THE FORESTRY ISSUE IN THE LAKE STATES 657 



better land, becoming eventually pros- owners of large blocks of cut-over 



perous citizens. timberlands are opposed on general 



These facts, so abundantly proved by principles to any investigation of the 

 even the most superficial investigation character of lands in the vicinity of 

 of individual cases in any county con- their holdings, for fear it will increase 

 taining non-agricultural soil, are a the difficulty of disposing of these lands 

 bitter pill to swallow for the average at good prices to woiild-be farmers. 

 American optimist. Ostrich-like, he In Michigan the battle for land classi- 

 seeks to deny the existence of economic fication has raged for twenty years, 

 facts by concealing his head in the sand. Enormous areas, totalling at one time 

 Economists who seek to secure a proper over a million acres, had reverted to 

 determination of the real value of lands, the State for taxes. The State Forestry 

 by scientific means, for the double Board finally advocated the establish- 

 purpose of devoting lands of true agri- ment of a Public Domain Commission 

 cviltural value to farming and of with- which was to classify these State lands, 

 holding worthless lands from such uses, set aside for forestry all lands of non- 

 are subjected to storms of abuse and agricultural character, and sell the 

 vituperation and branded as enemies agricultural lands direct to settlers, 

 of prosperity and progress; while legis- A minimum of 200,000 acres of forest 

 lative and private means are used to reservation was made mandatory by law, 

 discredit and misrepresent their efforts, and the Commission reserved 235,194 



This situation calls for a patient and acres, scattered in small bodies through 



persistent effort to educate the public fifty-four counties, in only four of which 



mind to recognize the great truths are there more than 10,000 acres of 



underlying land classification. It is the forest reserves. In reserving but a frac- 



most fundamental and important of all tion more than the minimum fixed by 



efforts at true conservation of human law, and in following a policy of opening 



energy. Since forestry presents a log- up and disposing of the remaining 



ical and profitable use for lands that are 750,000 acres of land which was once 



worthless for agriculture, land classi- considered too poor to be worth the 



fication is inevitably linked with fores- taxes, the Commission unquestionably 



try, and non-agricultural lands must be reflected the wishes of the population of 



placed in forest reserves under State or the counties afTected, and acted in entire 



National control. good faith for what they thought was 



State forestry thus becomes the goal the best interests of the State. But 



around which the struggle rages. The statements made by i^oresters in Michi- 



champions of untrammelled license bit- gan claim that much of this unreserved 



terly attack the advocates of State land was of doubtful agricultural value, 



iorestry, accusing them of a desire to and that the State has now lost a great 



lock up whole sections of good farming opportunity to establish at a minimum 



lands in forest reserves. Such ideas are of expense a system of State reserves 



absolutely foreign to the whole scheme sufficient to meet the future needs of 



of State forestry and nowhere can the community. Apparently it may 



instances be cited where foresters have take another generation of effort and 



advocated the use of agricultural lands demonstration to awaken the Michigan 



for State forest reserves. The differ- public to the evils of promiscuous use 



ences arise entirely over the definition of non-agricidtural land for purposes 



of the term "agricultural" land, and for which it is not fitted. Michigan 



the methods to be used in determining forest reserves may at some future 



its classification. period require considerable enlargement 



Foresters are the first to urge that by purchase, 



land classification should not be left Wisconsin in 1903 and 1905 withdrew 



to them, but should be entrusted to soil from sale all State lands north of 



experts familiar with agricultural prac- Township Thirty-three and constituted 



tice. Even this procedure is fought therein a State Forest reserve. Power 



by the opposition to classification, was given the State Forester to sell and 



It will be found on analysis that the exchange these lands in order to consol- 



