sources. What will you do?"

"Wal, Mr. President," he began, slowly and seriously, and with great
dignity, "the Government must own the forests an' deal wisely with them.
These mountain forests are great sponges to hold the water, an' we
must stop fire an' reckless cuttin'. The first thing is to overcome
the opposition of the stockmen, an' show them where the benefit will be
theirs in the long run. Next the timber must be used, but not all used
up. We'll need rangers who're used to rustlin' in the West an' know
Western ways. Cabins must be built, trails made, roads cut. We'll need
a head forester for every forest. This man must know all that's on his
preserve, an' have it mapped. He must teach his rangers what he knows
about trees. Penetier will be given over entirely to the growin' of
yellow pine. Thet thrives best, an' the parasites must go. All dead an'
old timber must be cut, an' much of thet where the trees are crowded.
The north slopes must be cut enough to let in the sun an' light. Brush,
windfalls rottin' logs must be burned. Thickets of young pine must be
thinned. Care oughten be taken not to cut on the north an' west edges of
the forests, as the old guard pines will break the wind."

"How will you treat miners and prospectors?"

"They must be as free to take up claims as if there wasn't no National
Forest."

"How about the settler, the man seeking a home out West?" I went on.

"We'll encourage him. The more men there are, the better the forester
can fight fire. But those home-seekers must want a home, an' not be
squattin' for a little, jest to sell out to lumber sharks."

"What's to become of timber and wood?"

"Wal, it's there to be used, an' must be used. We'll give it free to the
settler an' prospector. We'll sell it cheap to the lumbermen--big an'
little. We'll consider the wants of the local men first."

"Now about the range. Will you keep out the stockmen?"

"Nary. Grazin' for sheep, cattle, an' hosses will go on jest the same.
But we must look out for overgrazin'. For instance, too many cattle will
stamp down young growth, an' too many sheep leave no grazin' for other
stock. The bead forester must know his business, an' not let his range
be overstocked. The small local herders an' sheepmen must be considered
first, the big stockmen second. Both must be charged a small fee per
head for grazin'."

"How will you fight fire?"

"Wal, thet's the hard nut to crack. Fire is the forest's worst enemy.