NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 121 



connection with our lumbering possibilities ? Is there no hope for the 

 young ? I know we have our lumber kings today, and we have many score, 

 hundreds I might almost say, who have met very eminent success in the land 

 of their lumbering operations. But is all hope gone ? Can you not pierce 

 the veil and see any hope beyond for those who are to follow in their foot- 

 steps ? And if there is that hope, and if it has reason to exist, should not 

 this province for itself see to it ? Is it not the duty of everybody, not merely 

 of governments, but of opposition as well ? It is the duty of every represen- 

 tative of the people, every man who has the honor of sitting here in this 

 Chamber as the representative of the people, it is their duty to see as to the 

 future ; and I am proud to know, and I certainly do congratulate the pres- 

 ent Surveyor-General upon the steps which have already been taken within 

 the last two or three years, with respect to the preservation of your forest 

 wealth. I know that gradually, year -by year, going back many years in the 

 history of the province, there have been attempts made to legislate along 

 those lines ; but I have realised this, and I have realised after an experience 

 of public life'of some years, that the mere exacting of legislation does not hit 

 the mark always. It is declaratory, and very often laws are passed upon the 

 theory, li Oh well, it is a declaration of principle anyhow. " There is too 

 much of this declaration of principle, and too little of the execution of prin- 

 ciple. 



It reminds me of a little story that perhaps might be apropos, as it re- 

 lates back to a few ye&rs ago when I was responsible for legislation in the 

 Province of New Brunswick, that is, measurably responsible. I was invited 

 to amend the License Act in one particular, and that was to this effect, that 

 no man, be he guest or otherwise, should be permitted to drink a glass of 

 wine at a hotel in the counties where the License Act was in operation. As 

 to what they did in Scott Act counties, that did not count ; but this was 

 with respect to the License Act, and the delegation on that occasion was 

 very earnest. I am sure they were very sincere, and thought that perhaps 

 very much good might be accomplished ; but after listening to them I asked 

 them this one question a pointed one I said : " Why do you want that ? " 

 And the man stopped and thought. I said : " Will it prevent them, would 

 it prevent the guest in his room or at the table ? " " No, it would not, " he 

 admitted. "Then," I said: "is there .any way whereby it could be en- 

 forced ? " " Oh no, " he replied, " we don't expect it to be enforced, but we 

 want it as a declaration of principle." 



Now that is my idea of legislating. That is an illustration ; and in the 



