82 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION February 



phase of the National Forest question, tern, which means so much to the 



with which Western debaters of this Western country, and therefore, to 



question are often unfamiliar. Mr. the whole country, rests upon the 



Smythe says : foundation of the National Forest sys- 



"In the Carolinas and Georgia, tern.' 

 there is invested in cotton mills, run 



by water power alone, over $40,000,- ^r. F. H. Newell, Director of the 



obo. The horse-power utilized is al- Reclamation Service, has repeatedly 



most 106.000. The spindles turned emphasized the very great importance 



number approximately 2,800,000. of National Forests in connection with 



They consume annually nearly 900,- the Government's irrigation work, 



ooo bales of cotton, worth when man- He says : 



ufactured over $70.000,000. The "The future of these reclamation 



hands employed number 60,000. projects is dependent largely upon 



Counting families, 240,000 people are the keeping of the forest areas in good 



dependent upon these mills. This vast condition. All of these rivers whose 



industry faces destruction. The cut- waters are to be utilized issue from 



ting of the Appalachian forest means forests. We are vitally interested in 



its end. A National Forest Reserve the preservation and proper control of 



in the Appalachian is the only salva- the National Forests." 

 tion." 



Governor E. W. Hoch, of Kansas, 



From Mrs. Sarah S. Platt Decker, sends this pleasing message: 

 president of the General Federation -j am in hearty sympathy, as every 

 of Women's Clubs, with its thousands one , mist j., e w i lo gi ves t h e subject 

 of active working women members, in thought, with the awakening interest 

 every State in the Union, comes this in the forestry question. The rapid- 

 cheering message : j ty w i tn w hich our timber lands are 



"I hope the Appalachian and \Vhite being denuded purely for speculative 

 Mountain Reserve Bill will be men- purposes threatens to become a Na- 

 tioned at every forestry meeting all tional calamity, if it is not already one. 

 over the country, in every woman's In older countries, the value of trees 

 club and at every State Federation, is recognized in laws for their protec- 

 and that interest will be aroused to tion, but with that prodigality which 

 such an extent that its passage will be ever characterizes those richly en- 

 assured. From my observation, the dowecl, we have seemingly had no care 

 preservation of the forests, the streams concerning the future of our forests, 

 and the agricultural interests can be It is an omen of great good, however, 

 successfully accomplished, only by the that we are awakening to a realization 

 purchase and creation of National of the great importance of this sub- 

 Forests." ject, that people are wisely discussing 



it, and that the National Government 



Senator Beveridge, who made an is taking a hand in the solution of the 



eloquent and impassioned defense of problem." 

 the National Forest Service, during 



the Senate debate, says : Governor E. C. Stokes, of New Jer- 



Tnless the forests in those moun- sey, gives his opinion as follows: 

 tains are conserved irrigation is im- "The advantage of forest reserves, 

 possible. Because if the forests are both State and National, needs no de- 

 felled, the rain which falls in equal fense. The distribution of rainfall, 

 abundance sweeps down in torrential the necessity for additional timber, 

 floods and either takes away the res- and the need of grounds for recreation 

 ervoirs or fills them up with silt. So purposes, all demand careful and 

 the basis of the whole irrigation sys- scientific development of our forests. 



