HARDWOOD RECORD 



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The Fight for Conservation 



99 



[The tullowing review of Gifford Pinchot's new 

 book. "The Fight for Conservation," by Elia W. 

 I'eattic is reproduced from the Chicago Tribune. 

 This well-known reviewer's estimate of this im- 

 portant work is such that it should cause every 

 lumberman in the land to read this book by the 

 greatest conservationist we have, and having 

 lead to be ever an advocate of conservation. — 

 Editor.] 



Although Gifford Pinehot has not meant 

 to speak in the accents of a professional 

 alarmist in his too brief book, "The Fight 

 for Conservation" (Doubleday, Page & Co.), 

 the fact remains that he does alarm — and 

 rightly — the reader who has within him a 

 grain of patriotism, disinterestedness, or even 

 intelligent selfishness. 



' ' We have, ' ' he says, ' ' timber for less than 

 thirty years at the present rate of cutting. 

 The figures indicate that our demands upon 

 the forest have increased twice as fast as our 

 population. 



"We have anthracite for but fifty years 

 and bituminous coal for less than 200. 



"Our supplies of iron ore, mineral oil and 

 natural gas are being rapidly depleted, and 

 many of the great fields are already ex- 

 hausted. Mineral resources such as these 

 when once gone are gone forever. 



' ' We have allowed erosion, that great 

 enemy of agriculture, to impoverish and, over 

 thousands of square miles, to destroy our 

 farms. The Mississippi alone carries yearly 

 to the sea more than 400,000,000 tons of the 

 richest soil within its drainage basin. If this 

 soil is worth a dollar a ton, it is probable that 

 the total loss of fertility from soil wash to 

 the farmers and forest owners of the United 

 States is not far from a billion dollars a year. 

 Our streams, in spite of the millions of dol- 

 lars spent upon them, are less navigable now 

 than they were fifty years ago, and the soil 

 lost by erosion from the farms and mountains 

 is the chief reason. The great cattle and 

 sheep ranges of the West, because of over- 

 grazing, are capable in an average year of 

 carrying but half the stock they once could 

 support, and should still. Their condition 

 affects the price of meat in practically every 

 city of the United States. ' ' 



These are but a part of the items in the 

 summing up of Mr. Pinchot's answer to the 

 universal inquiry as to the increased cost of 

 living. Of equal importance, in his opinion, 

 is the relinquishment of natural rights to 

 trusts and corporations, and he retells in 

 dramatic language the grim story of the 

 usurpation of natural resources by men whose 

 one and sole intention is the making of profits. 

 "There could be," he writes, "no better 

 illustration of the eager, rapid, unwearied 

 absorption by capital of the rights which 

 belong to all the people than the water power 

 trust, perhaps not yet formed, but in process 

 of formation. This statement is true, but not 

 unchallenged. We are met at every turn by 

 the indignant denial of the water power in- 

 terests. They tell us that there is no com- 

 munity of interest among thorn, and yet they 



appear by their paid attorneys, year after 

 year, at irrigation and other congresses, ask- 

 ing for help to remove the few remaining 

 obstacles to their perpetual and complete 

 absorption of the remaining water powers. 

 They tell us it has no significance that there 

 is hardly a bank in some sections of the coun- 

 try that is not an agency for water power 

 capital, or that the General Electric Company 

 interests are acquiring great groups of water 

 powers in various parts of the United States, 

 and dominating the power market in the re- 

 gion of each group. And whatever dominates 

 power dominates all industry. ' ' 



Mr. Pinehot goes from one live issue to 

 another, dealing with them vigorously, fairly, 

 without prejudice, but with the thought in 

 liis mind of what will be of "the most good 

 to the most people for the greatest length of 

 time. ' ' 



By way of reassurance, he says that never 

 has a cause made greater progress than that 

 of conservation within the last few months. 

 He believes that ' ' public interest " is in the 

 saddle — or getting there — and that "the task 

 of translating new standards into action lies 

 before us. From sea to sea the people are 



taking a fresh grip on their own affairs. The 

 conservation of political liberty will take its 

 proper place alongside the conservation of 

 the means of living, and in both we shall look 

 to the permanent welfare by the plain people 

 as the supreme end. The way out Ues in 

 direct interest by the people in their own 

 affairs and direct action in the few great 

 things that really count. 



"What," he demands, "is the conclusion 

 of the whole matter? The special interests 

 must be put out of politics. I believe the 

 young men will do it. ' ' 



Unquestionably, under this vigorous oratory 

 lies more than the mere eloquence of the 

 politician. Mr. Pinehot has proved that. 

 And the growing band of determined in- 

 surgents may give, before another presidential 

 campaign has passed, a heroic emphasis to 

 Mr. Pinchot's simple and direct words. At 

 any rate within the pages of his book lie 

 fine and right interpretations of the word 

 patriotism, and there is no man, woman or 

 child, native born or naturalized, who would 

 not do well, in his own interests and in the 

 interests of others, to read "The Fight for 

 Conservation. ' ' 



Hardwood Record Mail Bag 



Wants White Ash 



New York, N. Y., Sept. 12. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Please send the writer the 

 names and addresses of a few thoroughly repu- 

 ble concerns from whom we can get close- 

 grained, second-growth white ash. The pur- 

 pose is to use this for airship frames where 

 the essential combination is lightness, strength 

 ;iiKl stiffness. 



& Co. 



The above inquirer has been supplied with 

 the names of quite a number of white ash 

 manufacturers, and any others desiring to be 

 placed in touch with this concern may have 

 the address by writing this office.— Emtob. 



Information Wanted About Balsa 



Clevelaxd, Ohio. Sept. 16. — Editor Hard- 

 wood Record : Knowing that you are a source 

 of information, we are writing you in regard 

 to a requisition that we have for a wood that 

 is grown in the West Indies, known as Balsa. 



Do you know where we can secure this mate- 

 rial? We understand that the wood is brought 

 into New York City in considerable quantities, 

 and is used to take the place of cork in the 

 manufacture of life preservers. 



Any information you can give us will be 

 appreciated. 



Company. 



I don't know anything about Balsa. We 

 will be pleased to receive any information re- 

 garding this wood that our readers are in a 

 position to supply, which we will communicate 

 to our correspondent. — Editok. 



Late Report on the Situation from Big 



Ohio Concern 



Columbus, Ohio. Sept. 8.— Editor Hardwood 

 Record : Your favor of August 25, relative to 

 the individual opinion of hardwood producers, 

 was found on my desk on my return to the 



iiffice. I am afraid il is loo late for our letter 

 10 reach you in time tor the publication to which 

 you refer. However, I will answer your ques- 

 tions as far as my observation goes and without 

 taking the time, in some instances, of making 

 actual comparison. 



(1) We have about 10 per cent less dry stock 

 on hand than we did this time a year ago. 

 The grades run about the same, we having kept 

 the stock worked off in a pretty uniform way. 



(2) Our sales for the first six months of 

 1910 were just 24 per cent larger than for 

 the first six months of 1909. Our sales for 

 .luly and August do not show quite so well, the 

 sale of July and August, 1910, being but 4 

 per cent larger than for the same months of 

 1909. 



(3) Prices, while not what we would like to 

 see, have really held up in a very satisfactory 

 way. I believe that there will be an increase 

 in price on most of the stock which we handle, 

 though there is certain to be some decrease in 

 the price of some high grades used for specific 

 purposes. Of course, this depends on the auto- 

 mobile business. If the automobile business con- 

 tinues in as large volume as in the past, the 

 price of this stock will increase. If the pro- 

 duction of automobiles is not increased or main- 

 tained, then high grade poplar may see a slight 

 downward trend. 



(4) Our production in stocks will remain 

 about the same during the nest six months, as 

 we expect to continue during that time about 

 the same gait as we have been going. 



Seeks Kiln Dried Bed and White Oak 



Omaha, Neb., Sept. 2. — Editor Hardwood 

 Record : We are in the market for kiln dried 

 clear red and white oak. Will you kindly supply 

 us with a list of manufacturers? 



The above letter is from a reliable Omaha 

 commission man, and any one interested in 

 reaching that market with kiln dried oak can 

 have the address on application at this office. 

 — Editor. 



