FIITH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 339 



ing homes thereon, and that if something were not done chaos would result. What 

 has been the result? In ten years 625,520 acres of this land are in the hands of 

 private owners who are holding it for its timber. A list of these owners, if we 

 had space to publish them would be interesting and would tell its own story. 

 Over 178,000 acres were included in five holdings, and one man owned 81,630 

 acres. Of the area originally timbered it is said on authority only about 600 

 acres are now in cultivation. With this experience it is not a matter of surprise 

 that many very good citizens are somewhat skeptical as to the purpose of those 

 so strongly urging State control. 



FORESTS ARE NATIONAL ASSETS 



THE value of this national asset is more than $2,000,000,000. In fact, it is 

 so great it cannot be measured, great actually and great potentially. It 

 now belongs to all the people and serves all the people. The public forests 

 fill other functions than merely to furnish lumber, functions and uses which 

 extend far beyond State lines and involve the well being of many communities. 

 They cover and protect the headwaters of streams used for navigation, irriga- 

 tion and power. They prevent or minimize constantly recurring disastrous floods, 

 which know not State lines. They retard soil erosion and in many ways have a 

 direct effect upon natural conditions of the greatest consequence. The* timber 

 supply of the future is nation-wide in its importance and the continuity of iti~ 

 production a national problem. Natural conditions for maintaining the timber 

 growth and supply not being equally favorable, those States not able to supply 

 their own wants must depend on the sections peculiarly adapted therefor to 

 supply the same. 



If this vast property belonging to the nation is to be given to the respective 

 States within whose borders it chances to lie, then it is a national duty before 

 such transfer is made to see to it that the great trust imposed by virtue of such 

 ownership will be properly administered so that those for whom it is maintained 

 will be better, or even as well, protected as they are now in their rights in and 

 to it. With the lamp of experience to guide us, is there any reasonable probability 

 that this would be the case? 



Notwithstanding the experience of the Eastern States, or perhaps by reason 

 of their experience, it was not an easy task to have the forests created, for it was 

 opposed not only by those who had profited by the acquisition of timber lands 

 in such States, but by all of those who had profited by, or hoped to profit by, the 

 use or acquisition of other natural resources on a large scale. It is unnecessary 

 to go into detail in the discussion of this phase of the question, for the history of 

 the exploitation of our national resources is an open book, and he who runs 

 may read. That the contest for opportunity to secure monopolistic control of 

 the few remaining resources will be maintained under various guises is to be 

 expected. But when the public awakens to a realizing sense of what this all 

 means there will be but one answer. 



