TiA. Crosse Meeting. 25 



but of all kinds of timber for economic purposes. The demand 

 for lumber is on the increase and must continue to, but, when 

 what we have is once cut off, it will require years to grow trees to 

 fill even a limited demand. Not only were the largest and most 

 valuable trees rapidly disappearing, but a large amount of young 

 timber, standing in the forests, was being destroyed in cutting the 

 trees most suitable for lumber. These young trees, if preserved, 

 would soon take the place of that which was now being cut off 

 and would become valuable for lumber and timber. If the tim- 

 ber lands that are now being stripped so rapidly of the growth of 

 centuries, and left desolate, to be run over every year or two with 

 fires, were cared for and protected, the young trees on them al- 

 lowed to grow up, and seeds of the Elm, the Maple, Ilackberry 

 and other kinds were planted there, the evil effect which will re- 

 sult from the present course would be averted, the fertility of the 

 land would be preserved, and the?e lands would again be covered 

 with a valuable growth of timber. 



Taking this view of the subject, he thought that we ought to 

 call on the senator to give an account of the misdeeds and waste 

 caused by him and his fellow craftsn\en. 



Senator Price said he was very glad to speak in defense of the 

 lumbermen, for he regarded their calling a legitimate and honora- 

 ble one, and one that was adding greatly to the weilth, progress 

 and prosperity of the country. They were contributing largely, 

 perhaps more largely than any other class of laborers, to the pro- 

 duction of value. By their labor a log worth perhaps one dollar 

 in the tree is made worth three dollars when run mto the river, 

 and worth ten when cut up into lumber. This not only adds 

 largely to the wealth of the nation by taking what was of little 

 value in the forest and giving it this greatly increased value, but 

 it furnishes material needed for the comfort of the whole com- 

 munity and for the practical development of all other industrial 

 pursuits. The calling of the lumberman was as important, as 

 beneficial to the general development of the country, as any class 

 you may name, and did not merit the bad name, the abuse they 

 received. It is true that much of the young and growing timber 

 in the forest is destroyed by cutting the larger trees, but this is 



