242 North American Forests and Forestry 



of instruction was of the first necessity has not yet 

 entirely passed by. Much still remains to be done, 

 for while the light may be slowly breaking through 

 the clouds, a large part of the nation still remains 

 in ignorance of the true nature of forestry and the 

 needs of the people in regard to it. Legislation of 

 the kind indicated in previous chapters is still to be 

 brought about in those States which have so far 

 entirely neglected it, and existing laws must be im- 

 proved and their scope extended. As yet, while 

 public opinion has very generally become favorable 

 to forestry reform instead of ridiculing it as for- 

 merly, this favorable attitude has not crystallized 

 into anything more than a vague sentiment. In 

 most States all practical efforts are left to a few 

 Individuals, on whom falls the duty of piloting 

 proposed measures through the devious channels 

 along which legislative bodies do their work. It is 

 encouraging that in such attempts ordinarily little 

 opposition based on arguments, however fallacious, 

 in encountered. But everybody at all acquainted 

 with the manner in which legislation is brought 

 about, in Congress as well as in the State legisla- 

 tures, knows that the mere absence of active op- 

 position is not sufficient to insure the passage of a 

 bill. It is necessary to arouse an active interest 

 among the members, otherwise the mere dead- 

 weight of indifference is enough to keep it from 

 becoming a law. Even where such active interest 

 within the legislative bodies exists, the fate of 

 forestry bills is apt to become entangled with that 



