Forestry and Government 181 



importance by the laws it may make, and which 

 through their intentional or unforeseen action may 

 exert the greatest influence upon the forestry of 

 the country. To be sure, legislation is not all-pow- 

 erful in this any more than in other spheres. It 

 cannot create a forest industry where the natural 

 and economic conditions do not favor it. No legis- 

 lative fiat can produce a forest where nature disap- 

 proves. But it can to a great extent create favorable 

 economic conditions, for the maintenance and ra- 

 tional exploitation of forests. By legislation we 

 can on the one hand protect ourselves against the 

 greed of private interests, which look exclusively 

 towards the immediate profit, heedless of the rights 

 of future generations. We can also protect our 

 woodland owners and lumbermen from injuries done 

 to them and their business by the recklessness and 

 uncontrolled self-interest of others. Legislation 

 can not only do these things, but it is our duty as a 

 people to see that they are done. More than that, 

 by unwise legislation we may impose upon forest 

 exploiters such burdens that their business becomes 

 unprofitable if carried on with a view to the greatest 

 advantage of both the owners and the community, 

 while, on the other hand, legislation may create con- 

 ditions by which the interests of the forest exploit- 

 ers and the people are brought into harmony. 

 Considering all this, we may well come to the con- 

 clusion that the legislative relations of government 

 to the forestry problem are even more important 

 than its executive or administrative action, and it is 



