American Forest Congress 259 



pound themselves quickly into decrepitude and useless- 

 ness. The change in the character of rolling stock is 

 worthy of consideration. Engines have increased in 

 weight from twenty-five to one hundred and ten tons ; 

 freight cars of twenty-eight feet length, with twenty 

 thousand pounds carrying capacity, have increased to 

 forty feet of length with one hundred thousand pounds 

 capacity. 



But why prolong the wondrous tale of development 

 and progress ? We have reached the point from which 

 we must yet advance or retrograde. We cannot stand 

 still. We are considering the main element of that 

 hoped-for progress. Let us take lessons from the 

 nations across the great water. From Germany, 

 Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland let us learn how to 

 establish schools of forestry, how to eliminate waste 

 and mismanagement, and to subrogate private rights 

 to public necessity. From Bohemia let us learn how 

 to furnish fuel and building material for a dense popu- 

 lation and yet retain the area of the primeval forests 

 and add thereto. Let us learn wherever there is a 

 teacher, for there is no lesson more essential to our 

 welfare. Let us adopt the motto of the pioneer 

 Morton and under state and federal guidance and 

 direction "plant trees." 



