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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



in its work and his counsel aiul advice have been highly 

 valued. As president he will have opportunitv for the 

 constructive work for which he is noted, and there can 

 be no doubt that the results of his administration will 

 prove gratifying- to the members and friends of the asso- 

 ciation. He has always taken deep interest in move- 

 ments for national progress. He was one of the organ- 

 izers of the World Court Congress, held in Cleveland, 

 i:i 1915, to further the cause of the world peace along 

 the lines of an International Tribunal. He is now vice- 

 president of the WVirld Court League and a member of 

 the National Institute of Social Sciences. 



PRESIDENT P.VCk's ADDRESS 



President Pack, in response to the toast, "The New 

 President," at the joint forestry dinner at Boston on 

 the evening of his election, said: 



"I need not tell you of the splendid work and sturtiy 

 qualities of President Drinker. He has served the 

 American Forestry Association with ability and rare tact. 

 The cause of forestry has no better friend. He has set 

 a high standard for the office with which you now honor 

 me. All that I can say. mv friends, is I shall do my best 

 to live up to his ideals. 



/'We are here to consider some of our forestry prob- 

 lems. We recognize the important present and future 

 v^lue of the eti'ort made under the Weeks Law to save 

 the forested lands of New England. This practical and 

 patriotic work should go forward both north and south. 

 It means much to the fanner and the citizen. In this 

 way the interests of the forests and the farm go hand 

 in hand. You are not for standing still, I am sure, on a 

 matter of such vital interest to all our people. The men 

 imd women at this meeting are a forward-looking people 

 and it is for you to see to it that the work under the 

 ^Veeks Law is perpetuated, all honor to the statesman 

 and Senator from Massachusetts ; but he needs help, he 

 reeds your help; see that he gets it. 



"It has been said : 'In time of peace, prepare for war,' 

 but in this matter of forest resources of this country, had 

 we not better say at this time: in time of war, prepare for 

 peace? We must mobilize the industrial resources of this 

 country if we are to go forward as a nation in jiroportion 

 to our opportunities. Indeed, I think it may be said that 

 after this terrible world war is over the industrial compe- 

 tition will be far-reaching, and for us there will be a vic- 

 tory or defeat just in proportion to our preparedness. If 

 we are unworthy, we shall fail. The forests and forest 

 products will play a large part. A treeless country or a 

 country which abuses its timber resources as we do can- 

 not expect in world competition to continue with eco- 

 nomic success. , 



"In this time of the Great War we become used to un- 

 usual things. During the past year more than one hun- 

 dred and fifty million feet of lumber have been exported 

 chiefly from the gulf states for the uses of the armies in 

 England and France. American lumber may now be 

 found in the war zone of Nortbern France sheltering 

 .the French and English from the rigors of winter. 



American lumber was recently taken by the allies of the 

 entente powers to Salonica in Northeastern Greece. It 

 was the export demand for lumber of this character 

 which a few months ago gave a little stimulus to an in- 

 dustry which was prostrate and suitering from the eco- 

 nomic conditions which prevailed in this country before 

 the war. 



".\s late as the seventh century Tripoli was clothed 

 with vineyards and forests and had a population of 

 Ci, 00(1, (KM), l)ut the forests were cut down — and the region 

 is now bare, and the population reduced to a fraction of 

 the former number. 



"Spain, well stripped of its forests, has but a fraction 

 of the population which thrived there when it was cov- 

 ered with forests, and was one of the greatest nations 

 in the world. 



"Greece has less than a quarter of the population it 

 had when covered with forests, and when it produced the 

 leading statesmen, scientists and writers of the world. 

 Greece in her golden age, was a gloriously wooded land. 



"The Island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, was 

 in ISC") considered as a pearl in the ocean, but the forests 

 were cut down to make room for sugar jilantations. The 

 streams dried up. the equable climate changed, rains de- 

 creased, drought ensued. Then trees were planted, 

 forests are now growing and the island is again be- 

 coming the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. 



"On the other hand we are told the .Mormons found 

 Utah largely a treeless country. They planted trees and 

 have greatly increased the rainfall and the flow of 

 streams and the fertility of the soil by planting forests 

 and orchards. 



"Next perhaps to war, ta.xation is the most powerful 

 instrument of government, capable, if unwisely used, of 

 destroying individuals, communities and industries. 

 Few government functions are less studied by the av- 

 erage citizen, and probably none of its branches less 

 understood, than forest taxation. It is everywhere 

 recognized by foresters, tax exjjerts, and political econo- 

 mists that the general property tax applied to the forests 

 of the United States is unscientific and discouraging to 

 conservative management. The general property tax 

 upon timber has an alarming tendency to become e.x- 

 cessive. It is exceedingly difficult to meet because it' is 

 imjjosed annually, while revenue with which to meet it 

 is deferred. This system of taxation lias a great ten- 

 dency under most conditions to hasten the cutting and 

 marketing of the forests. The question of forest taxa- 

 tion is one of the most important and vital in the con- 

 sideration of the economics of forestry. We cannot ex- 

 pect individuals or corporations, or even cities or towns, 

 .to continue to perpetuate an unprofitable experiment. 

 There must be some return on the capital invested. In 

 most of our States instead of timberlands being favored 

 in order to encourage their growth and conservation, not 

 only for the benefit of the owner, but for the use of the 

 people of today and posterity, they are not given an 

 even chance with other properties. The crop of the 

 farmer is taxed when it is readv for the market and no 



