AFFORESTATION 137 



continuity of State administration. Although 

 the states of England, France, and Germany 

 have owned forests during several generations, 

 no one attempts to show that these states have 

 observed continuity of administration. It is 

 beyond question, that it would be impossible 

 to state any form of administration which has 

 been continuously adopted by the states of 

 England, France, and Germany. 



These advocates of State afforestation imply 

 that the continuity of State administration is a 

 truism, which only requires to be stated to 

 commend itself to every person of common 

 sense, and that historical proofs are unnecessary. 

 Even if this very strong assumption is granted 

 for the sake of argument, it cannot be admitted 

 that continuity of administration is desirable in 

 all cases. Alterations in administration are 

 occasionally adopted in all businesses, and are 

 inevitable. The policy about the extension or 

 diminution of the forest area has varied in the 

 past and will vary as long as market conditions 

 and opinions on economic questions are liable 

 to change. 



The zeal shown in pressing for State afforesta- 

 tion is not derived entirely from a consideration 

 of the conditions peculiar to forestry, but is, 



