AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 273 



namely : ties, for the reason that the use of timber for 

 other purposes in railroad work is rapidly being substi- 

 tuted by steel, brick, stone, and concrete. The above 

 presentation apparently shows a saving to the railroad 

 company to be great and advantageous. On the other 

 hand, the time required to secure the growth, changes 

 in railroad methods, increase in length of railroad 

 through construction, or decrease through sales, and 

 the possible future improvement in the form of con- 

 struction of standard track, throws at once grave 

 doubts upon the advisability of any such plan. These 

 doubts lead me to the conclusion that it is not practi- 

 cable for railroads to hold forest lands for a future 

 supply of timber, but that it is a question of such 

 magnitude that it can best be handled by the investment 

 of private capital, or under the Bureau of Forestry of 

 the United States Government, in connection with 

 appropriate legislation by the State Governments. 



While railroads can and should cooperate heartily 

 in every way to preserve our forests from waste and 

 destruction, I am forced to the conclusion that no 

 practical results can be obtained without legislation 

 putting the entire subject with Government control. 

 The subject is one of such magnitude, affecting 

 directly and indirectly the needs of every citizen and 

 every community of our country, that any scheme that 

 may be adopted must be comprehensive enough to con- 

 serve all interests and accomplish definite results. 



Legislation is required to enable forests lands to be 

 acquired or reserved at the headwaters of streams and 

 in other suitable locations. 



Laws must be enacted to require the citizens to plant 

 and maintain timber under appropriate circumstances. 



Laws must be enacted and enforced to prevent fires 

 and the unnecessary destruction of trees. 



