THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FORESTS 



AND STREAMS 



By JOHN H. FINNEY 

 Secretary of the Appalachian National Forest Association 



IN COMMON with almost the entire that forests had no effect on water sup- 

 Nation, I hold these views regard- ply or regulation ; this year it meets 

 ing the Appalachian-White Moun- an equally valiant opponent in Mr. 

 tain forest project: First, that the es- Willis L. Moore, of the Weather Bu- 

 tablishment of this forest area in the reau, whose carefully timed report 

 southern Appalachians and in the made to the chairman of the House 

 White Mountains is a duty which the Committee on Agriculture again fur- 

 Nation owes to itself ; that it is a mat- nishes welcomed ammunition to those 

 ter of national self-preservation ; that who fight it. 



only the Nation can do it; second, if That the constitutional objections 

 the way to conserve is to "conserve.'" have been eliminated by the report of 

 that here lies the tangible and sub- the Judiciary Committee ; that condi- 

 stantial foundation for a constructive tions are shown to be not in the least 

 policy along conservation lines, at rela- "exaggerated ;" that the "enormous ex- 

 tively small cost^ to the immense pres- pense" is but a fraction of what the 

 ent and future advantage of the whole Nation will finally be compelled to ex- 

 Nation, pend if the area is not now estab- 



The bringing of this project to this lished; that the arguments of Colonel 

 point is the result of twenty years of Chittenden have been fully refuted by 

 work by earnest men ; it has been urged such men as Prof. Geo. F. Swain, Dr. 

 by three Presidents ; it has been ex- C. E. Van Hise, and other notable sci- 

 haustively investigated and strongly entists, matter little to those who, be- 

 urged by the Department of Agricul- ing in position to block legislation, cou- 

 ture and the House Committees on tinue to do so on one plea or another. 

 Agriculture. For more than a decade I do not measure in scientific attain- 

 it has been before the Congress at prac- ment to the present distinguished op- 

 tically every session ; it has passed the ponent of forestry, but some practical 

 House once and the Senate three time? engineering and a little common sense 

 and, being as yet unestablished, it may based on an actual knowledge of con- 

 be proper to fankly outline its present ditions in the South may shed some 

 status in the National Legislature. light on Mr. Moore's conclusions as 



It is meeting there now, as in the reported in the daily press, and show, 

 past, some very active opposition, rang- if a demonstration be necessary, to 

 ing from the Speaker down to those those who happened to be in Washing- 

 who, in committee, are in position to ton on March 4 last, that meteorological 

 block progress. One important chair- science is hardly so exact as to re- 

 man raises the question of "enormous quire the acceptance, without question, 

 expense ;" another, that conditions are of the opinions and conclusions of even 

 "grossly exaggerated ;" a southern so distinguished a man as the Chief of 

 member opposes it on the question of the Weather Bureau, 

 "constitutionality." It met last year a Like the gentleman who recently 

 powerful antagonist in the person of came out of the North with tremendous 

 an army engineer (retired), who held claims, but without his notebook and 



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