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THE FORESTER. 



October, 



one man in the State pre-eminently qual- 

 ified for the position, Joseph T. Roth- 

 rock. The commission had collected 

 information on forests and forestry. The 

 Commissioner applied himself to the task 

 of getting legislation under which forests 

 might be protected and new growths of 

 timber encouraged. As a result we have 

 our fire-warden law, acts to encourage 

 tree planting, the act providing for the 

 creation of forest reservations at the 

 headwaters of our chief rivers, the act 

 providing for the purchase by the State 

 of unsettled lands, sold for taxes, for the 

 purpose of creating forestry reservations 

 out of them. 



Before Dr. Rothrock came to their res- 

 cue our forests had scarcely a single law 

 on the statute book in their interest. 

 Now Pennsylvania stands in the van of 

 the States which manifest an intelligent 

 concern for their forests and provide for 

 their protection. We will have three 

 large forest reservations as soon as the 

 Legislature will appropriate the money 

 to secure the land, and many smaller 

 reservations through the purchase by the 

 State of wild lands fit for forest growth. 

 Our forests will be protected from burn- 

 ing by fire wardens, and partial relief 

 from taxation will encourage farmers to 

 plant trees. 



A new and intelligent interest has 

 been awakened in this State on the sub- 

 ject of forestry, and to no one man is 

 this due so much as to Dr. Rothrock. 

 He has been the soul and inspiration of 

 the forestry movement in Pennsylvania - 

 its intelligence and executive head. We 

 are glad that Governor Stone recognizes 

 this, and we embrace with pleasure this 

 opportunity to commend him for a most 

 excellent appointment. Phila. Press. 



Recently Governor Stone has made 

 several appointments which merit the 

 hearty commendation of his fellow citi- 

 zens. The one, however, which has 

 probably caused the most general satis- 

 faction is the reappointment of Dr. 

 Joseph T. Rothrock to the position of 

 Commissioner of Forestry. All who 



have the interest of forest culture at 

 heart will feel particular gratification, be- 

 cause it insures for a term, at least, the 

 continued advance of this important 

 work in Pennsylvania. Dr. Rothrock 

 is eminently fitted for the post of Com- 

 missioner of Forestry ; in fact, there is 

 probably not another available man in 

 the State as well equipped for the work 

 as he is. He has held the office since 

 its creation, and he has done more than 

 any one else to bring the State to a 

 realizing sense of the importance of 

 taking active steps for the preservation 

 of the forest area which remains, and to 

 interest agriculturists and others in the 

 subject of tree planting and the desira- 

 bility of planting more woodlands. In 

 every respect he has filled his office 

 worthily, and it would have been a se- 

 vere blow to the forest interests of Penn- 

 sylvania if he had been removed. 



Governor Stone, since his incum- 

 bency, has frequently made removals 

 and appointments which have not met 

 with popular approval. He has often 

 shown too much partisan zeal in such 

 matters and too great an inclination to 

 listen to the voice of ex-Senator Quay 

 rather than to that of the people. Dr. 

 Rothrock, it is said, was marked for re- 

 moval, to make room for some one hav- 

 ing greater ability as a political worker. 

 The report carried widespread dissatis- 

 faction and protest, and it is gratifying 

 to learn that it was without foundation, 

 or, if his removal was in contemplation, 

 that Governor Stone has listened to the 

 voice of the people, and not to the de- 

 mands of the factional politicians. It is 

 much pleasanter to commend than to 

 disapprove, and for once Governor 

 Stone merits the hearty approval of the 

 citizens of the whole State by his reap- 

 pointment of Dr. Rothrock as Commis- 

 sioner of Forestry. Phila. Ledger. 



So little has yet been done in this 

 country toward the protection of our for- 

 ests that any step in this direction, in 

 whatever part of the United States, is 

 cause for national satisfaction. Six years 



