
32 
any sort into the hands of private parties to do with them as they 
chose. The nation never thought of doing anything of the sort with 
its streams. They were looked upon from the very first as things in 
which all had an interest and which the Government should protect in 
the interest of the whole. But with that curious inconsistency which 
characterizes all men more or less in their political and social relations, 
but especially the Anglo-Saxon, while we prescribed punishments for 
all who polluted or filled up or diverted our streams, no matter how con- 
venient it was for them to do so, no matter how much they may have 
saved or made by so doing—we have had nothing to say to him who was 
slowly drying up the very sources of the streams by cutting away by 
wholesale the trees that protected them. : 
It must seem to a disinterested student of human affairs a strange 
thing that a Government will protect the farmer by its police force 
against the thief who would take a bushel of corn, but will do nothing 
with him who steals away the fertility of his field by drying up his 
water supply; or, indeed, will prevent a brother farmer from turning 
aside a portion of the stream which has always flowed through his farm, 
but will say nothing to him who causes the whole stream to dry up and 
disappear at one time, and reappear at another as a raging torrent 
threatening to sweep away his most valuable acres; or will protect 
him against the assault of a bodily aggressor, but do nothing with the 
man who steals away his health by altering the whole character of his 
air and climate. 
Strange it would seem to be that aGovernment will establish an agri- 
cultural school where the scientific side of agriculture can be studied, 
experiments made on crops and soil, ete., and spread abroad at public 
expense the results of such experiments, and yet make it no part of the 
duty of such a school, nor offer any inducement toany one to undertake 
the investigation of forestry, which underles and conditions the very 
possibilities of a flourishing agriculture. Strange that it will spend 
large sums of money in growing and distributing freely to farmers seeds 
of various kinds of plants, while it has as yet done little or nothing to- 
ward the same kind of thing in regard to trees, the growing of which 
under some sets of conditions would be as profitable as that of any of 
the new kinds of crops which it would introduce. Strange that it will 
establish agricultural fairs and offer premiums for excellence in all 
branches of agricultural work and yet not notice a work which is of 
vital and fundamental importance to the whole industry of the country. 
All this however is spilt milk. What has been done has been done 
and can not be helped. Its consequences may perhaps be obviated 
somewhat. What has been left undone has been left undone, and we 
can not remedy the evil except by inaugurating a different policy. 
The first step is for the Federal and State governments to remove 
the timber lands which still belong to them from the list of lands for 
entry or sale, and, after a thorough examination as to what forests are 


