The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-15
WOULD COMPLETE
PLAN OF PURCHASE
National Forest Reservation Commits.
sion Recomnsends- Appropriation
of SO. 0OO, 900.
VIE STITCH IN TINE OF NEED
Mess Country Spends This Amount
Now 1t Will Cost Several Times
This in the Future to do the Same
Work


ton by Congress of the recommends
ton of the National Forest Reserva-
ton Commission that si0,000.000 be
appropriated and made available at
the rate of $2,000.000 year, for
completing the purchases Of forest
land necessary for adequate protection
OF headwaters of navisable streams
in the East, Is urged in a statement
issued by the American Forestry As
ISOLATION today as a critical analysis
of the commissions report.
This association, which comprises
leading forestry and conservation ad-
vocates as well a. hundreds Of promi-
nent men and women in other fields,
is engaged with several national or
ganizations, and scores of local civic
and commercial bodies. in a campaign
to secure completion of the work of
establishing government forest re-
serves in the East for public recrea-
ton, timber preservation and water
shed protection. The leaders OF the
movement say they are practically as
sured of sufficient support IN both
houses of Congress II put the neces-
sary measure through; but, they ex-
pect some opposition on account of
the necessity for strict economy,
which has been emphasized by the
heavy financial demand of the pre-
paredness program
The facts set forth in the commits
si6h's report. as just made public"
says the statement. are evidences OF
themselves that, unless Congress
makes this appropriation now. the
United States will ultimately have 10
spend several times as much .as the
amount recommended TO carry out
this pressing work. Denial or modi-
An1 f.,, - ~ 1T
time merely for the reason that oth-r
necessary projects are urating extra
nrfinary demands will prove TO be
very costly economy IT ~ long
run
Most OK the sixteen areas in which
purchases are being made are desira
bic recreation grounds. being easily
accessible 10 many Of the larger cities
as well $ wild ana picturesque The
land IS mountainous aud non-a sri-
cultural and. though heighIv va,ua bic
for timber and watershed protection,
IL OF practically no other use Never
theiess, SO the tracts already ac-
quired by the Government aud other
adjacent holdings are developed The
value OF the unaeouiyed desjgna ted
lands VIII In AL pI7oba h.lity gyea ,
incresae. Meanwhile the purpose ot
the project which is primarily the
prevention OF Foods drought-. and
erosion by the maintenance OF ade-
ouate forest covering on the ~Aftr-
sheds Of na@iga bte streams. WIN lee
uufulfiiied Or. a. nost, only partty
accomplished EsFer,tt4aiiy the Gov
eminent VIII be- simpr forced TO com
piete The protecs- AMI then fer much
needless loss and q greatly n >etas-
ed expense.
The report slows thar very cf-
t.ciert purchasing machine la@s been
developed la lbe Fores: Sfrviee. as
nStanced b. the care ana thSroug l.
ness OF THE woFS already done Some
go coo acres have heen APPROVE
fc- p0rcnase in The White Mountains
90 New Hampshire, and tnare Tran
o9e, 900 acres in the Southern APP
psria ehiens- a AT average price o. lis
lie more thar S. an acre TO OBJ
viste the risks Of faulty titles. inaefi-
mite boundaries and Inaccurate sp-
praisals, much preliminary work was
done before actual sale negotiations
were begun. in consequence shout
1900. 600 or the original appropria-
ton @, 1000. oGe reverted to the
treasury, AS the money had been made
available in yearly sums.
This purchasing machine. which
the report shows is now ready to COM
plete the work az economically and
exfieditiously as possible" continues
the statement will be disintegrated
If additional funds are not appropri-
ated by the present Congress: for OF
the original appropriations only about
s5oo,eee remains. and this will soon
be expended. II 4 hiatus is permitted
TO occur now for lack of funds. the
same preliminary process OF creating
q ysw hi u~ffT - -, y