large, will permit their owners to grow successive 

 crops of trees, namely, reasonable security from for- 

 est fires and taxation of the product while 

 growing. But the public should not and will 

 not create these conditions favorable to reforestation 

 unless it is assured that the forest owner makes good 

 on his part, and that the land will actually be kept 

 in the continuous production of timber which the 

 public interest requires. 



In other words, I am convinced that, to get general, 

 plan-wise reforestation, we must frankly recognize 

 that forest lands are public utilities, that they are 

 subject to such forms and degrees of public control 

 as are needed to keep them continuously in timber 

 crops, and that under the broad theory of equitable 

 compensation applicable to public utilities generally, 

 forest lands must receive such just and special con- 

 siderations as will enable their owner to obtain a 

 reasonable return while complying with the require- 

 ments put upon him in the public interest. This 

 give-and-take principle, I believe, must inspire our 

 national forestry policy. 



At the same time the public should approach the 

 forest owner as far as possible in the spirit of assist- 

 ance rather than of regulation. Every encouragement 

 should be given to the forest owner, by education 

 and practical demonstration, to reforest his land by 

 the ways and means suited to his timber and his re- 

 quirements. The well tried incentives of competition 

 and self-interest will accomplish much in reforestation 

 as in most economic movements. If any one doubts 



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