64 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



February 



fees yield something, yet their total is 

 slight in comparison with the revenues 

 which such an organization should 

 command. To secure even these is a 

 serious undertaking; and for the as- 

 sociation to devote its energies chiefly 

 to soliciting funds, whether through 

 membership campaigns or otherwise, 

 is obviously a perversion of effort. 

 Its main activities should be devoted, 

 not simply to maintaining its own ex- 

 istence, but to agitation, education and 

 the quest for legislation; to serving 

 the ends for which it was created. 

 Otherwise, what right has it to exist 

 at all? 



There is wealth in this country be- 

 yond the dreams of the Arabian 

 Nights. Every dollar of it has come 

 from the sources which are now 

 menaced. Furthermore, considerable 

 portions of it are devoted to works 

 of philanthropy and public service. 

 Millions are constantly being poured 

 forth to establishing and maintaining 

 schools, churches, libraries, charities 

 and benefactions of various types. 

 Why are not such funds available for 

 this work? Men talk of "prosperity." 

 Whence will come the prosperity 

 when, as in China, our mountain sides 

 are picked bare as a bone, and the 

 soils of our valleys have largely been 

 washed into our rivers and harbors? 

 They ask us to look on the bright 

 side. Why not make sure that it shall 

 continue bright? They call "America 

 another name for opportunity." Why 

 not see that the opportunity is per- 

 petuated rather than destroyed? 



What greater cause could appeal to 

 philanthropy than that of preserving 

 our heritage? What weightier obli- 

 gation can be laid upon the conscience 

 of one who has accumulated millions 

 from "our boundless resources" than 

 to aid in perpetuating these resources ? 

 Men give to the transitory ; why not 

 to the permanent ? They contribute to 

 small causes, why not to great? 

 They build lilDraries; why not main- 

 tain the supply of material from which 

 books and buildings must be made? 

 They multiply colleges; why not rec-. 

 ognize that, whether schooled or un- 



schooled, people must draw their sup- 

 plies from the earth? They scatter 

 alms ; why not provide against the 

 persistence and the intensification of 

 poverty ? 



Here is a field for the activity of 

 our members. Many of them are in 

 close touch with men or women who 

 could put the Association on its feet, 

 and make it a mighty factor in the af- 

 fairs of this Nation. Will they not 

 exert themselves to this end? What 

 higher service could they render the 

 race? 



Brace Up "Many farmers imagine 



Your Con- ^^^^ ^he member of 

 gressman Congress whom they 



have elected will voice their convic- 

 tions in laws without constant brac- 

 ing up. We rise to explain to them 

 that they are gravely mistaken. The 

 average Congressman will, as far as 

 possible, legislate for the interests of 

 his constituents ; but he must be in- 

 formed, and sometimes peremptorily, 

 what these interests are. This is 

 what we mean by 'bracing up' a Con- 

 gressman. 



"Just now the members of Congress 

 are particularly sensitive to public 

 opinion, because nearly all of them 

 want to be re-elected. Congressmen 

 seldom resign, and are always found 

 with an ear to the ground, particular- 

 ly in election years." 



The above is from Wallace's Parm- 

 er, a paper that has done good work 

 in persuading Iowa farmers to give 

 heed to what their Representatives do. 



Considering the relations of con- 

 stituents to Congressmen, we should 

 remember who is principal and who is 

 agent. It must never be forgotten 

 that the United States is a republic; 

 that laws, constitution and adminis- 

 trative acts find their sole validity in 

 popular approval or acquiescence. The 

 old monarchial doctrine that the 

 king is the fountain of justice and the 

 source of law has absolutely no place 

 in the United States. Exactly the 

 reverse is true ; it is the people who 

 are the fountain of justice and the 

 source of law, and it is the people 



