Well，ayearlateraCongressionalCommitteeactuallydidinvestigatethem。Theinvestigationwasinstigatedbysomeunscrupulouslocalpoliticiansandbysomesettlerswhowishedtoberelievedfrompayingtheirjustobligations；andthemembersoftheCommitteejoinedintheattackonasfineandhonorableasetofpublicservantsastheGovernmenthaseverhad；anattackmadeonthemsolelybecausetheywerehonorableandefficientandloyaltotheinterestsbothoftheGovernmentandthesettlers。
WhenIbecamePresident，theBureauofForestry(since1905theUnitedStatesForestService)wasasmallbutgrowingorganization，underGiffordPinchot，occupiedmainlywithlayingthefoundationofAmericanforestrybyscientificstudyoftheforests，andwiththepromotionofforestryonprivatelands。ItcontainedallthetrainedforestersintheGovernmentservice，buthadchargeofnopublictimberlandwhatsoever。TheGovernmentforestreservesofthatdaywereinthecareofaDivisionintheGeneralLandOffice，underthemanagementofclerkswhollywithoutknowledgeofforestry，fewifanyofwhomhadeverseenafootofthetimberlandsforwhichtheywereresponsible。Thusthereserveswereneitherwellprotectednorwellused。TherewerenoforestersamongthemenwhohadchargeoftheNationalForests，andnoGovernmentforestsinchargeoftheGovernmentforesters。
InmyfirstmessagetoCongressIstronglyrecommendedtheconsolidationoftheforestworkinthehandsofthetrainedmenoftheBureauofForestry。Thisrecommendationwasrepeatedinothermessages，butCongressdidnotgiveeffecttoituntilthreeyearslater。Inthemeantime，bythoroughstudyoftheWesternpublictimberlands，thegroundworkwaslaidfortheresponsibilitieswhichweretofallupontheBureauofForestrywhenthecareoftheNationalForestscametobetransferredtoit。ItwasevidentthattrainedAmericanForesterswouldbeneededinconsiderablenumbers，andaforestschoolwasestablishedatYaletosupplythem。
In1901，atmysuggestionasPresident，theSecretaryoftheInterior，Mr。Hitchcock，madeaformalrequestfortechnicaladvicefromtheBureauofForestryinhandlingtheNationalForests，andanextensiveexaminationoftheirconditionandneedswasaccordinglytakenup。ThesameyearastudywasbegunoftheproposedAppalachianNationalForest，theplanofwhich，alreadyformulatedatthattime，hassincebeencarriedout。AyearlaterexperimentalplantingontheNationalForestswasalsobegun，andstudiespreparatorytotheapplicationofpracticalforestrytotheIndianReservationswereundertaken。In1903，sorapidlydidthepublicworkoftheBureauofForestryincrease，thattheexaminationoflandfornewforestreserveswasaddedtothestudyofthosealreadycreated，theforestlandsofthevariousStateswerestudied，andcooperationwithseveralofthemintheexaminationandhandlingoftheirforestlandswasundertaken。
Whilethesepracticaltaskswerepushedforward，atechnicalknowledgeofAmericanForestswasrapidlyaccumulated。Thespecialknowledgegainedwasmadepublicinprintedbulletins；andatthesametimetheBureauundertook，throughthenewspaperandperiodicalpress，tomakeallthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesacquaintedwiththeneedsandthepurposesofpracticalforestry。ItisdoubtfulwhethertherehaseverbeenelsewhereundertheGovernmentsucheffectivepublicity——
publicitypurelyintheinterestofthepeople——atsolowacost。
BeforetheeducationalworkoftheForestServicewasstoppedbytheTaftAdministration，itwassecuringthepublicationoffactsaboutforestryinfiftymillioncopiesofnewspapersamonthatatotalexpenseof$6000ayear。NotonecenthaseverbeenpaidbytheForestServicetoanypublicationofanykindfortheprintingofthismaterial。Itwasgivenoutfreely，andpublishedwithoutcostbecauseitwasnews。WithoutthispublicitytheForestServicecouldnothavesurvivedtheattacksmadeuponitbytherepresentativesofthegreatspecialinterestsinCongress；norcouldforestryinAmericahavemadetherapidprogressithas。
TheresultofalltheworkoutlinedabovewastobringtogetherintheBureauofForestry，bytheendof1904，theonlybodyofforestexpertsundertheGovernment，andpracticallyallofthefirst-handinformationaboutthepublicforestswhichwastheninexistence。In1905，theobviousfoolishnessofcontinuingtoseparatetheforestersandtheforests，reenforcedbytheactionoftheFirstNationalForestCongress，heldinWashington，broughtabouttheActofFebruary1，1905，whichtransferredtheNationalForestsfromthecareoftheInteriorDepartmenttotheDepartmentofAgriculture，andresultedinthecreationofthepresentUnitedStatesForestService。
ThemenuponwhomtheresponsibilityofhandlingsomesixtymillionacresofNationalForestlandswasthusthrownwerereadyforthework，bothintheofficeandinthefield，becausetheyhadbeenpreparingforitformorethanfiveyears。Withoutdelaytheyproceeded，undertheleadershipofPinchot，toapplytothenewworktheprinciplestheyhadalreadyformulated。OneofthesewastoopenalltheresourcesoftheNationalForeststoregulateduse。Anotherwasthatofputtingeverypartofthelandtothatuseinwhichitwouldbestservethepublic。Followingthisprinciple，theActofJune11，1906，wasdrawn，anditspassagewassecuredfromCongress。ThislawthrowsopentosettlementalllandintheNationalForeststhatisfound，onexamination，tobechieflyvaluableforagriculture。
Hithertoallsuchlandhadbeenclosedtothesettler。
Theprinciplesthusformulatedandappliedmaybesummedupinthestatementthattherightsofthepublictothenaturalresourcesoutweighprivaterights，andmustbegivenitsfirstconsideration。
Untilthattime，indealingwiththeNationalForests，andthepubliclandsgenerally，privaterightshadalmostuniformlybeenallowedtooverbalancepublicrights。Thechangewemadewasright，andwasvitallynecessary；but，ofcourse，itcreatedbitteroppositionfromprivateinterests。
Oneoftheprincipleswhoseapplicationwasthesourceofmuchhostilitywasthis：ItisbetterfortheGovernmenttohelpapoormantomakealivingforhisfamilythantohelparichmanmakemoreprofitforhiscompany。Thisprinciplewastoosoundtobefoughtopenly。Itisthekindofprincipletowhichpoliticiansdelighttopayunctuoushomageinwords。Butwetranslatedthewordsintodeeds；
andwhentheyfoundthatthiswasthecase，manyrichmen，especiallysheepowners，werestirredtohostility，andtheyusedtheCongressmentheycontrolledtoassaultus——gettingmostaidfromcertaindemagogues，whowereequallygladimproperlytodenouncerichmeninpublicandimproperlytoservetheminprivate。TheForestServiceestablishedandenforcedregulationswhichfavoredthesettlerasagainstthelargestockowner；requiredthatnecessaryreductionsinthestockgrazedonanyNationalForestshouldbearfirstonthebigman，beforethefewheadofthesmallman，uponwhichthelivingofhisfamilydepended，werereduced；andmadegrazingintheNationalForestsahelp，insteadofahindrance，topermanentsettlement。Asaresult，thesmallsettlersandtheirfamiliesbecame，onthewhole，thebestfriendstheForestServicehas；althoughinplacestheirignorancewasplayedonbydemagoguestoinfluencethemagainstthepolicythatwasprimarilyfortheirowninterest。
Anotherprinciplewhichledtothebitterestantagonismofallwasthis——whoever(exceptabona-fidesettler)takespublicpropertyforprivateprofitshouldpayforwhathegets。Intheefforttoapplythisprinciple，theForestServiceobtainedadecisionfromtheAttorney-GeneralthatitwaslegaltomakethemenwhograzedsheepandcattleontheNationalForestspayforwhattheygot。Accordingly，inthesummerof1906，forthefirsttime，suchachargewasmade；
and，inthefaceofthebitterestopposition，itwascollected。
UptothetimetheNationalForestswereputunderthechargeoftheForestService，theInteriorDepartmenthadmadenoefforttoestablishpublicregulationandcontrolofwaterpowers。Uponthetransfer，theServiceimmediatelybeganitsfighttohandlethepowerresourcesoftheNationalForestssoastopreventspeculationandmonopolyandtoyieldafairreturntotheGovernment。OnMay1，1906，anActwaspassedgrantingtheuseofcertainpowersitesinSouthernCaliforniatotheEdisonElectricPowerCompany，whichAct，atthesuggestionoftheService，limitedtheperiodofthepermittofortyyears，andrequiredthepaymentofanannualrentalbythecompany，thesameconditionswhichwerethereafteradoptedbytheServiceasthebasisforallpermitsforpowerdevelopment。ThenbeganavigorousfightagainstthepositionoftheServicebythewater-powerinterests。Therighttochargeforwater-powerdevelopmentwas，however，sustainedbytheAttorney-General。
In1907，theareaoftheNationalForestswasincreasedbyPresidentialproclamationmorethanforty-threemillionacres；theplantnecessaryforthefulluseoftheForests，suchasroads，trails，andtelephonelines，begantobeprovidedonalargescale；
theinterchangeoffieldandofficemen，soastopreventtheantagonismbetweenthem，whichissodestructiveofefficiencyinmostgreatbusinesses，wasestablishedasapermanentpolicy；andthereallyeffectivemanagementoftheenormousareaoftheNationalForestsbegantobesecured。
Withallthisactivityinthefield，theprogressoftechnicalforestryandpopulareducationwasnotneglected。In1907，forexample，sixty-onepublicationsonvariousphasesofforestry，withatotalofmorethanamillioncopies，wereissued，asagainstthreepublications，withatotalofeighty-twothousandcopies，in1901。Bythistime，also，theoppositionoftheservantsofthespecialinterestsinCongresstotheForestServicehadbecomestronglydeveloped，andmoretimeappearedtobespentintheyearlyattacksuponitduringthepassageoftheappropriationbillsthanonallotherGovernmentBureausputtogether。EveryyeartheForestServicehadtofightforitslife。
Oneincidentintheseattacksisworthrecording。WhiletheAgriculturalAppropriationBillwaspassingthroughtheSenate，in1907，SenatorFulton，ofOregon，securedanamendmentprovidingthatthePresidentcouldnotsetasideanyadditionalNationalForestsinthesixNorthwesternStates。Thismeantretainingsomesixteenmillionofacrestobeexploitedbylandgrabbersandbytherepresentativesofthegreatspecialinterests，attheexpenseofthepublicinterest。
ButforfouryearstheForestServicehadbeengatheringfieldnotesastowhatforestsoughttobesetasideintheseStates，andsowaspreparedtoact。Itwasequallyundesirabletovetothewholeagriculturalbill，andtosignitwiththisamendmenteffective。
Accordingly，aplantocreatethenecessaryNationalForestintheseStatesbeforetheAgriculturalBillcouldbepassedandsignedwaslaidbeforemebyMr。Pinchot。Iapprovedit。Thenecessarypaperswereimmediatelyprepared。Isignedthelastproclamationacoupleofdaysbefore，bymysignature，thebillbecamelaw；and，whenthefriendsofthespecialinterestsintheSenategottheiramendmentthroughandwokeup，theydiscoveredthatsixteenmillionacresoftimberlandhadbeensavedforthepeoplebyputtingthemintheNationalForestsbeforethelandgrabberscouldgetatthem。TheopponentsoftheForestServiceturnedhandspringsintheirwrath；anddireweretheirthreatsagainsttheExecutive；butthethreatscouldnotbecarriedout，andwerereallyonlyatributetotheefficiencyofouraction。
By1908，thefirepreventionworkoftheForestServicehadbecomesosuccessfulthateighty-sixpercentofthefiresthatdidoccurwerehelddowntoanareaoffiveacresorless，andthetimbersales，whichyielded$60，000in1905，in1908produced$850，000。Inthesameyear，inadditiontotheworkoftheNationalForests，theresponsibilityfortheproperhandlingofIndiantimberlandswaslaidupontheForestService，whereitremainedwithgreatbenefittotheIndiansuntilitwaswithdrawn，asapartoftheattackontheConservationpolicymadeafterIleftoffice。
ByMarch4，1909，nearlyhalfamillionacresofagriculturallandintheNationalForestshadbeenopenedtosettlementundertheActofJune11，1906。ThebusinessmanagementoftheForestServicebecamesoexcellent，thankstotheremarkableexecutivecapacityoftheAssociateForester，OvertonW。Price(removedafterIleftoffice)，thatitwasdeclaredbyawell-knownfirmofbusinessorganizerstocomparefavorablywiththebestmanagedofthegreatprivatecorporations，anopinionwhichwasconfirmedbythereportofaCongressionalinvestigation，andbythereportofthePresidentialCommitteeonDepartmentmethod。TheareaoftheNationalForestshadincreasedfrom43to194millionacres；theforcefromabout500tomorethan3000。TherewassavedforpublicuseintheNationalForestsmoreGovernmenttimberlandduringthesevenandahalfyearspriortoMarch4，1909，thanduringallpreviousandsucceedingyearsputtogether。
