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tion  to  the  questions  and  decisions  which  we  must  make  now. 
These  questions  and  decisions  concern  the  future  not  less  than 
the  present,  but  after  all  those  who  control  the  chidren  control 
the  Nation  of  the  future. 
It  has  happened  over  and  over  again  that  the  women  have 
taken  the  leading  part  in  estabishing  forestry  in  various  parts 
of  the  United  States.  In  Pennsylvania  the  whole  movement 
began  with  the  women ; in  Minnesota  they  took  the  leading 
part  in  establishing  the  Minnesota  National  Forest.  And  the 
growing  interest  in  forest  preservation  on  the  part  of  the 
Federation  of  Women’s  Clubs,  The  National  Mothers’  Con- 
gress, and  other  great  bodies  of  women,  is  one  of  the  most 
hopeful  things  for  all  of  us  who  are  interested  in  securing  for 
the  future,  so  far  as  we  can,  some  benefits  from  the  forests 
which  we  enjoy  today. 
You  in  Hawaii  have  a peculiar  interest  in  this  question. 
Nowhere  are  forests  and  water  supply  more  intimately  con- 
nected than  in  the  Islands,  and  very  few  communities  have 
made  such  progress  as  yours  toward  practical  forest  preserva- 
tion. There  remains,  of  course,  a very  large  work  to  be  done. 
You  are  fortunate  in  having  so  good  a man  as  Air.  Hosmer  as 
your  Forester  to  assist  you  in  the  work.  More  important 
still  is  your  interest  in  public  questions,  which  led  you  to 
send  your  representative,  so  admirably  chosen,  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  and  the  Joint  Con- 
servation Conference.  I welcome  the  opportunity  for  cooper- 
ation with  you  for  the  Forest  Service,  and  I assure  you  that 
the  service  will  always  welcome  the  opportunity  to  do  what 
it  can  to  help  along.  One  of  the  things  I want  most  is  a 
chance  to  visit  the  Islands. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 
GIFFORD  PINCHOT, 
Forester. 
LETTER  FROM  THE  HON.  F.  H.  NEWELL. 
Department  of  the  Interior,  United  States  Reclamation 
Service,  Washington,  D.  C. 
January  3,  1909. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  Knudsen : — I wish  to  express  my  pleasure 
that  it  was  possible  for  you  to  come  to  W ashington  from  your 
far-distant  home  on  Kauai  to  attend  the  conservation  and 
other  meetings  held  in  Washington.  The  effect  has  been  ex- 
cellent in  stimulating  other  women  to  take  up  the  matter  and 
in  arousing  a more  general  interest  in  the  larger  economic 
subjects. 
