The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-07
by ]. {. Rhodes, Secretary Manager
Southern Pine Association.)

forestry, and viii not appeal to sensi-
BILE and practical men. There was a
thine when forestry was based largely
on the theory that the man who cut
q tree was an enemy Of society, and
mo satisfactory solution OF how the
forest could be used and perpetuated
at the same time was offered.
The evolution of economic conditions
surrounding the lumber industry in
this country is just beginning to make
It possible to consider the application
of so-called Scientific forestry meth
DDS" to numbering operations with
some prospect of success. These con-
ditions have been brought about by
the cutting of a considerable part Of
1.-THE nations virgin forests, which for
mer generations thought were mex
haustible. The time appears to be
reached in our national history, when
further increases in the amount of
lumber procured from our virgin tim
Der cannot be expected. Lumbermen
are, therefore, realizing that their bus
mess can be prolonged only by the
growth Of another crop of trees. They
know that lumber is absolutely indis-
pensable, and that it cannot continue
Ito be manufactured and consumed in
tits present volume indefinitely.
j buInD6THleh dtSO hIiOW that SSACAAtALAN
forestry methods cannot be applied to
practical logging operations until the
value Of the standing timber has
Preached a, point which will make it fl
nancially and economically possible.
With further decrease Of supply,
llunbermen believe that the price of
standing timber will advance to a
point which will make possible the
ladoption of scientific forestry meth
lods without loss.
The adoption of forestry in the man
ufacture Of lumber involve an in
Icrease in costs which obviously must
be borne in the end by the consumer.
1.-THE public should therefore, under
stand that forestry means increased
costs Of products manufactured from
the forests.
Lumbermen believe that the remark
able development OF our county has
been due in large measure to the sac
rifice Of much Of our forests. Our fore
fathers found great areas OF land COW
o1td with magnificent ,growths Of
hardwood, which they were obliged to
cut down in order that they might Gull
tivate the soil. The northern forests
proved to be the nearest sources of
lumber supply to the great agricul-
lThey furnished the cheapest building
material the world has ever known.
While these forests and portions Of
the southern forests have been largely
| depleted, the lumbermen believe the
reuslts have justified the sacrifice.
As the peoples of Europe flocked to
our shores and made for themselves
new homes in the land Of the free, it
| became necessary to build our towns
and cities In a comparatively few !
years considering the life of a ma
ton. Without lumber this could not
have been done; neither could the
| great agricultural areas have been
made to produce the food upon which
/ the world now depends for its very
! life. The agricultural sections OF the
country could not have been brought
into cultivation had it not been for
the production of the immense guam
| tity Of lumber utilized on the farms;
| indeed, the romance of business con-
tains RIO more dnterestingt chRpter
than that concerning the lumber in
dustry. Lumber and its products are
as indispensable to the livelihood and
wen being of men as are any other
products of the soil. The lumber bus
mess in all it's phases from first to
last has played most important part
in the upbuilding of America.
In the very nature of the occupa-
ton, the man who has gone into the
tractless forests and converted them /!
into lumber for the use of the people !
has been a power in many sections of |
the country. He has been the advance |
agent of civilization, for there has fol- |
lowed in his wake farms, towns and !
railroads and all sorts Of development |
incident to the growth of a sturdy |
people and prosperous country.
Forests have been sacrificed, yes. |
How else could the great prairies have |
been won? With the cutting of the |
forests immense areas of land have |
been made available for the plow. |
Hundreds of thousands Of cares from |
which the lumbermen removed the |
trees are now being successfully cul-
tivated, adding. TO the agricultural
wealth of America.
The public must share with the Ium- |
bermen the full responsibility for the /
cutting of the forests. Citizens en- |
gagged in the making of lumber to /
supply the demand which existed for it, I
The greater part of the forests which /
have been used have represented little /
If any profit to the men who cut them.
Even today many millions OF feet Of 1
timber are being cut and sold for
returns which do not represent the
costs Of operation and present value
of stumpage.
The lumbermen feel keenly the crit
icisms which have been directed
against them, charging them with the
I+ukyless destruction of the timber
at the expense Of future generations
They resent the charge that they have
wasted the nations timber resources
or that they have made fortunes by /
methods which are without economic
or moral excuse.
No fair minded citizen will deny 4
that there has been in the past album
dant excuse for the cutting of the for
ests. The statement has been made by /
men high in the councils Of the gov
eminent that we face lumber short
age because Of the destructive methods
of lumbermen. This charge has I'M I
doubtedly caused people to infer that
the lumbermen have been ruthless