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ARNOLD ARBORETUM. 2 turing the reservations made at the instigation of Bliss is bearing fruit and is likely to do very
serious harm to the cause. There ought to be some way of choking him off. It is incomprehensible to me that a man can one
day sign a report protesting vigorously against all sheep grazing in the forests and then go about saying that sheep really
do no harm in the forest, but he is paid 10.00 a day to do so. I feel a good deal discouraged. Johnson wants the custodians
of the reservations to be appointed under the Civil Service laws. Lacey opposes this and wants to reserve these places for
political rewards. The best civilian appointed under the best considered Civil Service Examination will be powerless against
the timber thieves. There is nothing but Uncle Sam's soldiers that can do the work; this ought to be repeated over and over
again, and there ought to be some way found to undo if possible the harm that Pinchot and Bliss's crowd are doing in advocating
or condoning pasturage. I am glad that Lacey realizes that your opinion on the subject is valuable. I am afraid nothing can
be done as long as Bliss and McKinley are in office. It would not be difficult to get rid of Pinchot, but somebody else as
bad or worse would be put in his place. It is a great thing, of course, to retain the fee of these lands, but we are bound
to have a good many sad moments before illegible thinking of those splendid trees sacrificed to selfishness and stupidity.
The second lot of Abies came this morning, rather moldy after the long journey but still valuable. The drawing of the flowers
starts for Paris tomorrow. Faithfully yours, illegible 02439