Transcription:
ARNOLD ARBORETUM, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. Jamaica Plain, Mass, February 2, 1897 My dear Muir: I have your note of the 25th
this morning but I am afraid it is too late to make any changes in the name of the proposed California Reserve. I am going
to Washington Thursday to see if I can get it established, but even that is doubtful. I see that there is a strong probability
of a California man being Secretary of the Interior. Of course the attitude of the Secretary of the Interior to the forestry
question and to our Commission will mean a great deal. If he is really interested in the matter probably a great deal can
be accomplished during the next four years. If he is hostile or indifferent, probably nothing will come of our report. There
is certainly no harm in my telling you that we are going to urge upon Congress, provided there is an extra session this spring,
to pass a ill authorizing the Secretary of War to guard the Reserves with troops. This we are going to put in as an independent
motion in the hope of getting some protection for them this summer, as our general forest scheme will not be available for
some time if ever. Now if the Secretary of the Interior could come east with sound ideas as to the importance of the Reserves
and of taking care of them, and of the general magnitude and importance of the whole forest question, he would perhaps be
in a recipient frame of mind and at least willing to 02232