The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 49 



the nature of a gracious gift, or a full-grown millstone to be y„»„g ^t Q„f_ 



carried around our necks. That time has passed, however, and Oj,ej. Lands 



there are few of us today who do not appreciate the value of Beginning to 



these cut-over lands, and have not some general idea of their Be Recog- 



future importance. nized 



In the past the lumberman has accepted his various trusts 

 and handled them well. I know that he will do so in this case. 

 He came to the South, saw the possibilities of the forests for 

 the future, bought and developed same on his own initiative and 

 without outside financial assistance built his plants and his rail- 

 roads, developed the country, acted as home builder to the nation, 

 solved his industrial, commercial and labor problems, and did 

 much to develop the South from a strictly cotton country to a 

 great industrial part of the commonwealth. 



He is able to do much with this heritage of undeveloped 

 cut-over lands, which is not really unlike the wealth of forests of 

 the South, when he first encountered them. Cut-over land today 

 is fully as valuable a present asset as were the great forests of r . t;^, .. 

 the South when the lumberman first invaded them. The future as Much as 

 possibilities of the land are easily as great as the possibilities of Original 

 the forest have proven to be. An investment in these lands to- Forests 

 day can be reasonably expected to be a better investment than 

 an investment in pine tirnber in Louisiana or Texas would have 

 been fifty years ago. 



The ownership of the great cut-over lands of the South is 

 largely in the hands of the lumbermen. A great trust has been 

 thrust upon them. The question of what shall be done with these 

 vast holdings is one that has been growing louder and more 

 insistent with every year that passes. It is really a mighty 

 heritage — one that may be developed into boundless possibilities. 

 The possibilities are limited only by the efforts that will be 

 made in this direction. 



In the days to come, when history of the South is written, 

 will the lumberman be able to lift his head and report that he 

 has accepted his heritage and developed it as commanded us in Lumbermen 

 the parable of the ten talents, or will he be kept side-stepping. Will Measure 

 trying to find an alibi and explain why he did not do so? That ^P '°.^.'* ^^' 

 question is soon to be settled, but with the faith that I have in the ^Possibilities 

 ever-readiness of the followers of the lumber industry to do 

 their part, I know that the record will be kept straight, and 



