256 North American Forests and Forestry 



the truth that the higher life of a nation, — its moral 

 development, the life of the spirit, intellectual and 

 aesthetic aspirations, — must rest upon a solid founda- 

 tion of material achievement. We are but too prone 

 to consider that foundation of more importance 

 than the superstructure. Attending to the mate- 

 rial needs with all too exclusive absorption, many of 

 us lose touch with immaterial things, and the mind 

 becomes degraded to what it works in, as the dyer's 

 hand assumes the color of his cauldron. The for- 

 ester's work is primarily concerned with material 

 things. He is exploiting the gifts of nature to sup- 

 ply the material wants and luxuries of man, and in 

 doing so aims to get his portion of personal benefit. 

 But if he has truly grasped the significance of his 

 profession, he realizes that his work is not done for 

 himself alone, nor merely in order that the lower 

 desires of others may be gratified. He knows that 

 he is an integral, necessary part of the grand organ- 

 ism of the American nation, taking his appointed 

 place to do his appointed work Compared to the 

 life of that sublime organism, the life of the individ- 

 ual, his personal successes, his sufferings and joys, 

 are nothing. His work is everything. Let him be 

 steadfast and do it. 



And because the work of forestry is but a part of 

 a grander and more important whole, a part that 

 cannot be dispensed with any more than the plough- 

 ing and reaping of the farmer, the hammering and 

 riveting of the mechanic, as well as the labors of 

 those who are leaders of men in all divisions of life ; 



