The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1913-12-02
GRAVES ADVOCATES FEDERAL
CONTROL OF FORESTS

Henry S. Graves, u. S. Forester,
spoke before the National Conserva
ton Congress in session at Washing
ton, dwelling particularly on the pres
ent policies of the Government in re-
spect to the activities of the forest
service. Referring to the attitude of
the present administration, as to the
so-caIled States rights policy, which
has advocated State instead of Fed
eral control of forests, Mr.. Graves
says there is no thought of any
change in the established system of
Federal ownership and control. The
Forester spoke in part as follows:
1.-The nation has an important
stake in forestry. Here as in all
other countries, the real development
of forestry began when the Govern
ment took up it's practice. Even to-
day some persons would leave the
forests entirely to private owners,
others insist that the public phases
of forestry are altogether a State
this field uncalled for. Those who
hold this view are usually either
lukewarm concerning the need for
forest conservation or opposed to re
stricting private activities. Yet un-
restricted private exploitation of for
ests is impossible if we continue to
have the forests that the nation
needs.
National responsibility in forest
ry is perfectly clear-cut There
need be no confusion with an equal
ly clearcut responsibility of the
States. And as to private forestry
little of value has so far been done
| ho< IF h
lie action through State or Federl
aagencies, or both. The national
work will always be the backbone of
American forestry, not trenching on
| or interfering with State work or in
dividual efforts, but serving as a
guarantee that national needs which
4 States cannot meet will be provided
for on a national scale.
Underlying the forestry problem
are two fundamental considerations
which shold be emphasized and re-
iterated until thoroughly driven
home. One is the public character
of forestry. Both in the matter of a
continued supply of forest products
and in that of the conservation of
water resources the public welfare lis
at stake. Secondly, stability of pol
| ICY anu poTUldu0uC0 VI OWucTSIlp are
essential to any successful attack
on this great conservation problem
81 am frequently asked as L travel
about the country whether | am go
J ing to make important changes in
forestry policy. | was asked that
very often in 1910, when | first took
office. l am asked it often this year
My answer is that what we are seek
ing is not change but the development
of a permanent public enterprise
with consistent and stable policies
The national forests were set aside in
the recognition that the bulk of the
lands should be handled permanently
under public protection and control.
"The aim of the present admins
tration is not to overturn, but to take
} every possible step to increase the
efficiency of the organization, to ad
just difficulties, and to advance as
! fast as possible the purposes fol
which the national forets were estab
! lished, Secretary Houston recently
said to me:
Establish permanent boundaries
Classify your lands; segregate the
agricultural land and fix right limits
for what is needed as protective and
productive forests Develop perma-
nent policies based on full recogni
ton of lasting public interests, and
J settled forestry practice fitted to the