THE ATTITUDE OF THE WEST TOWARD 

 THE EASTERN FORESTS 



IN URGING support for the Appala- 

 chian Forest Bill Hon. Curtis Guild, 

 Jr., until recently governor of 

 Massachusetts, sent the following letter 

 to several of the governors in the Rocky 

 Mountain states, and on the Pacific 

 coast. 



"It has been my pleasure as governor 

 of ]\Iassachusetts, though this common- 

 wealth is not affected by the National 

 support of irrigation for waste lands 

 in the West, not only to encourage fav- 

 orable National action by voice and pen 

 but to send delegates to National con- 

 ventions called in support of the move- 

 ment. Massachusetts is not to be bene- 

 fited by the deeper waterways move- 

 ment, also to be encouraged by National 

 support, yet I have taken great pleas- 

 ure in sending delegates to the Na- 

 tional conventions in Chicago and 

 Washington to give the encouragement 

 of the commonwealth to this much- 

 needed public improvement. 



"Massachusetts is not asking for the 

 expenditure of one dollar from the Na- 

 tional treasury for any forest reserve 

 within her own borders. We are main- 

 taining and extending state, metro- 

 politan and municipal forest reserves 

 at our own expense. No one state, 

 however, certainly not the little State of 

 New Hampshire, can bear the com- 

 paratively large expense necessary for 

 the forest reserve in the White Moim- 

 tains which must be maintained if the 

 water supplies of New England are 

 not to be irretrievably endangered. This 

 last year, thanks in no small measure to 

 the cutting that has already taken place, 

 Massachusetts has suffered terribly 

 from drought. Our farmers have lost 

 heavily by the shrinkage of crops. Our 

 mills have been obliged to incur heavy 

 expenses in the substitution of steam 

 176 



for water power. Our paper mills in 

 particular have not even had sufficient 

 water to cleanse the rags used as paper 

 stock. Cattle in the fields have been 

 without a sufficient supply. The shrink- 

 age of water in the great rivers has 

 left deposits of sewage and disease 

 germs, spreading sickness among our 

 people. 



"When the trees are cut from the up- 

 per slopes of the White Mountains, the 

 thin soil is washed away, leaving the 

 bare granite rock. These forests can 

 never be replaced. We not only need 

 action but we need action now. 



"If it is constitutional for the 

 National Government to maintain for- 

 est reserves and to furnish water sup- 

 plies as well as waterways for the 

 West, we feel sure you will agree that 

 it must be constitutional for the Na- 

 tional Government to obtain forest re- 

 serves preserving water supplies for the 

 East. I am writing, of course, of the 

 peculiar needs of New England. The 

 Southern Atlantic states we also feel 

 should be given similar consideration. 

 They are able to make the further plea 

 that unless some step is taken by the 

 National Government the hardwood 

 supplies for the cabinet-making and fur- 

 niture industries will at no late date dis- 

 appear. 



"I feel sure that New England, which 

 has at least always tried to do her duty 

 by the Union, will not appeal to you in 

 vain in behalf of this measure of com- 

 mon justice." 



It is a pleasure to record that in re- 

 sponse to this letter. Governor George 

 E. Chamberlain, of Oregon, introduced 

 in the Oregon state legislature the fol- 

 lowing resolution wliich was adopted by 

 both branches : 



