154 UNITED STATES FOREST POLICY 



that it would be wise to provide for the appointment and maintenance 

 of a national commission for the conservation of the natural resources 

 of the country, but Congress did nothing. On January 14, 1910, Taft 

 sent a special message to Congress on the subject, but it bore no fruit, 

 as far as forests were concerned.^" Senator Newlands introduced a bill 

 providing for the appointment of a national conservation commis- 

 sion,^^ but it was never reported. 



INCREASE IN APPROPRIATIONS FOR FORESTRY PURPOSES 



Much was accomplished for conservation during this period, how- 

 ever, even in the enactment of legislation. In the first place, appro- 

 priations for protection against timber depredations increased very 

 greatly. The appropriation for this purpose had been reduced some- 

 what between 1891 and 1897, only $90,000 being voted in the latter 

 year, but the next year $110,000 was provided; in 1900 this was 

 raised to $125,000, in 1902 to $150,000, and in 1904, the amount 

 provided was $250,000 ; while over $240,000 additional was provided 

 during this period in deficiency appropriations. Furthermore, a new 

 item appeared in 1898, bearing the sum of $75,000 "for the protec- 

 tion and administration of the forest reserves." The next year this 

 amount was more than doubled, and the next year nearly doubled 

 again, while in 1904, a total of $375,000 was appropriated.^^ 



The increasing appropriations for the Division of Forestry were 

 of considerable importance, not only as showing a more generous 

 spirit in Congress, but also in providing the knowledge upon which 

 efficient management of the reserves must be founded. In 1897, the 

 division received $28,520 for salaries and general expenses.^' Two 

 years later, the appropriation act doubled the amount given for gen- 

 eral expenses, and broadened the purposes of the investigations to 

 include advice to owners of woodlands as to the proper care of their 

 timber — a very important function, which would have been considered 

 entirely too paternalistic ten years before, and to include the finding 

 of suitable trees for the treeless region — a clause which looks a little 



30 S. Report 826; 61 Cong. 2 sess. 



31 S. 3719; 61 Cong. 2 sess. 



32 Stat. 30, 618, 1095; 31, 613, 614; 32, 452; 33, 482, 483. 



33 Stat. 30, 3, 5. 



