746 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



taut part of the taxes. Let us say it methods, and the cost of growing and 

 is dairying, or fruit growing, or furni- protecting the raw material, 

 ture making. He concedes its necessity Why is there little trouble in getting 

 without argument. Citizens and offi- laws or appropriations for the advance- 

 cials alike work for its continuance and ment of agriculture or horticulture? 

 development. None would dare do Not because these industries or their 

 otherwise. If it needs regulation for participants are more useful and de- 

 public good, they do this also. But serving, but because people understand 

 they know how. If it is a dairy com- their governing factors and see the 

 munity, its average citizen knows pretty point of such laws. Were forest eco- 

 well what production costs, what prices .iomics equally understood, a State with 

 are fair, what improvements are feasi- a hundred times more revenue to be 

 ble, what the State can and should do expected from lumber than from wool 

 to aid or regulate, what public demands would not appropriate $20,000 for 

 are reasonable. coyote scalps and only $500 for forest 

 The relation of forests and their protection. A community that applauds 

 management to State and Nation is ex- its chamber of commerce for getting a 

 actly that of our illustrative industry shoe factory and gives it a free build- 

 to our suppositions vicinity, and so is ing site would not carelessly burn up a 

 their relation to every citizen. The forest capable of employing a thousand 

 trouble is that we cannot see it so times as many men and then tax the 

 clearly. The very immensity of the in- owner so he cannot hold and protect 

 dustry causes its several processes of the land for a new crop. A State glad 

 growing, manufacturing and distribut- to see its farmers get a good price for 

 ing to be conducted separately and thus wheat, even if it does use flour, would 

 confuse the public mind. How can we not rejoice because its sawmills are 

 expect our average citizen to see all forced to sell lumber below cost. A 

 this when we talk only about forests? lumberman who prefers to let his trees 

 We might as well talk only of land stand until Americans need them, 

 when trying to improve agricultural rather than cut at a loss for foreign 

 conditions, or water when urging the export, would not be accused of con- 

 protection and propagation of food spiracy to bleed the consumer any more 

 fishes. It is the entire business of their than is a farmer who does not raise 

 production and use that he must under- potatoes when they don't pay for rais- 

 stand ; its place in the society under ing. 



which he exists, the economic laws Now a word as to the lumberman 

 under which it exists. He must regard himself. The private owner controls 

 it just as he does the production and most of our forest area. His use of it 

 use of any other necessary crop, ob- our use of it, and the effect of our re- 

 viously to be stabilized on a permanent lations upon our joint use of it, largely 

 basis profitable to all concerned. He determine our forest destinies. Why, 

 must realize that its performances and if his interest and ours is in the main 

 service to the community supplying identical as I have said, does he ever 

 the consumer, employing labor, using regard forestry as antagonistic or do 

 supplies, and paying taxes require, we incline to regard him as its object 

 like any other industry, three essential of attack rather than as part of it? Is 

 conditions: perpetuation of the re- it not just because forestry is too gen- 

 source dealt with, economy in every erally made a creed, not a business, and 

 process, and just return for the service because we have not shown ourselves 

 rendered. And, whether he is a private competent to deal with its business^as- 

 citizen or a law maker, to do intelli- pects? However gladly we might 

 gently his part in formulating an Amer- welcome the improvement of our own 

 ican policy under which such conditions various industries and professions, 

 are assured, he must be fairly familiar would we be likely to seek it through 

 with the factors which govern lumber regulation by lumbermen knowing as 

 prices, logging and manufacturing little of our trade as we do of theirs? 



