The business management of the Forest Service became so excellent, thanks to the remarkable executive capacity of the Associate Forester, Overton W.Price (removed after I left office), that it was declared by a well-known firm of business organizers to compare favorably with the best managed of the great private corporations, an opinion which was confirmed by the report of a Congressional investigation, and by the report of the Presidential Committee on Department method.

The area of the National Forests had increased from 43 to 194 million acres; the force from about 500 to more than 3000.
There was saved for public use in the National Forests more Government timberland during the seven and a half years prior to March 4, 1909, than during all previous and succeeding years put together.
The idea that the Executive is the steward of the public welfare was first formulated and given practical effect in the Forest Service by its law officer, George Woodruff.

The laws were often insufficient, and it became well-nigh impossible to get them amended in the public interest when once the representatives of privilege in Congress grasped the fact that I would sign no amendment that contained anything not in the public interest.

It was necessary to use what law was already in existence, and then further to supplement it by Executive action.

The practice of examining every claim to public land before passing it into private ownership offers a good example of the policy in question.