476 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Now, gentlemen, circumstances not intent have led me into this, and 

 I distinctly don't mean to be a knocker. It looks indeed as if it was 

 up to me to bark the other way a little before closing. So thinking, 

 I will try to do it. 



I truly honor men who, with little or no personal interest, engage in 

 labor for the common good. Considering, however, the different direc- 

 tions in which personal ambition may reach out, we have to be cautious 

 in setting men apart from their fellows on this ground. Again, if 

 general progress is to be made the pace has got to be slowed down to 

 that of the average. 



I admire, too, men who on fit occasion can fight hard and stay with 

 it ; and a fight it was sure enough 20 years ago when the National For- 

 ests were established. Lucky the country was, as it now knows, that 

 in that emergency there were men at hand with the vision required and 

 along with that the fighting qualities. 



The present situation looks different to me. In a way our cause is 

 won; all well disposed men (and these are the vast majority) as far 

 as they are informed are in a broad way with us. And the Committee's 

 report and other similar matter being put out is by way of information. 

 I'm for it, of course, provided only that it be sound and in the right 

 spirit. 



And the positive idea I have perhaps contributed to the discussion I 

 hope I don't value too highly. There are these other things involved 

 which the reports points out — public ownership, the necessity the coun- 

 try is under not to allow too much land to be idle, responsibility at- 

 tached to ownership, an obligation also lying upon the public to do its 

 share. We have got to state, and restate, and drive home these things. 

 I have simply called attention to a portion of the field that I thought 

 in a fair way to be somewhat neglected. 



