4 FOREST LANDS FOE THE PROTECTION OF WATERSHEDS. 



the erosion, of which complaint is made as resulting in silting up 

 the streams, is due to the removal of forests from the upper slopes 

 or from the lower slopes of the mountains; whether it is due to the 

 operations of farming or to the operations of lumbering. And I 

 think also we would like to have some information, if it is possible, 

 as to the probable price at which land can be bought in the sections 

 under consideration, and about the number of acres that would prob- 

 ably be required. 



In making these suggestions you will understand, of course, Gov- 

 ernor Guild, that I am not seeking to dictate what the gentlemen 

 who are to appear before us shall say. I am merely trying to indi- 

 cate points that must be given very careful consideration by the com- 

 mittee before it acts upon this matter. And with these introductory 

 remarks I take pleasure in presenting to this committee Governor 

 Guild, the distinguished executive of Massachusetts, by whose pres- 

 ence here this morning I am sure we all feel honored. 



STATEMENT OF CUETIS GUILD, JR., GOVERNOR OF MASSACHU- 

 SETTS. 



Governor GUILD. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, 

 I am sure that the petitioners in behalf of this measure for the preser- 

 vation of the Appalachian forests will take due consideration of the 

 kindly suggestions made by the chairman of this committee, and will, 

 to the best of their ability, address themselves to them. I note the 

 remarks of the chairman, that the committee has already given a 

 number of hearings in regard to this matter and has posted itself 

 carefully and quite thoroughly, and therefore I shall ask, to use the 

 legal parlance, if I may put in evidence at this hearing, without read- 

 ing, the previous proceedings before this committee with the testi- 

 mony which you already have? 



The CHAIRMAN. Certainly, that will be entirely satisfactory. 



Governor GUILD. That is understood. I would also like to put 

 in evidence the report of the Secretary of Agriculture on the South- 

 ern Appalachian and White Mountain watersheds, which does give 

 the commercial importance, area, condition, feasibility of purchase 

 for national forests, and the probable cost, to which you referred. 

 Furthermore, the report of the Conservation Commission, now in 

 session, which is giving particular attention to the very practical 

 points that the honorable chairman has suggested, in regard to the 

 areas and to the specific effect of the destruction of the forests. 

 Finally, I take it that you do not, of course, desire, as 1 understand, 

 to exclude any evidence which any person now present may feel de- 

 sirous of offering as to any deleterious effect that may come to the 

 people of the United States from the destruction of our forests. 

 For if we have to consider, sir, the constitutionality of this measure 

 on the ground as to whether the waters of the river are thereby ren- 

 dered unnavigable or remain navigable, another clause of the Con- 

 stitution, of course, provides that Congress is to legislate for the 

 general welfare of the people, and certainly nothing is more for the 

 general welfare of the people than the preservation of a good water 

 supply and a watershed for rivers that furnish water for the use of 

 the people, whether they are navigable or not. 



