The Bienville Democrat., 1922-06-01
was the subject Of much acrimonious


It is not intended here to go into
the merits Of the present controversy.
It can be said, however, that forest
conservatlonists generally believe that
If the burea,. Is turned over to an
other department there Is danger that
some of the work Of salvation already
done will be undone. This, Of course,
Is denied by the parties to the other
end Of the controversy.
The forests are worth saving. M0st
people want to save them and appar'
emily the only ones who want any
thing else are those who would bene-
fit Immediately in a pecuniary way
from their destruction. The fight to
save the trees has been a long, hard
one and those that are left are not
yet we'll within the field Of assured
safety.
Some pleas for forest preservation
made In congress and in other places
have been In a unique way interest
ing. Congress has fought o7er the
forests for years, and outside con-
gress the fight has been just as hard
and bitter. It seems that still the
Fphf iy fO m IN
Doctor HaIe's Plea Of Long Ago.
DR.. Edward Everett Hale, who dur
ing the last years Of his life was
chaplain Of the senate, was a men,
Der as a boy of a biological survey COM
pany which went through the forests
and over the mountains of New Hamp-
shire The expedition went out 81
years ago. In one Of the last let
ters written by the author of "The
Man Without a Country" he said:
"With these eyes have seen forests
demolished in which were trees CEN
turies old and where now the region
Is given over to sumac and blackberry
bushes. 1t is no mere matter OF
botanical curiosity for which we are
pleading. It is the preservation of
the water supply which affects the six
New England states.
1T also affects the very existence
of whatever makes the region attrac.
tive to persons from every part OF
the Union. 1t Is easy to see on mere
economic grounds that the destruc-
tion Of forests has been the ruin OF
many a nation which did not have
wisdom enough to keep them. In our
case the denuding Of our mountains
will destroy the noblest and best
grounds for recreation which are now
open to all people east Of the Missls-
sippi."
Doctor Hale, when he wrote this let.
ter, was pleading for forest reserva-
tion in New Hampshire. Shortly there
after the congress Of the United States
by a vote which knew no party and
no section decided to take over large
tracts of lands in the eastern noun.
tains, North and South, SO that at
least a part of the forests might be
preserved AMI YET so the products
thereof still might be put to the use
for which they are intended. In the
forest preserves generally, certainly in
the East, numbering may be carried on
under restrictions, but care Is taken
that in the operation no small trees
shall be destroyed. The country may
use its lumber and still have It.
Sims on Wood Versus Metal.
Writing of forests naturally sug-
gests the subject of wood. Some time
ago when Thetus Wilrette Sims OF
Tennessee was in the lower house
of congress he made an attempt
TO secure the continuance Of the use
of wooden boxes instead Of metal
ones for the receipt Of mail on
the rural routes of the country. Mr.
Sims stood as the champion Of the
tree-grown product, and while prob
ably his speech was intended to be
more or less light in nature, one ex
tract from it will be remembered to
day by members Of congress. This
was the peroration o. the Sims ad
dress to the house on the subject .o1
wooden versus metal mail boxes:
"Mr. Chairman, WOO. was used ages
before metal by primitive man. Tht
human race, as we'll as the animals
of the earth and the fowls of tht
air. were saved from utter extinc
tion by a wooden box. This box wa'
water and weather proof, as shown b!
it's remaining in perfect condition ant
afoat during the longest spell Of rain.
weather and highest waters eve
known.
According to sacred history, tn
Son of God was born In a woodel
house, laid in a wooden receptacle
and died on wooden cross; and ye
It Is claimed by the Post Office de
partment that the wooden rural mai
boxes are not good enough for a sim
pie American citizen to use as a re
ceptacle in which to receive a posta
card or country newspaper"
Cultivate Your corns.
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