FIFTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 99 



In a broad sense, the principles of enforcing a law are administrative, and 

 administration, naturally, separates into three methods of executing the will of 

 the State. These are: 



1. Enforcing the law. 



2. Reducing administrative processes to rules, which later may become or 



have the effect of statutes. 



3. Deciding controversies. 



Bnforcing the Law. 



The enforcing of the law has to do merely with the execution of the State 

 will as expressed by the statute. The need for enforcing it arises when there is 

 opposition, and in case of resistance, force must be met with force. The forest 

 law or other laws provide the means, and the officers may follow the prescribed 

 steps in handling the cases. If a law cannot be enforced, and if it represents 

 the State's will, sufficient local opposition must be won over by educative means 

 so that the purpose of the law may be accomplished. 



Since the legislative body, which gives expression to the State will, must 

 have control over the administrative body, and since this control should be extended 

 only so far as is necessary to produce harmony between the making and enforce- 

 ment of the law — that is, expression and execution of the State will — it is of 

 great moment that the administrative body do its part to maintain harmony. If 

 the legislative body extends its control too far, e. g., seeks to perpetuate the 

 existence of a particular party organization, it really hinders instead of aids 

 the expression of the public will, and hampers its execution. On the other hand, 

 if the administrative body overrides the State will in the enforcement of a law 

 in a too arbitrary and summary manner, then there is a counter-action which 

 may at least restrict the administrative authority within narrow limits and hamper 

 its efficiency. ' 



To bring about the desired harmony, there must be the fullest cooperation 

 between the administrative force and the public, because in the execution of the 

 law the public passes final judgment on its expression; i. e., the people decide 

 whether it is a good or a bad law. It is only when the public is in sympathy with 

 a law that it can be enforced, and to enforce it arbitrarily against a community 

 is certain to result in friction. This will ultimately have its effect on the legisla- 

 tive body, and tend to bring about an extension of legislative control beyond what 

 is desirable. 



Because our people know as little about forestry as yet, cooperation should 

 at first be along educational lines. When a man has been shown just how the law 

 benefits his own particular interests, as well as the interest of the State at large, 

 he will be ready to assist in enforcing it. No individual, firm or corporation is 

 without some direct interest in the perpetuation of the forest and the chief duty 

 of the executive officer in enforcing a forest law is .to show how this law will 

 benefit the various industries. Having done this much, he must go beyond and 

 develop means whereby their interest shall take the form of active cooperation. 

 The importance of cooperation is clear. How far it can be attained depends upon' 

 the executive officer and the administrative force. 



