332 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



forests will reproduce themselves if given a fair chance," and de- 

 clared, "the wise and moderate regulations requiring the burning of 

 slashings and trimmings on Leech Lake Reservation are a complete 

 success and a splendid object lesson." 



A letter to the convention from James J. Hill contained this 

 statement: "Irrigation and forestry are the two subjects which are 

 to have a greater effect on the future prosperity of the United States 

 than any other public question, either within or without Congress." 



That convention also passed the following resolution : 



"Resolved, that we protest against the attempt to reduce the 

 area of the Minnesota National Forest Reserve and against any 

 step which would enhance the difficulty of the perpetuation of the 

 forests upon it." 



This reserve is again placed in jeopardy — and we have a para- 

 mount issue ! ! Through the action of its enemies, it is expected 

 the decisive struggle as to whether the "Morris Act" or the "Nelson 

 I^w" shall prevail is to be fought out in Congreiss this winter. A 

 crucial time! 



Forestry friends, were they disposed, have not the where-with- 

 all to tip their arguments with silver or make promissory appeals to 

 the press and congressmen — but we can a "plain, unvarnished tale 

 unfold" that shall as clearly set forth the real motive of the opposi- 

 tion as the lime light of "frenzied finance" portrays the devious meth- 

 ods of the insurance companies or the "bulls and bears" of Wall 

 Street. 



The same selfish private interests that were discovered, at the 

 public hearing in September, to be back of most of the agitation to 

 have the government abandon the Winnibigoshish reservoirs, 

 which have cost the nation hundreds of thousands of dollars, are 

 the same interests that are seeking the repeal of the Morris Act. 



The opposition has unremittingly, through misrepresentation to 

 the Indians, through the public press and befort the legislature, 

 labored to bring about the repeal of the Morris Act and overthrow 

 ovir reserve. 



You will recall that the Morris Act was a compromise measure, 

 and the friends of forestry yielded at the time, like the "Japs," for 

 the sake of peace more than in justice they ought, but so quickly 

 did the opponents of the reserve "break faith" that we seriously 

 question if in the beginning they honestly entered into the compact 

 and expected to keep it or if they only accepted it to gain time. 



