34 



THE FORESTER. 



December, 



apart from land cannot prevail without 

 causing enduring wrong. The recogni- 

 tion of such ownership, which has been 

 permitted to grow up in the arid regions, 

 should give way to a more enlightened and 

 larger recognition of the rights of the 

 public in the control and disposal of the 

 public water supplies. Laws founded 

 upon conditions obtaining in humid re- 

 gions, where water is too abundant to 

 justify hoarding it, have no proper appli- 

 cation in a dry country. 



In the arid states the only right to 

 water which should be recognized is that 

 of use. In irrigation this right should 

 attach to the land reclaimed and be in- 

 separable therefrom. Granting perpetual 

 water rights to others than users, without 

 compensation to the public, is open to 

 all the objections which apply to giving 

 away perpetual franchises to the public 

 utilities of cities. A few of the Western 

 States have already recognized this, and 

 have incorporated in their constitutions 

 the doctrine of perpetual state ownership 

 of water. 



The benefits which have followed the 

 unaided development of the past justify the 

 Nation's aid and cooperation in the more 

 difficult and important work yet to be ac- 

 complished. Laws so vitally affecting 

 homes as those which control the water 

 supply will only be effective when they 

 have the sanction of the irrigators; re- 



forms can only be final and satisfactory 

 when they come through the enlightenment 

 of the people most concerned. The larger 

 development which national aid insures, 

 should, however, awaken in every arid 

 State the determination to make its irri- 

 gation system equal in justice and effec- 

 tiveness that of any country in the civilized 

 world. Nothing could be more unwise 

 than for isolated communities to continue 

 to learn everything experimentally instead 

 of profiting by what is already known else- 

 where. We are dealing with a new and 

 momentous question, in the pregnant 

 years while institutions are forming, and 

 what we do will affect not only the present 

 but future generations. 



Our aim should be not simply to reclaim 

 the largest area of land and provide homes 

 for the largest number of people, but to 

 create for this new industry the best pos- 

 sible social and industrial conditions; and 

 this requires that we not only understand 

 the existing situation, but avail ourselves 

 of the best experience of the time in the 

 solution of its problems. A careful study 

 should be made, both by the Nation and 

 the States, of the irrigation laws and con- 

 ditions here and abroad. Ultimately it 

 will probably be necessary for the Nation 

 to cooperate with the several arid states 

 in proportion as these states by their 

 legislation and administration show them- 

 selves fit to receive it. 





THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY 



AVERY large part of the forest land 

 of the State of New York is 

 owned by private parties. The 

 proper development of these lands is de- 

 pendent upon the knowledge of their 

 owners, or of persons whom they may see 

 fit to employ. The nature of the manage- 

 ment of the forest lands owned by the 

 state is dependent upon public opinion. 

 This was in evidence when a constitu- 

 tional amendment was passed prohibiting 

 cutting on state lands for a period of twenty 

 years. The establishment of schools for 

 the education of the public and the pro- 

 duction of trained foresters is the most 

 fruitful form of state cooperation that can 



be practiced, and all must admit that co- 

 operation rather than coercion on the part 

 of the state, under a democratic form of 

 Government, is not only the more palat- 

 able way, but in the end yields the most 

 beneficial results. 



To meet these needs the New York 

 State College of Forestry was established 

 in April, 1S9S. It was placed under the 

 care and direction of Cornell University. 

 It was primarily intended for natives of 

 the State of New York ivho are required 

 to pay 710 fees whatever. It is as free as 

 water to every native of the State of New 

 York who can pass the regular prescribed 

 entrance examinations of the University 



