Rolhrock.] -'--'t) [March 2, 



lion occur near the head of Long Run, in Clinton county, and in por- 

 tions of the Beech Creek region in Centre and Clinton counties. 



Fires are frequently created to destroy the young timber and to encour- 

 age the growth of grass for summer pasturage for cattle. The writer 

 savv one such instance during the past season where a most valuable body 

 of young white pine was destr03'ed, and it seemed morally certain that it 

 was by a fire started in the interest of a score of vagrant cattle. Of 

 course the remedy for such a state of affairs might be prompt and sure. 

 Confiscation of such cattle, by due form of law, when found without per- 

 mission on land of other parties would end once for all this burning. 

 There can be no doubt that a considerable percentage of forest fires is the 

 result of absolute maliciousness. Luzerne county of this State, but a few 

 years ago, furnished numerous examples of what were doubtless to be 

 attributed to this cause. The cure here is by no means so simple as at 

 first appears. The remedy which seems most popular at present, not only 

 in this, but other States, i. e., authorizing supervisors, or other officers, 

 to call out men to suppress forest fires and paying them for their work, 

 has been found by actual trial in several counties of this State to be an 

 inducement to create fires on unseated lands. It is a humiliating admis- 

 sion, but it is clear that those and other regions of our own Common - 

 wealth are not sufiiciently law-abiding, or observant of ethical prmciples, to 

 make this method practicable. The enactment of rigid and severe penal 

 statutes is a matter of doubtful value, unless accompanied by a costly 

 machinery to ferret out and bring oflenders to justice. Opening of fire 

 lanes through the timber lands raises the question by whom shall it be 

 done — at individual or at State expense? Tliesame may be said of keeping 

 them open. There can be no doubt that well-kept fire lanes do render 

 suppression of such fires more easy, even if they do not interpose a cer- 

 tain barrier to their spread. It will probably become more and more clear 

 that timber protection and production in this State will be eflective and 

 common just in proportion as it is made to the interest of the individual 

 citizen to guard and plant trees. Here we come back to the most general 

 of all principles under a popular government, that laws are strong and 

 effective onl}-^ when backed by public sentiment, and this may only be 

 surely attained by an appeal to individual mterests. This brings me to 



VI. Relation of the Commonwealth to Forest Restoration. 



The first duty of government is either to perpetuate itself or to lead up 

 to some higher, better form of government. On this hangs not only the 

 safety of vested rights and the safety of capital, but the strongest incen- 

 tives to individual thrift, industry, economy and rectitude are found in 

 the idea that property acquired may be transmitted under protection of a 

 stable government. There is no crime more unpardonable in the individ- 

 ual than the treason which strikes at the safety of the government. Is 

 the act by which the State endangers its own prosperity and perpetuity 



