OCR Text |
Show 468 and found him "curiously deficient in ability to see things in a forest." In fact, Pinchot thought Sargent "couldn't see the forest for the trees - individual botanical trees." One wonders if he was afraid to attack Muir, and so found Sargent his most strategic enemy. But Muir was obviously the sort of fellow people liked, in spite of their differences. Though Muir and Pinchot were to meet and quarrel about grazing later, and Muir was to oppose Pinchot again over Hetch Hetchy, Muir's least kind words about Pinchot (written to Johnson, as late as 1910) were, I'm sorry to see poor Pinchot running amuck after doing so much good hopeful work - from sound conservation going pell mell to destruction on the wings of crazy inordinate ambition. Such a statement, coming so late, suggests that Muir, though he may not have agreed with Pinchot, respected the man's integrity in the nineties, and beyond. Further, Muir knew that Sargent was a crusty and bad tempered fellow, and so tried to take it upon himself to remain reasonable and friendly, while still honoring their basic agreement. Muir seemed always able to distinguish between his respect for a man and disagreement with his ideas. He seemed to get along with almost everyone in the nineties. Johnson, Sargent, Pinchot - the people he worked with were not always easy to get along with at all. Particularly on the road with the Forestry Commission, the living accommodations |