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| AMERICAN FORESTRY | 



VOL. 27 JUNE, 1921 NO. 330 



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EDITORIAL 



TWO FORESTRY BILLS 



rp HE text of both the Snell-McCormick Bill and the 

 * Capper Bill for a forest policy is printed in this issue 

 of American Forestry for the information of the read- 

 ers. Both of these bills are now before Congress and 

 hearings will shortly be held by congressional committees. 



The Snell-McCormick Bill is the measure approved by 

 the United States Forest Service, the American Forestry 

 Association, the National Forest Program Committee, and 

 scores of other organizations. The Capper Bill is sup- 

 ported by the National Conservation Association. 



BUSINESS INTERESTED IN FORESTRY 



'T'HE serious attention of business men from one end 

 -* of the United States to the other is now to be given 

 to forestry. The Chamber of Commerce of the United 

 States has appointed a committee to study the problems 

 of forestry. This will not be a perfunctory study. It 

 will be a practical investigation of the conditions in every 

 part of the country and a careful study of the problem 

 of what shall be done to perpetuate our forests, to reforest 

 waste land, and to provide for a supply of forest products 

 for our future needs and to protect existing forests. 



The committee, composed of able and experienced 

 men, will perhaps first go to the Pacific Coast, where the 

 bulk of the remaining timber of the United States is, and 



make a detailed examination of conditions there. Later, 

 other regions will be visited and similar investigations 

 made. A meeting will be held in Chicago soon. 



No more important development in forestry has oc- 

 curred in some time than this interest of business men 

 who, under the auspices of so powerful and influential an 

 organization as the Chamber of Commerce of the United 

 States, propose to learn for themselves facts about the 

 forest conditions and help to solve the forest prob- 

 lems which are so serious. Whatever they decide to do 

 will have a strong influence upon legislation, both state 

 and national, and aid materially in getting the legislation 

 which is so urgently needed. 



TEXAS DEMANDS FORESTRY LAWS 



HPEXAS missed a chance, when its legislature was in 

 -*- session, to pass an excellent forestry bill. It was de- 

 feated by the lumbermen, who opposed it. Governor Neff 

 has now called a special session of the legislature. It is 

 expected that the forestry bill will come up again. It 

 should pass. The people of the state desire it. The 

 newspapers are demanding it, and its importance is em- 

 phasized by the Dallas Journal which says : 



"A thoroughgoing bill for a start in the reforestation 

 of Texas encountered stout objection when it was offered 

 in the regular session. A similar bill, and no other would 

 meet the need of the State, will encounter like objection 

 upon every introduction. The best interests of Texas 

 will be served if that opposition is met and overcome now. 

 Every year of delay renders more difficult the task of 

 saving the timbered domain of Texas for the uses of pos- 



terity. Destruction of our forests proceeds at a rate 

 which it will prove all but impossible to offset with the 

 most intelligent and aggressive work in reforestation. 

 The sooner a beginning is made the more effective will the 

 work be. The objections of lumbermen to the proposed 

 severance tax is based upon a selfishness that considers 

 personal interests and today only, giving no thought to 

 those who may come after, to the future needs of the 

 State whose natural resources have enriched them, or to 

 the obligations under which the right to these resources 

 has put them. Public opinion, in its own behalf, should 

 reinforce the efforts of the forestation forces when a 

 new measure is submitted. If it voices itself strongly 

 enough the opposition will throw down its hands and 

 submit, as it should. Governor Neff should resubmit the 

 forestry question and give public opinion a chance to 

 make itself heard." 



