American Fori;st Congress 139 



permanent ones. The fact that cut-over lands are 

 covered with young growth, which before many years 

 will be of merchantable size, will add greatly to their 

 value, which will increase more and more as our tim- 

 ber supply diminishes. Moreover, we understand that 

 it is the policy of the Bureau of Forestry not to recom- 

 mend the adoption of working plans where they cannot 

 be carried out profitably. When business men fully 

 appreciate this fact, it will go far toward securing their 

 cooperation. 



The next obstacle, more important because harder 

 to overcome, is fire. I am frank enough to say that in 

 this matter lumbermen themselves are largely respon- 

 sible, sometimes even to the extent of fighting reform. 

 For example: two years ago a bill was proposed in 

 Minnesota providing for the burning of slashings. 

 Because of the opposition of the lumbermen it was 

 never reported out of the committee. Since then the 

 Government has required the burning of slashings on 

 the L/eech Lake Indian Reservation. The wise and 

 moderate regulations suggested by the Bureau of 

 Forestry were introduced with complete success. It 

 was a splendid object lesson. A wisely-drawn bill 

 presented to the Legislature to-day would be supported 

 by the best of lumbermen. 



But the lumberman is not only culprit but sufferer 

 also, and he must be protected against loss from fire 

 by the rigid enforcement of proper laws. With a suffi- 

 cient patrol during dry seasons, and reasonable care 

 on the part of those who start fires, this source of awful 

 destruction can certainly be checked, though it never 

 can be entirely eliminated. 



The final obstacle is taxes. If anywhere, it is here 

 that the lumberman practicing forestry under present 

 conditions will be checked, for the lumberman, more 



