8 



trespass and from fire, it is nevertheless true that the State should 

 be the largest producer, because it has tlie largest interest, because 

 the century required to mature a crop of trees is as nothing to it, 

 but is disheartening to the individual, and chiefly because in the 

 land which the State should own there are involved possibilities for 

 good or evil, to every citizen, which are too vital to be trusted to* 

 any man or to any set of men. 



The idea is not new to our people. It may be well to note how? 

 far it has progressed and assumed the favor of a popular demand. 



1st. The State Grange of Pennsylvania, in the last two annual 

 meetings, passed resolutions calling upon the Legislature to provide 

 State forestry reservations. 



2d. The Maritime Exchange, of Philadelphia, has petitioned the 

 Legislature for State forestry reservations. 



3d. The Board of Trade, of Philadelphia, has done the same. 



4th. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association, with a membership 

 in every county in the Commonwealth, has joined in the request. 



5th. The Engineer Club, of Philadelphia, has also asked for it. 



6th. Almost every leading newspaper in the Commonwealth has 

 repeatedly, editorially and otherwise, joined in the general call for 

 State forestry reservations. 



7th. Various leading industrial journals, such as the "Manufac- 

 turer," have been outspoken in their demand that in their interest 

 and protection the State assume control of the high water sheds of 

 the Commonwealth, where the water power which they require is 

 produced. 



It will be seen that already a most respectable following is earn- 

 estly asking the State to act in this direction. 



If it were new or untried in this country, we might well pause be- 

 fore taking the initiative; but it is neither. The adjacent State 

 of New York has been the pioneer in this movement, and secured as 

 public property already a large portion of the Adirondack region. 

 The wisdom of the action was voted upon three years by the people, 

 and of all the constitutional amendments brought before that tri- 

 bunal for their sanction, the one measure which passed unchal- 

 lenged was that in favor of the State forestry reservations. Within 

 a month the question was again placed before the people as to 

 whether the State should allow settlements by cottagers of any part 

 of the forest reserve, and so anxious were the citizens to confirm} 

 forever the safety of these reservations that they defeated the con- 

 stitutional amendment, which made an invasion possible, by the 

 largest majority (345,000) ever given to any measure, State or Na- 

 tional, in New York. It was most remarkable that on this issue* 

 the average citizen and the largest manufacturing interests were in 

 perfect, earnest, working harmony. Almost every great newspaper 



