AMERICAN FORESTRY 



tained in perpetuity in the western Every year of delay increases the 



mountains, that a supply of timber loss of our resources in these regions, 



might be assured for all time to the Each year of postponement of action 



people of these states, and that the nee- adds to the loss and the ultimate ex- 



essary flow of their streams might be penditure which shall have to be made 



maintained. when necessity forces us ultimately 



In the meanwhile, the crowding of to acquire and control these forests. It 

 civilization, the insistent demands of is a short-sighted policy which blinds 

 the market, the wasteful manner of " s to the lessons of history and the ex- 

 handling and the ravages of fire had perience of other and older countries, 

 been devastating the southern and east- 

 ern mountains, which -had passed into OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN FORCED 

 private ownership long before it was TO THE CONTROL OF MOUNTAIN FORESTS 

 realized that there could ever come a 



time when the necessity of conserving In dealing with mountain watersheds, 

 the natural resources of this rich coun- European countries years ago faced 

 try would become an issue of supreme the problems which now confront the 

 importance alike to the present and the United States. Almost without excep- 

 future. Not only was the timber sup- tion, they have passed through three 

 ply threatened with exhaustion, but the stages in their treatment of mountain 

 flow of numerous rivers, whose water- forests. Unrestricted individual own- 

 powers furnish so much of wealth and ership was the first stage, and this plan 

 employment, was in jeopardy, and, uniformly failed. In France, following 

 through erosion, silting, and irregular the revolution, unrestricted private con- 

 flow, the navigability of many of them trol prevailed until 1803. By that time, 

 was endangered. The plea of the peo- fire, cutting, pasturage, and improper 

 pie of the northeast and southeast for tillage in the mountains had caused the 

 relief was brought to Congress more ruin or serious damage of eight hun- 

 than a decade ago, and is now before clred thousand acres of valley farm 

 Congress in this bill. lands on account of debris carried down 



Along with the national irrigation by the mountain torrents, 



work of the west, the hundred Individual ownership with govern- 



and ninety-odd million of acres of ment regulation as to cutting and fire 



national forests in that same sec- protection, was the second stage. Italy 



tion, the gift to the world of the thoroughly tried this plan from 1877 to 



Panama Canal, these people of the 1888, and" abandoned it because of the 



south and east appeal for the expendi- difficulty of enforcement. Enforcement 



ture more properly investment of a of the laws was constantly vitiated by 



few million dollars conservatively ap- political exigencies. The experience of 



plied to initiate in their mountains a Italy was practically the experience of 



conservation enterprise which is in line all other European countries and gov- 



with the past policy of the nation in ernment regulation of private forests is 



other directions, and of every first-class now in effect only as an adjunct of 



power in the world. It is a movement government ownership of the more im- 



which^the states themselves are unable portant areas. 



to initiate. They have neither the power Government ownership of a portion 



nor the resources, nor is it a duty which o f the protective forests of the moun- 



they alone can be asked to assume, tains and government supervision over 



itate of every section will bene- the balance is the third stage which has 



by the conserving of the timber sup- been in effect for more than a quarter 



ply, water powers and navigable streams O f a century in all of the leading coun- 



of our southern and eastern mountains, tries of Europe. Of all the plans, this 



It is a national duty which neither in i s the only one that has been entirely 



equity nor wisdom this Congress can successful. Erosion of mountain soils 



longer >hirk. has been reduced to the minimum, the 



