Notes and Correspondence. 125 



But at forty-one — nineteen years from the date of his guide's 

 license — poor Taugwalder's professional career is thus pitiably 

 ended. His plight calls for substantial aid from us in America, 

 especially from the large number who have experienced the cour- 

 ageous help, the fidelity, and the unselfish devotion of Swiss 

 guides. Those of Zermatt are a picked body of men, who exer- 

 cise an honorable caUing. To be thus crippled is a heavy blow, 

 cutting off his future livelihood, in a career that has left him 

 with but little resources. 



Let it not be said that Americans are indifferent to this misfor- 

 tune. Contributions will encourage and reward a worthy recip- 

 ient, who bears his fate with fortitude. Some provision toward 

 his hard and scanty old age should now come from our mountain- 

 lovers. Harrington Putnam, 

 Vice-President American Alpine Club. 



New York, January 11, 1909. 



Appalachian National Forests. 



After ten years of vigorous and persistent work with Congress 

 the forces which have been behind the so-called Appalachian 

 National Forest movement almost achieved success at the last 

 session. Both the Senate and the House passed bills favoring 

 this project, through which it is primarily sought to protect the 

 headwaters of the great interstate streams which take their rise 

 in the Southern Appalachian range and in the White Mountains 

 of New Hampshire. From the Senate was secured a bill which 

 provided for the purchase of the necessary lands with the aid 

 of a direct treasury appropriation. The House passed a bill of 

 considerably broader scope, one capable of dealing with the sub- 

 ject in a national rather than in a sectional manner, but not 

 appropriating the funds from the treasury unconditionally, but 

 as the proceeds of the existing National forests might allow. 

 This measure did not meet with the approval of the great 

 majority of the members from the present National-forest states, 

 California being the only State of that group to deliver so much 

 as a single vote for the bill. The vote of the Hon. James 

 McLachlan of Pasadena was the only one cast in its favor by 

 any member representing the Rockies and the Pacific Coast. 

 Similarly the senators from those states took objection to this 

 diversion of the forest revenues of their section for the purpose 

 of creating National forests elsewhere. The House bill reached 

 the upper chamber during the closing hours of the session, when 

 time was too limited to admit of full debate. Had time admitted 

 a complete discussion in the Senate, there is reason to believe 



