572 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Gov. A. O. Eberhart of Minnesota 



achievements of the Reclamation Ser- 

 vice, but did not favor the proposal to 

 have the United States aid in the drain- 

 age of swamp lands belonging to states 

 or private owners. He did not think it 

 wise to change the statutes relating to 

 mineral lands. 



With the national forest policy he 

 dealt at some length, reviewing its main 

 features. He demanded that the states 

 should act more effectively in the pre- 

 vention of forest fires and concluded 

 this section of his address by saying, '"I ■ 

 have shown sufficiently the conditions 

 as to the federal forestry to indicate 

 that no further legislation is needed at 

 the moment, except an increase in the 

 fire protection of the national forests, 

 and an act vesting the executive with 

 full power to make forest reservations 

 in every state where the land is timber 

 covered or where the land is needed for 

 forestry purposes." 



Discussing the subject of coal, oil, 

 gas and phosphate lands, the President 

 came to the general conclusion that 

 such land should be held by the govern- 

 ment and leased for development under 

 terms which would compel the opera- 



tors to provide for the safety of indi- 

 viduals and for the national interest. 

 His recommendations on these points 

 were evidently the result of thorough 

 study and of very definite judgment. He 

 reviewed the Alaskan situation and the 

 history of the Cunningham claims and 

 said that the government has much to 

 answer for in not having given proper 

 attention to the government of Alaska 

 and the development of her resources, 

 and that "the problem of the disposition 

 of the coal lands for present and future 

 use can be wisely and safely settled in 

 one session, if Congress gives it careful 

 attention." 



On the subject of water power sites 

 the President's position was not so posi- 

 tive. He described what had been done 

 in the way of withdrawals for the pro- 

 tection of such sites, stated with great 

 care and fairness the arguments for and 

 against national and state control, and 

 declined to express an opinion upon the 

 controversy or a preference as to the 

 method of treating water power sites. 

 lie said that he should submit the mat- 

 ter to Congress and urge that one or the 

 other of the two policies be adopted. 

 i\aturally this balanced judgment on 

 the subject that has aroused so much 

 controversy did not please either the 

 advocates of national or of state con- 

 trol. 



The President's closing words to the 

 congress were wise and forceful. He 

 pointed to the heavy responsibility which 

 rests upon states and individuals as well 

 as upon the federal government in the 

 matter of conservation, and continued : 



"I am bound to say that the time has come 

 for a halt in the general rhapsodies over 

 conservation, making the word mean every 

 known good in the world; for after the pub- 

 lic attention has been aroused, such appeals 

 are of doubtful utility and do not direct the 

 public to the specific course that the peopje 

 should take, or have their legislators take, in 

 order to promote the cause of conservation. 

 The rousing of emotions on a subject like 

 this, which has only dim outlines in the 

 minds of the people affected, after a while 

 ceases to be useful, and the whole movement 

 will, if promoted on these lines, die for want 

 of practical direction and of demonstration 

 to the people that practical reforms are in- 

 tended." 



