POSSESSIONS IN THE APPALACHIAN FORESTS 137 



bia," was an even more uncertainly defined space marked Alaska, forever 

 fixed in infinite distance by "The wolf's long; howl on bon Alaska's shore." 

 Youth knew, therefore, something of geography even in our boyhood — knew, 

 that is, where the Kocky Mountains were, though they were far beyond the 

 region whence at Christmas time came the buffalo tongues and prairie chicken 

 from cousins in far Missouri. The Rocky Mountains were, indeed, as far as 

 the Mountains in the Moon are to us now, and the Allegheny Mountains were 

 mountains of our youth and next to them were the White Mountains and the 

 Green Mountains to the northward, where the name of Washington had been 

 given as was fitting the highest peak that overlooked the Presidential moun- 

 tain range of New England, and the waters of the Atlantic. 



Possibly, it is for this reason that the writer still retains an especial in- 

 terest in these eastern mountain i-egions. There are, indeed, other reasons for 

 his interest, only one of which he feels need be mentioned now, that is, that 

 from a more intimate personal knowledge of them since he grew to man's es- 

 tate and long before this doctrine of conservation became such a national 

 thought he has felt that they belonged in a peculiar way to the people of this 

 country and that if properly cared for, preserved and utilized they would 

 furnish a more invaluable asset to this country that even the average member 

 of the Forestry Association dreams of. 



In the discussion of this subject it is not necessary and the writer does 

 not wish to express an opinion upon that phase of it which would lead him 

 into the technical, legal, or political questions relating to its occupation and 

 legal ownership. If he has apprehended aright the discussion which has taken 

 place we are in some danger of abandoning the proper and more essential 

 ground on which to base our claim for the preservation of the treasures in 

 this region for a more narrow, technical, and debatable one — that of the ex- 

 tension of governmental powers based on the government's right to control of 

 navigable streams. I feel that the work of this great forestry movement is 

 larger and less factional and less political and more national than can be 

 measured by any appeal to possibly questionable governmental powers. Its 

 strength, its breadth, its present and future vigor and its perpetuation are all 

 dependent on its being so conducted that it shall avoid all questions of doubt- 

 ful expediency and commend itself by its wisdom and breadth to the great 

 body of American people and thereby become associated with their pride and 

 their patriotism and become the ward of their national care. 



With regard to the forests of the White Mountains, the writer thinks that 

 the able and shrewd representatives of New England may be counted on to 

 lend their aid to what is so manifestly to the advantage of that section. But 

 as one who, as a summer resident on that coast, participates in the benefits 

 alike to body and soul of that charming summer air, he ventures to urge the 

 preservation of the forests as even on the lowest ground of material return 

 the plain part of wisdom. Those forests are worth more to New England every 

 j'ear than every foot of lumber in them would be worth sawed and dressed. 

 They are a perennial source of income to the whole New England coast. Poets 

 have hymned their beauty until they have entered into the heart and mind of 

 the people and become enshrined in their literature, and however one may 

 question the vaunted primacy of New England in other matters, he must 

 acknowledge that in the autumnal glory of her mountain forests she stands 

 unrivaled. If they shall be destroyed New England will suffer a loss which 

 can never be made good. The White Mountains will in a few generations be- 

 come the black mountains, and the most famous summer resorts of New Eng- 

 land will in time be deserted by the teeming multitudes who now find recrea- 

 tion and health amid their forest clad ranges. 



Leaving this branch of the subject to others the writer may take up the 

 question relating to the Southern Appalachian range. When one speaks of 



