Transcription:
ARNOLD ARBORETUM, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. Jamica Plain, Mass., February 16, 1897. My dear Muir: I enclose a copy of my letter
about the proposed new forest Reserves that, in case they are made, you may be able to talk intelligently about them to the
newspapers. I hope the proclamations will be issued next Monday, the 22nd, but there is many a slip between the cup and the
lip, so nothing must be said on the subject to any one until you see the announcement of the proclamations in the paper. Only
three or four people know anything about this at ail and in sending you this letter now I rely implicitly on your discretion
in the matter. If it was known beforehand that it was proposed to make these Reserves, the whole scheme will be defeated oy
the claims of politicians. When you see in the papers that the proclamations are issued I hope you will go down to San Francisco
and get the papers started straight. The more they talk now the better, as without newspaper talk, and lots of it, it will
be impossible to secure legislation needed to protect the Reserves. I hope you will feel satisfied with my efforts in this
matter so far. On the whole I feel pretty well satisfied. I certainly have had more success than I anticipated. When the proclamations
are made you had better be interviewed by as many papers as possible and keep them talking on the subject. 02242