1908 



EDITORIAL 



A correspondent of this 



We Must office tells, in a des- 



Use the Law r u 



pairing manner, of hav- 

 oc wrought by cutting down young 

 forests in the South in order to con- 

 struct a railroad trestle, with result- 

 ant danger of landslides on the moun- 

 tain; and this in spite of the fact that 

 the railroad officials were supposed 

 to appreciate the dangers attending 

 deforestation. Yet notwithstanding 

 his feeling of hopelessness, he joins 

 The American Forestry Association 

 in order to help the creation of a pub- 

 lic sentiment to correct the evil. 



The forest destruction in progress 

 in the United States is tragic; if con- 

 tinued, the results will be grave. 



That business men, nominally in 

 sympathy with the forestry move- 

 ment, are in some cases active in aid- 

 ing and abetting this destruction, is 

 indisputable. Had we no other re- 

 course than to appeal to them to de- 

 sist, we might feel the cause to be 

 hopeless. Business is conducted for 

 private profit; and, this being the 

 case, public interest must, as a rule, 

 be brushed aside in the world-wide 

 struggle for gain. 



But we have other recourse. We 

 have, in this country, a government — 

 in fact, a number of governments. 

 The ostensible object of government 

 is to safeguard the interests of the 

 entire people. It is the business of 

 government, therefore, to protect the 

 forests — certainly such of them as, 

 because of their size, position, and re- 

 lation to large and varied interests, 

 are of public concern. 



Several of the State governments 

 in this country are taking steps to 

 protect the forests within their juris- 

 dictions. The greatest work, how- 

 ever, is being conducted by the Na- 

 tional Government through the For- 

 est Service. 



Experience shows that the Forest 

 Service is, actually and appreciably, 

 improving the forest situation in the 

 areas committed to its charge. The 

 work of this arm of the National 



Government is notable, and is big 

 with promise. 



Situations such as that described 

 by our correspondent are doubtless to 

 be saved, if saved at all, through con- 

 trol by the Forest Service. 



Here is the field for associated and 

 individual activity. The American 

 Forestry Association seeks to instruct 

 the public as to the principles of for- 

 est preservation and extension, not 

 only by private activity but by push- 

 ing the system of National Forests. 



One of the great objects now before 

 it is the establishment of National 

 Forests in the Southern Appalachian 

 and White Mountains. For some 

 years, a bill for this purpose has been 

 aggressively pushed by the Associa- 

 tion. 



Moses, in his journey toward the 

 Promised Land, came to the very 

 border, only to perish there. Such 

 was the fate of this bill in the 59th 

 Congress. Friends of the forests 

 must highly resolve that in the 60th 

 Congress the bill shall, without fail, 

 be inscribed on the Federal statute 

 book. 



Here is an opportunity for all to 

 unite in promoting the end which is 

 so vital to the public well-being. All 

 citizens who are mindful of their duty 

 should use their influence with their 

 fellow citizens and with members of 

 Congress to secure the passage of this 

 bill. 



Wasteful 

 Saving 



Some, upon whom is be- 

 ginning to dawn some 

 faint appreciation of the 

 manner in which we are destroying 

 the very planet upon which we live, 

 and laying up for our children an in- 

 heritance comparable to that of the 

 famine-stricken nations of the Old 

 World, are beginning to admit that 

 the establishment of National Forests 

 in the Appalachian and White Moun- 

 tains is desirable, but are holding off 

 for fear some species of "graft" may 

 be concealed in the measure. 



Graft is bad enough, unquestion- 

 ably. And that it has entered into leg- 



