- January 9, 1929 – Richard M. Jesup (Adirondack Mountain Club; Rye, New York) to JSA –
Dear Mr. Apperson:
In connection with the various letters which have come to me from you, either for myself or for the final attention of Mr. MacDonald, as President of the Adirondack Mountain Club, I wish to acknowledge the “copy” of your letter to me of November 15th, which copy was received today, and to say that I have forwarded your communications to Mr. MacDonald and have had several communications in reply from him.
He will, of course, speak for himself, if, indeed, he has not already done so. It is, however, my idea that he intends to have your point clarified by official club action, either by the Governors or the Club as a whole, at one of the next meetings. I may be in error in this but I think it will work out.
Informally, I would like to say to you that I yield to no one in sincere unequivocal, interest in furtherance of both the ideals and the practical administration of conversational principles. This is as a premise: —
I thoroughly believe that Article VII, Sec. 7 should be rigidly adhered, at the moment. I do not believe that such adherence for all time constitutes intelligent conservational practice. I do believe that the practice of scientific forestry methods by the State AFTER first receiving the approval of a body (to be set up) which shall represent the organizations having the protection and conservational, recreational and aesthetic betterment of the Adirondack at heart, is the only way that we may hope to properly preserve for posterity the forests not now harmed, or may hope to reconstitute those areas under State control which are forests in name only, at the moment.
I am unilaterally against opening the forests to private or state entry for exploitation.
As above, I am against any abrogation of Art. VII, Sec. 7, UNLESS the actual contact with the woods is by State work, AFTER such work has been approved by “expert,” non-political bodies.
You will note that these are my personal views. I trust that you will in considering what I have said, remember that “virgin Forest” is but a minor part of our public lands and that, if our succeeding generations are to reap full benefits from our Forest Preserve we must adopt a policy concerning their future which will go beyond “hands off” except to keep put fire.
Faithfully yours,
Richard M. Jesup