1906 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



547 



in the Secretary of Agriculture. The 

 sum named will not complete the 

 necessary work, but it will make a 

 good and indispensable beginning. 



This bill has passed the Senate with- 

 out dissent, and has been favorably 

 reported from committee in the House. 

 Members North and South, regardless 



for it. This, in his address at Raleigh, 

 N. C, he showed most clearly ; declar- 

 ing, "Neither State nor nation can af- 

 ford to turn these mountains over to 

 the unrestrained greed of those who 

 would exploit them at the expense of 

 the future." 



Whether or not this bill shall be- 



Forest Destruction in the White Mountains 



of party affiliations, are for the meas- 

 ure; while for the West, with its vast 

 reserve area, equal to the combined 

 areas of all the States east of Ohio 

 and north of Virginia, to oppose it, 

 would seem peculiarly ungracious. In 

 fact, the majority of the members of the 

 House are understood to favor the 

 bill. President Roosevelt is strongly 



come a law depends simply upon 

 whether or not it may come to a vote 

 in the House. The decision of this 

 vital question lies with the Speaker. 

 Thus far, he has opposed the bill. 



As the Boston Transcript well says, 

 for the Southern Appalachian-White 

 Mountain bill it is "a case of now or 

 never." With the lands in question 



