The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-19
FOREST BILL TO
Be ERASED THIS
WEEK N HOUSE
Thompson Bill Now On the
Second R~eading-Pro.
tects Woods.
BY THE PUBLIC
WEST VIRGINIA SAID TO Sc BE.
HIND OTHER STATES I'M
CONSERVATION.

CHARLESTON. w. 1va.,~Feb. 10.
Action will probably be taken by.
the house during the present week
on the Thompson forestry bill which
seeks to further protect the forests
OF the state against destruction by
fire. by revising and strengthening
the laws of the state relating to fores.
try. West Virginia has been somewhat
backward, the friends OF forestry con.
servation point out in adequate pro.
tecting a most valuable resource and
as a result of Indifference In the past
thousands Of dollars worth Of proper.
~ has been destroyed, not confined to
the forests alone.
The Thompson bill is now on SCI.
ond reading. In brief it seeks to &C.
complish the object of the forest pro-
lection by %entrusting a system Of for.
est preservation to q forester and by
making more severe the penalties for
starting forest fires. A resident hunt
ers' license tax vas expected to be.
use in forest protection so that the
expense to the state in guarding the
forests against destruction would be
minimized and at least twenty-five
or thirty thousand dollars or more
would have been realized TO apply on
forest protection, but with the action
OF the house Of delegates in elimin.
ating the dollar hunters Incense fea.
ture from a fish and game bill. there
will be no such fund TO be used in aid
of building up a better system of
protection.
The pressure Of public sentiment.
however. appears to be sufficient to
secure the enactment OF the Thomp.
son bill unless the shortness OF the
session eliminates the measure be-
fore 1t reaches the end Of its legisla.
tive journey or unless Indifference on
the part of the members OF the legis.
lature causes Its defeat. Those who
are working for forestry legislation,
from absolutely disinterested motives,
point out that unless some steps are
taken by the legislature to guard
against a recurrence Of the dcvasta.
ting fires Of the past. the state will
lose many nor thousands OF dollars
In timber destroyed and one of tile
states most important industries
from mere lack OF proper laws will
eventually be entirely dissipated be-
cause of indifference. The coal. and
oil and gas unless mined or drilled
for are not affected by such elements
as destroy the forests and are not
therefore so easily destroyed. It
therefore becomes imperative to do
something to conserve this resource.
West Virginia has been outdis.
tanced by other states. in forestry
legislation. Such protection as it now
offorded the timbered regions Of West
Virginia has been furnished by CO.
operation among the lumber people
themselves and by uniting their OF.
forts with the state they have in a
measure succeeded in checking the
waste which followed fires but in the
unprotected regions the loss has been
Unreasonable. With the passage OF
the Thompson law and adequate an.
preparation to meet the federal gov
eminent half way, It is pointed out
that there would be no reason to fear
for the forests in the future. But un.
less something is done the mountains