features was taken up. Boil
sides Of the question were considered ii
Prof. Chapman's address, and a lively in
terest was manifested by all the dele
gates. ........
A feature of the session was the criti
cism directed toward prominent men il
the government service who had express
ed adverse opinion on the efforts of tn
association. Neither official was mention
ed by name, but the delegates were read.
to understand that one Of the men refer
red to was Prof. Willis L. Moore. chic
of the Weather Bureau.
Prizes to Stimulate Interest.
Resolutions also were adopted by tn,
convention in regard to extension O
forest preservation propaganda in tn,
public schools throughout the country
Lectures by State forestry officials ar,
to be planned, and prizes offered tn,
pupils for essay work to stimulate tn
interest in forest needs. Much the sam
line of work viii be taken I'D In tn,
colleges and universities during the com
ing year also. both in institutions wher