EDITORIAL 427 



This is an interesting project, and .United States Forest Service, because 



has much to commend it, but the meas- its offices would naturally have to fol- 



ure as introduced has grave defects ,low its material. This goes back to the 



and should not be passed without ma- first objection made. Of course, if the 



terial amendment. proposed institution were located in 



In the first place, the location at Ne- Washington, as it certainly should be, 



braska City is a decided objection to the the objection would not hold, 



bill. This is not a desirable location for If the bill should be amended to 



a great, national institution for the ben- iremedy these defects, to establish the 



efit of the whole country. It is pro- institution in Washington, to make it 



posed to put this institution in charge the headquarters and scientific center 



of a director whose salary is larger of the Forest Service, and to place its 



than that of the forester of the United director in proper relation to the for- 



States, and such an institution so of- tester, we believe it would be productive 



ficered and containing the most valua- of great good and we should give it 



able material which has been accumu- cordial approval, 



lated by the Forest Service and the De- t t 

 partment of Agriculture, should either 



be at the nation's capital or at some The East and Irrigation 

 center where it will be easily accessible. 



This is not true of the location pro- A RECENT letter referring to the 

 posed by the bill. The only reason /\ hostility of the east to irrigation 

 that can be adduced in favor of the projects and to the arm-chair critics of 

 Nebraska location is the purely senti- the eastern section of the country who 

 mental one, that it was the home of Mr. fear that the reclaiming of the western 

 Morton, and this should not in the least lands will introduce dangerous compe- 

 control action in the location of so tition with eastern farming communi- 

 important a national institution, which ties, calls for a suggestion that it is a 

 would have a practical work to do. The mistake to suppose that there is any 

 honor to Mr. Morton in establishing general hostility in the east to the rec- 

 and naming for him this institution lamation of the arid lands of the west, 

 would be sufficient. It is not neces- Such opposition as there is has been 

 sary that it be established in his home largely stimulated by the western ene- 

 town. It is desirable that the salary of mies of national irrigation, who, 

 the director of such an institution though few in number, have sometimes 

 should be sufficient to command the been abnormally active. It may be re- 

 highest grade of scientific attainment, membered by those who participated in 

 but that the director of this proposed the movement to secure irrigation legis- 

 forest school should have a salary lation, that the support of the east, 

 greater than that of the forester of the through its newspapers, through the 

 United States, under whom is the ad- good will of its people, and finally 

 ministration of all our great forest do- through the very necessary votes of its 

 main and the working out of the many representatives, was freely accorded, 

 problems connected with the develop- and the east as a whole has always sup- 

 ment of forestry in the United States, ported the reclamation work, believing 

 would be unreasonable and unjust in that the development of the west was 

 the highest degree. The position of a development of the United States, 

 the latter official requires the highest We have frequently had occasion to 

 grade of administrative ability as well note a lack of reciprocity of this senti- 

 as scientific attainments equal to those ment on the part of the west. Look- 

 required by the director of the pro- ing at the subject from a national point 

 posed institution. of view, as AMERICAN FORESTRY does. 

 The proposed removal to the new in- we can only suggest that the very best 

 stitution would practically remove from thing for the people of both sections is 

 the capital the headquarters of the to become acquainted with each other 



