Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-01-27
SAVING OUR FORESTS
Urgent Need for Immediate Appoint.
ment OF Commission.
The MILLS WOULD PAY EXPENSES

and Developed or South Carolina
Will Go Baekward-State is Now at
It's Wits End to Raise Money
Noted Writer Suggests Practical
Plan.
(By James Henry Rice, Jr.)
In order to provide forest protection
two things are required. One is ac-
ton by the state; the other Is cooper
alton of citizens.
1. Action by the state might begin
by the appointment of a commission
to inquire into the situation and re-
port back its findings to the General
Assembly for action. The commission
should be required and empowered to
employ a trained forester to ascertain
the facts. Without such q man the
commission would be helpless. Out
of this would grow a State Commis-
sion of Forestry.
Now, for fear somebody will raise
tie cry Of more Offices, it is just as
we'll to point out that such a commits
sion would be paid for out of tax on
the output of the mills, something like
ten cents a thousand feet.
Forest protection is now well un-
dcrstood. The National government Is
spending a great deal of money an
nually to save the forests and has a
finely trained body of men at work.
But the first step is to get at the
facts. 1t is true that the facts are
fairly we'll known now. The U. s. Di-
vision of Forestry has reliable statis-
tics and could at once take told of the
proposition; but perhaps 1t is just as
well to let the General Assembly wade
in and learn something for itself.
2. Cooperation by citizens Is neces-
sary in any event. This is best exert
ed through a State Forestry Associa-
ton. So far as can learn South Car
olina is the only Southern state WITH
ont such an association, and the fact
is not creditable to the people of the
state.
Should be Done Now.
Such an association should be form
ed without loss of time. Leading ciu-
zens should cooperate freely in the
work. There is fine field for patriot
ism here of the most practical kind.
- It Is well known to every observer
of the political events that the Gen.
eral Assembly would, after n cer-
tein amount of dickering and loss OF
valuable time, proceed to form For
estry Department, especially, when 1t
beceme known that "the boys" would
have good pickings. This Is, In the
finnl analysis, the danger confronting
every forward movement; and the
danger should be met at the outset by
recurring training in practical fores-
try by every holder Of a position IN
the service, from the head down to the
wnrdens.
A failure to require this has ham,
strung the game department and tied
the hands Of the Chief Game Warden.
A State Forestry Association could
exercise influence on this by keeping
constantly befroe the public the re-
uuirements of the service. 1t would
have only moral power; 1t needs no
moro.
Every dollar collected should be
used for forest protection and the for-
estry department kept distinct and in
dependent of all others. Experience
hos shown that where it is mixed with
zarr,e and fish protection, there Is
loss all round.
Moreover, the mill operators should
he ihvited to cooperate in the move
ment. Many of them will, and their
practical knowledge will be of service.
There should be no war or any IN
terest, and vested rights should be
respected. Progress does not require
sabotage; but it does require conser-
ys,tion, especially the conservation Oh
our forests, indispensable to the we'll
DCinB OF the Sldle'
The General Situation.
On inquiry it is learned that the
cultivated area of the whole state is
from twenty to twenty-five per cent.
The figures ought to be exact; but
there does not appear to be any exact
statement available. Let us accept
the larger figure, and examine It's
meaning and significance.
In round numbers South Carolina
has 2O,OOO,0OO acres of land in it..
Twenty-Five per cent. (one-fourth)
would be 100000 acres. There re-
main 10000 900 acres of land doing
nothing for the COOL of the state and
It's people, except the 100000 acres in
timber.
l am going to give you plain,
practical, knockdown illustration of
what that signifies.
Holland has almost eight million
acres of land Q2,5O0 square miles).
It's agricultural production is $780,
100000 a year, measured in dollars.
One third of the land lies below sea
level. The climate is much colder
than ours, and n great deal of the
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