The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-17
Federal Forest Reservations
Bill Establishing Them in
the White and Appalach-
ian Mountains Passed
by Congress
Will Pevent Floods and
Conserve Navigability of
\ Rivers-Means Conserva-
ton of National Resources

\ h1VGIS-MGdIlS OOllSGIVd-
ton of National Resources
The bill establishing Federal forest
reservations in the White and APP
paIachian Mountains, has finally pass
ed Congress. 1t is said to be certain
that President Taft will sign the bill.
1t is the first legislation Of its kind
ever enacted by Congress, and it COM
mits the government to the policy of
establishing forests at the sources of
rivers for the purpose of regulating
the flow of streams, preventing floods
and erosion, and conserving the navl-
gability of navigable rivers. Another
thing to be noted is that this is the
first big move forward the nrst real
conservation legislation enacted since
the beginning of the nationwide move
ment for the conservation of our ma
tiOnal resources.
The Story of the Bill.
The Boston Chamber of Commerce
has been the most active of the many
organizations and individuals which
have been behind the Weeks forest
reserve bill.
The passage of this bill will mean,
within five years, an investment by
the Government of 100000 in the
purchase of forest areas to be under
the control of the Department OF
Agriculture. 1t will also mean co,
operation between the National and
State governments for protection
against forest fires. 1t means the
salvation of our timber lands, and or
one of the country's most beautiful
and valuable recreation grounds. Fur
thermore, it means checking drought
and freshet along the navigable
streams which rise in those noun
tains, upon which streams industries
with an annual product of more than
| $500, 100000 are dependent.
The present bill began its checkered
career in Congress in January, 1909,
| but the campaign for forest reserves
in the Appalachians has been waged
ever since January, 1900. The Weeks
| bill is the only measure which ever
really had chance.
The first bill, introduced in 1901,
| related only to the Southern Appala-
chan mountains, and this and four
others failed before November, 1900,
when, Senator Gallinger brought in
! the first White mountain bill. This
and five successors, although some OF
them were reported favorably, also
| failed, and in January, 1905, the first
| bill which united the interests of both
North and South was brought in, at
the instance Of the American Forestry
Association. Strong support was de-
, in the Fifty-ninth Congress was an
| appropriation for a survey of the
region by the Department of Agr1cul-
ture, which presented very valuable
report Bills were again introduced
in the SiXtieth Congress, and in April,
1908, the committee on Judiciary de-
eided that they were unconstitutional.
ruling that "the Federal Government
has no power to acquire lands within
a state, solely for forest reserves" If
the bills were for the conservation
and improvement of the navigability
of a river, the committee said, they
would be constitutional. A bill modt-
fed to conform with this was passed
by the Senate, but the House passed
a different bill, which was pigeon
It was in January, 1903, that the
present Weeks bill was reported to
the House. Behind this bill the New
England governors, press and public
concentrated their energies. 1t was
at this time that the newly organized
Boston Merchants Association (since
consolidated with the Chamber Of
Commerce) began to take active part,
and since then until today it has been
the real leader of the magnificent
campaign.
The business men Of Boston, rea-
lizing that they represented all New
England, did not content themselves
with simply passing resolutions. Their
first move was to line up the other
commercial organizations in all six
states. These bodies in turn were
asked not simply to pass resolutions,
but to get to work. And they did.
Their members, being the leading
business men of all parts Of the Sec
ton, were of course the most influ-
entail constituents of the congressman
and senators, and letters and tele-
grams began to pour into Washing
ton. Representatives answered that
they would vote for the BILL" Let
ters were flung back saying "You
out and persuade others to vote for
it,
Then, led by Boston, these COM
mercial bodies invaded other parts of
the country. They interested COM
mercial organizations in large cities
throughout the West, appealing to
them for fair play. Business men
spurred their friends and customers
in Western cities to write to their
own Congressman. The Boston or
ganization paid half the expenses of
an expert who travelled all through
the West, building up sentiment for
the measure. The newspapers were
given material which they were glad
to print in support of the bill. Com
mittees went to Washington. AS a
result of this work, eliminating in a
flood of kilograms on the day the bill
came to vote, it was passed in the
House, but only on the evening of
the day before adjournment. It was
too late to be considered in the Sem
ate, but the campaign had served to
build up a great sentiment which
was effective in the next Congress,
when the bill was again introduced.
The Boston Chamber of Commerce
renewed it's campaign, and sent Prof.
F. Swain as an expert to Washington
to argue before the House committee
on Agriculture the necessity of forests
in regulating stream flow. On June
"a, 1910, the bill passed the House,
but not until a brilliant debate had
lasted until midnight. Meanwhile,
the bill was battered about in the
Senate for three days, and deter
mined flibuster was inaugurated by
Senator Burton and others from the
West. At last it became evident that
the bill could not be passed, it being
the last day of the session, and finally
Senator Brandegee obtained unani-
nous consent to vote on the bill Feb.
Is, 1911.
Ever since then the campaign has
gone on quietly and effectively. A
few weeks ago, at the request of the
Boston Chamber of Commerce, Sena-
tor Crane made a poll of the Senate
which showed that the result would
probably be favorable.
The climax came in the work of
the Boston Chamber of Commerce