The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-03-14
LAW MAY BE-
ROBBED OF ITS
effectiveness
ederal Aid Necessary to Carry
Out Provisions of Thomp-
son T Forestry Bill.

AAOhiPSOI IOFt5lIG Dill is HOW al INV
but it will be robbed OF much OF its
effectiveness II no funds are available
under the Weeks law which extends
federal aid to the state in the. pro-
lection OF forests when the state pro-
vides for a like amount, as West Vir-
ginia did two years ago. During the
first two years in which the federal
aid under the Weeks law has been
available wonderful strides were made
in perfectfng a system OF forest pres
.ervation despite inadequate laws to
make such conservation possible In
the passage OF the Thompson bill,
further strides we're made in the sys-
tenn Of forest protection, following
considerable agitation and an awak-
ening OF the public to the necessity
OF doing something to prevent large
losses to the state through destruc-
tive forest fires, which In the past.
have entailed such tremendous losses
on the state.
Public sentiment was so thoroughly
crystalized that the Thompson forest
~ measure encountered little Or no
opposition in either fbranch Of the
legislature, though it came perilously
near meeting an untimely demise in
the senate because it did not reach
that body until late in the session. It
was unfortunate that companion
bill was passed with provision for
hunters license according to the
patrons of the Thompson bill, as the
revenue SO derived was to be expend-
ed in forest protection 1t was doubly
unfortunate that the governor saw fit
to veto in the general appropriation
bill the item Of SIC, 900 for each year
which made federal aid available.
Should such federal aid be no longer
available through the governors veto
the new law will lose much OF its ef-
fectiveness and the state Will lose
the services Of the patrol men be-
tween the various established stations
where salaries and expenses are now
betrayed by the. government at Wash
ington. 1t would be great pity after
so nearly perfecting the forest pres
ervation system, il through a veto,
such a system should be crippled, es-
pecially when the amount appropriate
ed was so small.
It has been especially regretted
that the governor pruned the forest
ry item from the bill since in his
biennial message he took such a
strong position in favor Of strength
ening and revising the forestry laws
as to proviate for the fullest and
most complete system OF protection
possible n.order to prevent recur-
renee of the fires which in the past
have wrought such destruction. 1t
was not therefore expected that the
forest appropriation would be one of
those TO suffer.
There is possibility that if sup
Elemental appropriation bill is passed
at the special session the forestry
item may be included, otherwise the
federal aid under the Weeks law will
not be available. The government
guarding the forests against destruc-
ton.
Much of the work OF that nature and
a great deal OF the expense has been
borne by associations and individuals
in the state whose interest has made
it possible to secure the enactment
of better forestry laws. They. have
not only manifested strong interest
in the proposed legislation but have
by the expenditure OF money helped
to build up chain Of lookout sta
tons and a system Of protection
which has been generally recomm end
ed. Much of their work and their
efforts will go for nau ght however
unless there Is sufficient public inter
est to insure the reincorporation of
the item for forest preservation in a.
supplemental appropriation bill il
there should be one at the special ses-
sion Unless that is done the forest
.ry service in West Virginia will be
badly crippled for al least two more
years and at time when the great
est progress was being made.