204 STATE LAWS FOR PROMOTION OF TREE-PLANTING. 



necessary wood for building piirposep, fuel, machinery, &c. But we must refer to an ob- 

 stacle which if not removed would greatly hiuder our purpose ; this is the circumstance 



that we do not possess the full control of tho forests in Colorado. By far the greatest 

 part of them is in the hands of the Goverumeut of the United States. Those siuall 

 tracts now owned by private persons would haroly, for the preseut at least, materially 

 interfere with the management we intend to propose. We think it essential, nay, 

 necessary, for the furtherance of our object to acquire not only the exclusive control 

 of all the government forests in our mountains, but also at least one-fourth of all the 

 government lands on our plains to use in future times for forest- culture. This pro- 

 I)osal may seem at the first glance as somewhat exorbitant, but we have no doubt, after 

 a little reflectiou, that it will appear quite proper, nay, even advantageous to all par- 

 ties concerned. If the forests of Colorado are left as they now are their fato is sealed ; 

 they will have disappeared before another generation will have half passed away. 

 There are a great number of cases on record where parties have been prosecuted for 

 cutting timber on goverumeut lauds; and, although the facts in each case were unde- 

 niable and the laws referring to them plain aud unmistakable, still no judge or jury 

 can be found or ever will be found in our Territory who will pronounce such trespass- 

 ing parties guilty and punish them. The reason is simply this : We need the wo.id 

 and cannot exist without it, and will have it as long as tliere is any left. We see here 

 that great truth clearly demonstrated, "Need is stronger than right." But with tho 

 disappearance of our forests we may as well cease our eftbrts to progress. Our othec- 

 wise immense natural wealth will never be developed to any extent, and progress in 

 any direction cannot be thought of. What would the Government of the Uuited States 

 gain by having the forests of Colorado destroyed ? They cannot be sold, aud the na- 

 tional government cannot protect them. We alone, who are living here dependent upon 

 them aud appreciating their value, are able to save them from destruction aud the 

 chain of attendant evils. If we were an old and a wealthy people with a dense popu- 

 lation, we could buy the forests; but we arc young as a people, and, as in all newly- 

 settled countries, we need our all to build canals, ditches, railroads, factories, schools, 

 aud colleges, and fully develop the resources of our mines and virgin soil. Would it 

 not be the wisest policy for the Goverumeut of the United States to transfer the con- 

 trol of our forests to the care of the prospective State of Colorado, togeiher with aU. 

 the lands on our plains needed for the future culture of forest trees ? Such a measure 

 seems to us so plain, so just, and advantageous to the nation at large, as well as to our- 

 selves in Colorado, that we venture to propose to Congress to make such a transfer. 



It may not be out of place here to mention that however wise and beneiicial the 

 present "system of disposing of public lauds may have been when applied to other 

 States and Territories, still its enforcement in Colorado will be injurious not only to us, 

 but will, if persisted in, bring destruction and calamity upon the entire population of 

 the so-called " Far West." Here the climate is dry, and agriculture is impossible with- 

 out irrigation, however fertile the soil may be ; and if ever the prairie should be re- 

 deemed and made the home of a dense population, it can only be effected by a combi- 

 nation of irrigation and forest-cultuie. Does it not seem to be the duty of the national 

 government to protect our forests from destruction by putting them into the hands of 

 somebody who is able and willing to protect them ? And is there a reason;ible doubt- 

 in the minds of any that those who are the most able to do so are the Territorial aud 

 State governments of the West ? Congress ought to pass a law that, in countries 

 where the climate is so dry that agriculture cannot be carried on without irrigation, 

 the existing forests should be withdrawn from private entry and put under the con- 

 trol of the respective State or Territorial governments, with such by-laws as will pre- 

 serve and keep them in a flourishing condition. This convention has alreadj' em- 

 bodied in the constitution of the prospective State of Colorado the following article, 

 namely : 



"The general assembly shall enact laws in order to prevent destruction of, and keep 

 in good preservation, the forests upon the lands of the State or upon lands of the pulv 

 lic domain, the control of which shall be conferred by Congress upon the State." 



In contemplation of tho above-stated reasons, this convention respectfully suggests 

 to Congress to put the respective forests and waste forest grounds of all those regions 

 where irrigation has to be used for agricultural purposes under the control of the re- 

 spective Territorial or State governments. 



J. C. WILSON, 

 President of the Convention. 



Attest : 



W. W. COULSON, 



Secretary. 



Bills were introduced at the first session of the State legislature for 

 carrying into effect the intentions of the constitution in respect to tim- 

 ber-planting, but final action was not reached before adjournment. 



