62 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



marked lack of statesman-like treat- so closely allied with lumbering thai 

 ment based on any real knowledge of neither forester, lumberman nor pub- 

 forest economics. Besides unwilling- lie makes any distinction. This is the 

 ness to provide adequate protection for case in Europe and everywhere in 

 the people's property we even hear ad- America that there has been successful 

 vocated the turning it over to a dozen progress. So long as the lumberman 

 State legislatures that are doing still suspects forestry of being antagonistic, 

 less with their own forest responsibili- he will not help. So long as he does 

 ties. Ignorance or a desire for political not help, the forester cannot talk in- 

 effect has even urged immediate sacri- telligently to the public. After all, the 

 ficial cutting to break a mythical "lum- private owner controls most of our for- 

 ber trust" when it should be self-evi- est area. His use of it, our use of it, 

 dent that private competition is now at and the effect of our relations upon our 

 its keenest and that the government joint use of it, largely determine our 

 supply should be husbanded against the forest destinies. 



time when it may have some real effect Were foresters in proper touch with 



on prices to the consumer. the business end of producing forest 



Now all this is by no means chiefly products they would have the support 



the fault of Senators or Congressmen, of all lumbermen and jointly they would 



There is nothing in it for them, except have an irresistible argument. Were 



so far as it can be made to strike a forest economics understood and forest 



responsive chord in their constituents, industry given its proper rating com- 



With the public half as well informed pared with other industries, suspicious 



on the production of the lumber it needs lumberman and suspicious public would 



as it is on the getting of its parcels by alike see a common object and make 



mail or the price of sugar, there would mutual cause to further it. A State 



be an expression on an American for- with a hundred times more revenue to 



est policy that would leave no states- be expected from lumbering than from 



man uncertain. We cannot blame him wool growing would not appropriate 



if there is no such expression nor can $500 for forest protection and $20,000 



we ]:)lame his constituents for not seeing for coyote scalps. A community that 



that he gets it. It is because they have applauds its chamber of commerce for 



not been told the facts in convincing getting a shoe factory and gives it a 



business language. free building site would not carelessly 



Come now to our States. Many burn up a forest capable of emploving 

 have done nothing. Few have com- a thousand times as many men and then 

 prehensive far-seeing policies, covering tax the owner so he cannot afford to 

 their own op])ortunity on State-owned hold and protect the land for a np^v 

 lands and adequate encouragement of crop. A State that is glad to see its 

 good private management through ef- farmers get a good price for wheat, 

 ficient fire protection and just taxation, even if it does use some flour, would 

 It is not enough for the reformer to not rejoice when its sawmills are forced 

 present good laws and recognize bad to accept a low price for lumber. A 

 ones. Why is there little troul)ie in lumberman who prefers to let his trees 

 passing laws for protection and advance stand until Americans need them, rather 

 of agriculture, horticulture and dairy- than cut them at a loss for foreign ex- 

 ing? Not because these industries are port, would not be accused of conspir- 

 more useful and deserving, but because ing to bl^ed the consumer any more 

 people understand their governing con- than would a farmer who decides not 

 ditions and see the point of such laws to raise potatoes when they don't pay 

 readilv. The chief reason thcv do not for raising. A country that applauds 

 so understand forest conditions is tliat fruit growers for systematizing to as- 

 the reformer himself makes forestry a sure reliable grades and intelligent mar- 

 creed and not a business. keting, sends publicly paid experts to 



In mv opinion forestry will never help improve their orchards, and ex- 

 succeed in the United States until it is empts them specifically from the Sher- 



