EDITORIAL 



A DANGER SIGNAL FOR WISCONSIN 



THE committee of eight appointed 

 by the legislature of Wisconsin 

 to investigate and report to that 

 body upon the advisability of 

 continuing the policy of State forest 

 reserves in Northeastern Wisconsin, has 

 made a very dangerous recommendation, 

 in proposing the abolition of the present 

 Forestry Board and consolidation of the 

 forestry work with fish and game 

 protection. 



The committee approves the previous 

 work of the State Forestry Commission 

 and recommends the continuance of the 

 reserves, and a careful soil survey to 

 more effectively carry out the present 

 policy of disposing of agricultural lands 

 to actual settlers, and purchasing more 

 lands unfit for farming. Their findings 

 are based upon extensive research into 

 the present practice of forestry in 

 Eastern States, and a thorough exami- 

 nation of the State reserves. 



But the bill which the committee 

 proposes under which to continue its 

 work, abolishes the non-political forestry 

 board, under which these results have 

 been attained, and places the office of 

 State Forester in the hands of the 

 Governor and Senate as a political 

 appointment. The proposed measure 

 presents in its worst form the doubtful 

 plan of combining the work of enforcing 

 the State fish and game laws with that 

 of administering the forest reserves — a 

 plan which has failed of effectiveness 

 under trial in several States, and has 

 tended to loss of efficiency and interest 

 in forestry on the part of the commission. 



The proposed bill provides for a com- 

 mission of three, one to be State Game 

 Warden, the second. State Forester and 

 the third an engineer. These men have 

 joint, not separate, authority, by the 

 terms proposed, and in the absence of 

 one member — who might happen to be 

 the forester— the other two are given 

 authority to pass upon all measures 

 touching forestry. The forester like- 

 wise is required to know about and pass 

 upon fish and game business, conserva- 

 tion and all the affairs of this Conserva- 

 tion Commission. These men are solely 

 responsible, with no board to consult or 

 to advise them. The law as proposed 

 makes no change in the present system 

 of appointing the State Game Warden, 

 but merely extends his authority to 

 include a supervision over forestry as 

 well. What it does do is to wipe out 

 the present efficient and unpaid forestry 

 commission, make the forester's office a 

 party pltmi, and burden the forester 

 with duties wholly outside his profes- 

 sional scope. 



The proposed consolidation is urged 

 in the interest of economy. Wherein 

 will this economy be effected.'' The 

 Forestry Board incurs but trivial expenses 

 for travel. The salary of the forester 

 remains practically the same, but his 

 efficiency will be greatly lowered by 

 multiplicity of duties . The clerical force 

 required to do the necessary office work 

 connected with forestry will not be 

 diminished by the consolidation, for we 

 must assume that no more clerks are 



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