258 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



such a policy it seems to me, insofar as it involved private enterprise, 

 irrespective of its profitableness, would result in the long run not in 

 the production of trees but in a change in land ownership. A forest 

 policy that does not produce forests is to my mind not a forest policy. 



Private enterprise of course should, and with encouragement and 

 education, will, so far as it can, permanently maintain forests on ap- 

 propriate lands. But enlightened self-interest — enlightened because of 

 its consideration of public welfare — and education of land-owners to 

 the possibilities of profitable enterprise in reforestation, are the influ- 

 ences that lead men into such enterprises. If these influences will not 

 suflice, legislation cannot do it by compulsion. Nations like individuals 

 cannot by law make something out of nothing. 



The fundamental criticism of a public policy of mandatory private 

 forest enterprise, is, it seems to me, not on the grounds which Mr. X. 

 has assumed, but rather because it is "chasing the rainbow" ; because 

 it will not solve our problem. Private enterprise should logically go 

 as far as it can in meeting the need of the future. But if private enter- 

 prise, enlightened and well-informed (as it can be made to be), does 

 not fully meet the public need, the obligation is upon the public, through 

 its own chosen and orderly agencies, to do what private enterprise is 

 incapable of accomplishing. 



This is no novel principle. It applies no more to the practice of 

 forestry than to any other necessary economic activity. It has its ex- 

 pression daily in many of the now ordinary activities of our Govern- 

 ment, both State and National. It is not a question of opinion but a 

 question of fact. 



Like every other owner of property the owner of forest land is 

 bound in law so to use his property as to do no harm to the property 

 of another, and to do no public injury. This obligation is universal, is 

 everywhere recognized, and should be enforced. If so enforced, 

 through the medium of more adequate arrangements for the protection 

 of forests and forest lands, forest replacement by natural processes 

 would have a better chance — and that it should have no one may doubt. 



There is successful precedent and ample authority for making 

 promptly effective a plan of forest protection and natural replacement. 

 It seems to me that there is wisdom and promise of success in a pro- 

 gram of this sort, which may be intelligently formulated upon the basis 

 of known fact and of actual experience. It is difficult for one to have 

 confidence, however, in the success of any plan which violates economic 



