Carl Schurz

“ No respectable American university or college should be without its forestry department, manned with instructors perfectly familiar with European systems; and nobody should be intrusted with forest administration other than persons educated in such schools. ”

“ Nor is there any time to be lost. We have already sinned overmuch; and unless we make haste to stop the progress of ruin and to repair the injury done, our children will curse the wanton recklessness of their fathers. ”

“ They should take good care not to be stampeded by the ancient pretence of the timber-thieves that they are only providing for the urgent needs of the people, and that if they are prevented from stealing, the business of the country will come to a standstill — while, in fact, what timber the farmer and the miner need is comparatively very little and easily supplied; but the main business of the timber-thieves is to sell in the general market for their private profit what they steal from the public. ”

“ Every forward step for the systematic preservation of public forests will have to overcome the stubborn and crafty resistance of greedy persons who seek to enrich themselves by preying upon the public property ”

“ President Harrison set apart, by executive orders, about 13,000,000 acres as forest reserves in the far Western States and Territories, and President Cleveland in the same manner reserved various districts, aggregating about 27,000,000 acres, all for the same purpose. Thus a fair start has been made in a policy designed to avert the most disastrous consequences of our recklessness; and there is no doubt that these movements and measures have the hearty sympathy of every intelligent man in the country whose judgment is not warped by private interest. ”

“ The present Secretary of the Interior, who is hard pressed about the forest reserves recently ordered by President Cleveland, should keep this old experience well in mind. Nor will it be difficult to protect the public timber-lands against robbery if proper means be granted. Especially will this be easy to the national government. Indian wars are no longer to be apprehended. A large part of the army will be disposable for other objects. Why should not a few battalions be organized and specially instructed as forest guards for such service? ”

“ The noble forests which still existed in the times of the Moors were ruthlessly swept away, and it is not without good reason that learned historians ascribe the economic as well as the political decadence of Spain in a great measure to the evils which the destruction of her forests brought with it. ”

“ We may congratulate ourselves upon the fact that the warnings with regard to this subject, which so long were uttered in vain, are at last beginning to command the attention of the people at large. Earnest efforts are being made in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and in several New England States to preserve large stretches of forest, in most cases with a view to protecting against denudation the head-waters of the principal rivers. ”