336 
In other words, the owner paid the taxes, and another party received 
the benefit. 
3. That it would be a wise policy for the State to pay the taxes 
on poor water sheds from which the timber has been removed 
(when these were sold by the sheriff), and then either hold them 
itself, as permanent forest preserves, or to turn them over to the 
counties, under certain restrictions, as a sort of communal property 
to be kept in timber, allowing only removal of that which is 
matured. ; 
4. That whilst it is true that trees are more important to the 
State than to the individual land owner, it would be ‘‘ un-Ameri- 
can’’ to deprive him even under this pressure of the right to do as 
he wishes with his own; but that it is in order for the land owner 
to ask what aid does the State propose to offer in production and 
protection of the trees which are of such vast importance to it ? 
‘Mr. Price may well have been called a seer. His vision has 
since often proved to have been prophetic. His relation to the 
great questions of the day was so close that no history of Pennsyl- 
vania can well be written without reference to his name, and it is 
but justice to say, that he was about the year 1877, the most active 
and powerful friend of forestry in the State. His memory extended 
back clearly for three-fourths of a century. He could recognize the 
extremity to which we were coming. Vast areas of timber had been 
removed and the ground rendered unproductive to the Common- 
wealth. Of all this he was an eye-witness. It is therefore not 
strange that he became so positive in his views. 
The times were ripe for this new movement. The general Govern- 
ment, though its measures were but half-hearted, had given an im- 
petus to the States. Especially were the Western ones concerned 
in forestry. Their mechanical and agricultural industries clearly 
must languish but for the timber; and the water which the wood- 
lands retained. In most instances it was quite clear that there was 
not enough for immediate wants ; and the question naturally arose 
as to the future. 
It is doubtful whether any of the Eastern States has been more 
active in bringing about the forestry revival than Pennsylvania. 
Certainly none had jarger interests at stake. The census statistics 
for 1880 showed that in point of lumber production it stood second ; 
and common observation also revealed the fact that this did not 
suffice for her own wants, because she zmforted more than she 
