22 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Michigan Forestry Association. 



Forestry Association was 

 launched a1 Grand Rapids on Aug. 29 and 30. 

 .\o movement ever started within the state 

 has brought out a more general response than 

 this one. 



\- noted in the last issue of the Hardwood 

 Becord, the president elected by the asso- 



JOHN II. BISSELL, PBESIDENT, DETROIT. 



ciation was John II. Bissell, a well known 

 lawyer and business man of Detroit. He is 

 an enthusiast on the subject of forestry, and 

 has made a special study of it as applicable 

 to the needs of the Wolverine state. The elec- 

 tion of Mr. Bissell to tin' most distinguished 

 office of president of the association came en- 

 tirely without Ids solicitatio ■ knowledge. 



In a recent interview given the SARD 



SAWYER, SECRETARY. LUDINGTON. 



Record, he said that he thought it would 

 have been better if the association had se- 

 lected as the first president some active lum- 

 berman who could have given the work more 

 time and bring to it more experience than he. 



However, he says that he will do what he can 

 to assist the directors in getting the asso- 

 eiation started on a good basis, laying out 

 the work in such a way that all may con- 

 tribute to its efficiency, and with the hope 

 that by the time the next annual meeting is 

 convened, the officers and directors will have 

 formulated an intelligent scheme which, if 

 properly presented, will make some impres- 

 ii the legislature of 1907. He says that 

 the society ought to gain, in its first year, a 

 membership of several thousand. It is the 

 intention of Mr. Bissell, if the other officers 

 and directors agree, to have the board di- 

 vided into working committees, the first to 

 work for the extension of the membership of 

 the association; the second to handle the 

 subject of taxation and tax legislation; the 

 third In deal with the question of protection 

 against fire and trespass, and proper legisla- 

 tion to that end; the fourth to decide on what 

 should be the state policy with reference to 

 -tale lands and their reforesting; and the 



fifth to devise aiid carry out tic best thud 



of publishing ami disseminating matter re- 

 garding the workings and business of the as- 



I inn. 



-Mr. Bissell has written :i letter to the 

 other officers and directors of the Michigan 

 I'ni'estiv Association, covering in detail the 

 foregoing points, which is herewith repro- 

 duced : 



I H l Mill . Sept. 8, 1905. 



Mv Dbai Si ii : I have just received notice 

 from Mr. Thornton A. Green, provisional sec- 

 retary of the Michigan forestry Association, of 

 i he names and addresses of those selected as 

 its eihcers and directors tor the tirst year. It 

 seems to me desirable thai we should, as early 

 as possible, agree upon some definite line of ac- 

 tion to carry forward the purposes of the asso- 

 ciate. n To thai end, I make the following sug- 

 ms. tentatively, and for the purpose of 

 inviting criticism and suggestion. In order that 



we ma\ agree upon the best course for the ass,, 



ciation t" lake to fulfil Us objects. 



The work of the directors ami officers of the 

 oclatlon should be systematized and special- 

 ized : for Instance : 



First : Membership. There should be a sys- 

 tematic and persistent effort to extend the mem 

 bership of the association. This, by the personal 

 effort of officers and members among their friends 

 and acquaintances. There should be a local 

 committee in every county of the state — cer- 

 tainly in every county having a city or large 

 village — whose business it should be to recom- 

 mend for membership the Dames of persons in 

 each locality. Such a committee could consist 

 of front one to live members. The extension of 

 membership is important, principally because we 

 want to reach and interest as many citizens of 

 Michigan as possible in this movement : also, 

 because the association will need funds for pay- 

 ment of Its necessary expenses in publishing and 

 circulating information, and for stationery. 



S ml : Taxation. (a) There should be a 



standing committee on taxation and the legisla- 

 tion necessary, to readjust our system of assess- 

 ment and taxation so as to encourage an Intelli- 

 gent practice of forestry by citizens of the state ; 

 lb) also, proper legal provision for taxation in 

 the townships and counties where the state de- 

 votes its public lands to reforesting. In both 

 Instances the BCbeme of taxation should protect 



the interests of other taxpayers than forest 

 growers in the communities concerned. In 

 short, to work out a system of taxation fair to 

 each individual taxpayer and the state, and at 

 the same time to encourage preservation and 

 improvement of wood-lots and the improvement 

 of private lands by reforesting. 



Third : Protection. A committee on the pro- 



I iliiliVloN A. GREEN, VICE PEESIDENT, 

 ONTONAGON. 



lection of both public and private wood-lots and 

 forest land against trespass and fire and the 



legislatloi issary to perfect such a system. 



Fourth : Slate Forest Land. The duty and 

 general policy of the state to withdraw its lands 

 lroni sale and a revision of the land laws to ac- 

 complish that purpose. To provide for the sale 

 of ho public lands except such as are more suit- 

 able for agricultural purposes than foresting, at 

 their fair value, and for actual settlement. The 

 setting apart of all other public lands for a 



111 BBELL, TREASURER, MANISTEE. 



-i.iie totes t reserve and to gradual reforesting 

 of lands so set aside. 



Fifth : Publicity A standing committee on 

 the publication and distribution of information. 

 The duties of this committee might, perhaps, be 

 delegated to the committee on membership. 



