410 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



September 



essential to the prosperity of the low- 

 lands through which their waters run. 

 Maintained in productive condition 

 they will supply indispensable materi- 

 als, which must fail without them. 

 Their management under practical and 

 conservative forestry will sustain and 

 increase the resources of this region 

 and of the nation at large, will serve 

 as an invaluable object lesson in the 

 advantages and practicability of forest 

 preservation by use, and will soon be 

 self-supporting from the sale of tim- 

 ber. 



"8. The agricultural resources of 

 the Southern Appalachian region must 

 be protected and preserved. To that 

 end the preservation of the forests is 

 an indispensable condition, which will 

 lead not to the reduction, but to the in- 

 crease of the yield of agricultural pro- 

 ducts. 



"9. The floods in these mountain- 

 born streams, if this forest destruction 

 continues, will increase in frequency 

 and violence, and in the extent of their 

 damages, both within this region and 

 across the bordering States. The ex- 

 tent of these damages, like those from 

 the washing of the mountain fields 



and roads, can not be estimated with 

 perfect accuracy, but during the pres- 

 ent year alone the total has approxi- 

 mated $10,000,000, a sum sufficient to 

 purchase the entire area recommended 

 for the proposed reserve. But this loss 

 cannot be estimated in money value 

 alone. Its continuance means the 

 early destruction of conditions most 

 valuable to the nation, and which 

 neither skill nor wealth can restore. 



"10. The preservation of the forests, 

 of the streams, and of the agricultural 

 interests here described can be suc- 

 cessfully accomplished only by the 

 purchase and creation of a National 

 Forest Reserve. The States of the 

 Southern Appalachian region own lit- 

 tle or no land, and their revenues are 

 inadequate to carry out this plan. 

 Federal action is obviously necessary, 

 is fully justified by reasons of public 

 necessity, and may be expected to have 

 most fortunate results." 



With these conclusions I fully 

 agree ; and I heartily commend this 

 measure to the favorable consideration 

 of the Congress. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



White House, Dec. 19, 1901. 



Flood 



tn Minincr 



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