FISTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 357 



Under such a policy stumpage prices will continue to advance, because timber 

 is becoming more valuable and because it costs money to carry it, until they reach 

 the cost of growing timber, which is the true criterion of the value of any product, 

 but they will not pass it, as they will if recklessness at this time results in bad 

 use of so much forest area that the remainder acquires a monopolistic position. 

 Under such a policy the terms of sale will be more clearly defined, with less left 

 uncertain for future adjustment. It is probable that the problem of fixing fair 

 prices in long-term transactions will be largely met by improved transportation 

 facilities, placing the timber open to competition by more purchasers and short- 

 ening the time necessary for them to open and use it, and where this does not 

 result otherwise the Government itself may provide such facilities. The compe- 

 tence of officials will naturally increase continually, through experience, unless 

 Congress fails to provide adequate pay to hold them. States, Congress, and peo- 

 ple will be equally satisfied with the national forests as a profitable public project. 



THE CONCLUDING SESSION, NOV. 18, 1913, 8 P. M. 



The Chairman : We have one or two matters of business to complete tonight 

 before the special section of forestry is entirely adjourned. Yesterday afternoon 

 the conference requested that I appoint a special committee to make a recom- 

 mendation in regard to the continuance of the -work which has been undertaken 

 by the forestry committee. I had appointed a special committee, the chairman 

 being Professor Toumey, and I will ask him to make a report. 



Professor Toumey : Mr. Chairman, the special committee appointed to draft 

 the resolutions, presents the following: 



"That it is the sense of this meeting that the admirable work initiated by the 

 Forestry Committee should be continued ; that provision be made for meetings in 

 the future for discussion of forestry problems; and that the present committee, 

 in conjunction with the American Forestry Association, confer with the new 

 officers of the Conservation Congress looking to accomplishment of these results." 



Mr. F. L. Underbill: I move its adoption. 



Professor Gunther: I second the motion. 



The Chairman: It is moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. 

 All those in favor say "Aye", opposed "No". 



(The motion carried.) 



Lack of space prevents the giving of a full report of the remainder of the 

 evening session. It consisted largely in the presentation and discussion of reso- 

 lutions to go to the main resolution committee of the Congress. These resolu- 

 tions as finally adopted in the main Congress are given under a separate head 

 on another page. 



The Chairman called attention to a telegram from Major Ahern who has 

 charge of the forest service in the Philippines asking for assistance in opposing 

 the plan to change the jurisdiction of the Philippine forests and unite it with 

 the Bureau of Forestry of the Land Department which now is, or is soon going 

 to be, under native jurisdiction. 



The resolutions committee was, after some discussion requested to present 

 to the Congress a suitable resolution on this matter. 



There followed remarks by Professor Gunther, Henry S. Drinker, Mr. Hall, 

 Mr. A. F. Hawes, Mr. J. Randall Williams, Mr. Leonard Bronson, Mr. S. B. El- 

 liott, Mr. W. R. Brown, Mr. F W. Underbill, and Prof. R. C. Bryant, on the need 

 of saw mill men in the rural districts, of education which will teach them economy 

 in their operations and how to properly manufacture their product. The value 



