EDITORIAL ^ 393 



ing the forestry policy of the Govern- The "modern instance" of paternal- 

 ment. The resolutions were published ism is government by the plutocrat ; by 

 next day in the papers. A vigor- the Scully, Rockefeller, Harriman,' or 

 ous protest from the anti-forestry other "undesirable citizen" of that type, 

 people followed. A hearing was next The time has come when we must 

 given to the opponents by the Forestry choose between government by the peo- 

 Committee of the Chamber of Com- pie and government by the plutocrat, 

 merce. Their leading objections were The Denver objectors prefer, seeming- 

 published on April 25 in a Denver farm ly, government by the latter ; the people 

 paper. Their catch-words are "great will probably continue to prefer gov- 

 feudal estates," "paternalism," "bu- ernment by themselves, 

 reaucracy," and "landlordism." 



With these gentlemen, a National U? U? «? 

 Forest is a "great feudal estate." The 



most elementary knowledge of feudal- Bureaucracy 

 ism will dispose of this objection. . ^^ t^^ at. „ 

 What is a feudal estate? An area of A S TO bureaucracy, or government 

 territory, larger or smaller, practically ^ ^^ bureaus The type of such 

 owned and absolutely controlled by an government is that of France, under 

 individual in his own interest. What is Jl^^i^ ^^^' a"^, Russia, under Czar 

 a National Forest? An area of terri- Nicholas. In other words, autocracy 

 tory, larger or smaller, absolutelv ^"^ bureaucracy are twins. The less 

 owned and controlled by the whole peo- Popular, the more bureaucratic the gov- 

 ple of the United States and adminis- ernment, and conversely, 

 tered in their own interest. The West- Winter sometimes lingers in the lap 

 ern analogy io the feudal estate is the of spring; similarly, old institutions 

 Scully estate. This is privately owned sometimes linger under new forms, 

 and privately administered against the ^ measure of bureaucracy may survive 

 interests of the tenants and in the in- ^ a democracy. The remedy, however, 

 terest of the owner. National Forest is not the substitution of autocracy. If 

 critics, however, seem to be finding no the United States Post-office is bureau- 

 fault with such estates. Instead, they cratic, to turn it over to a private cor- 

 seem to prefer them to those publicly poration would be to jump out of the 

 owned and administered. Ergo, in- frying pan into the fire. The remedy 

 stead of opposing "feudalism" they Hes in increasing rather than dimimsh- 

 seem to be defending its modern ana- ing control by the people, 

 logue. If critics can point to bureaucratic 



The term "paternalism" is equally survivals in the Agricultural Depart- 



unhappy. It comes from "pater," ment or its sub-divisions, let them insist 



father. It represents a one-man form upon more, rather than less, popular 



of government; originally that of the government. 



patriarch (pater, father; arch, ruler); And popular government, be it re- 

 later, of the king, who succeeded him. membered, is constitutional govern- 

 About 1776 the king was put out of ment; government by law, not by the 

 business on this side of the water. A mob. Let the critics propose laws that 

 new government followed, described will enlarge the power of the people 

 by Lincoln as "of the people, for the over their forests and make the admin- 

 people, and by the people." istration of these more consonant with 

 A people's government is the exact the popular will and interest. Until 

 opposite of a paternal government. The such legislation be proposed, the nat- 

 National Forests are governed by the ural inference will be that the present 

 people's government. To describe their administration of these great public 

 rule as "paternalistic" is to employ a estates represents not too slightly, but 

 contradiction of terms; it is to make too completely, the interests of the 

 words meaningless. whole American people. 

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