Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-01-02
THE OLD FIGHT LOOMING.


1 Some thoughtful men in Iowa who
have been keeping close tab on political
) events during the past year arc Of the
opinion that the old fight between ''tle
Interests and the people is looming
again and that it is becoming more and
more apparent that the old division be-
tween standpatters and progressivcs is
getting more and more marked. The
that old fight renewed. It should not
be necessary There is no reason why
special privileges should be granted big
Interests. The republican party ought
to he broad enough to treat ali interests
fairly and considerably, and perhaps
it is OF will be when those in charge
of the functions of government see
lciearly the way things are drifting.
As another indication of how the in.
terests are trying to worm their way
into further control OF public affairs
for other than the public welfare bills
have been introduced in congress pro
viding for the transfer of the forest
service from the department of agri-
culture to the department Of the inter-
a democrat and the house bill by Il re-
publican. That makes it look like a
non.partisan movement. and it is. but
it is movement that the people would
be almost solidly against if they under
I stood just what it meant.
In the course of a letter to the Free
mani ournal. Clifford Pinchot, real
ard steadfast friend of public forest
preservation. writes as follows:
4 In the department Of agriculture
where they are now. the forest service
and the national forests are safe, and
so well managed that (exccpt for Ger
tain special intcrasts) they have won
the unanimous support of the nation.
} Their purpose is to grow trees, and
they belong naturally in the depart
ment which has to do with growing all
lcrops, including tree crops, from the
soil Forestry is part OF agriculture
4 and is so recognized the world around.
4 The interior department is the real
estate agent Of the government. 1t is Io
business Of a real estate agent to grow
crops Oh forest or farm. AS a matter
Of fact, when the interior department
had charge of the national forests.
years ago. they were 50 badly handled
that President Roosevelt was forced to
insist upon their transfer To the de-
apartment of agriculture. The modern
progress of forestry in America dates
from that change.
The forest service has little business
with the department OF the interior.
land what it has is rapidly. diminish
ing. 1t has many times more business
with tie other bureaus of the depart
mcnt of agriculture, and that business
is rapidly increasing. 1t is in constant
land intimate cooperation with every
branch of the department where ii is
now
I The department Of agriculture has
much forest work to do outside llir
national forests. There are more acres
iby twenty million in woodlots on farms
than in all the remaining public do
main. of which the interior department
has charge. If the forest service were
transferred. the department OF agrl-
culture would he compelled to build up
| t.,nS1 t,W f,.
more duplication in the government
service instead of less.
i Forestry is doing admirably where il
lis. There is not one sound reason of
any kind for the proposed transfer 1t
lis neither good administration. good
business, nor good politics to undo
Rooscvclts work.
1t is well understood in Washington
tnat the same interests that attempted
Ito gobblc up the natural resources 0f
Alaska in Secretary Bailinger's time
are at ii again. The best stalking horse
OF the men behind the grab is the claim
that Alaska is going backward. I'll"
fact is that from 1910 to 1920 the OK
,pcrtS from Alaska have increased from
lS13alS.:S4 to $62.463.O96. or 366 per
cent, while during the same ten years
the exports from the United States i'll
creased from 81 ,S6G 225S9O4 to $S,22S.-
o1G,3O7. or $40 per cent. Alaskan bust
ness has actually been growing faster
than the business of the United States
although the la tier has been increasing
al a rate without precedent in the
worlds history.
More than half our timber is gone
already. Only one-sixth of our virgin
forests remain. and they are being cnt
at Il rate that will destroy them entirely
before twenty-five years. Only little
more unrestricted forest devastation
| will bring down upon us the dangerous
hardShipS of timber famine. The cost
OF pulpwood and lumber is already
proof enough OF the stage {" which the