EDITORIAL COMMENT 831 



timber is not yet considered worth while. The lands within their borders are 

 flat and an attempt is being made to turn all cut-over land to tillage purposes. 



6. The remaining nine States have no special legislation with reference to the 

 taxation of woodlots because the timber holdings are mostly in large tracts and 

 belong to lumber companies whose paramount interest is rapid exploitation. In 

 many cases coal or other minerals are the main reason for holding the lands. 

 Furthermore, most, if not all of them, have no constitutional limitation on the 

 method of taxation so that the legislatures can quickly pass remedial legislation 

 if it is found advisable. 



A bibliography prepared by Miss Helen F. Stockbridge, Librarian 

 of the U. S. Forest Service, is appended, containing over 250 titles. 



"Strange Attempts" 



Students of forest economics, and particularly those who have given 

 much thought to such problems as the securing of continuity of pro- 

 duction through increased public control or ownership of our forest 

 resources, will be interested in the following extract from an article by 

 Judge L. C. Boyle, published in the Monthly Bulletin of the National 

 Lumber Manufacturers' Association for September 5, 1918, under the 

 title "Unity and the National" : 



"The mere suggestion of this subhead (Legislation) indicates its importance. 

 We are approaching an era of revolutionary changes. If this industry is to have 

 its property interests safeguarded, it must with certainty act as a unit. Already 

 the suggestion has emanated from high places that our natural resources should 

 be placed in the hands of the whole people, and this for the common good. Of 

 course, the Constitution of our country protects private property from con- 

 fiscation. At the same time we may rest assured all kinds of strange attempts 

 will be made to interfere with private control of our natural resources. 



"Aside from all speculation, I personally believe that legislation will be passed 

 amending the Sherman Law, whereby those handling Nature's resources will be 

 given opportunity to agree on production problems, and this under governmental 

 supervision. The industry is deeply concerned in this matter and should be 

 united in expression." 



Although the language is not particularly explicit, one gathers that 

 Judge Boyle is inclined to look askance upon any attempt to interfere 

 with private control of natural resources as confiscation of private 

 property, and to oppose any governmental supervision except such as 

 would permit greater freedom of combination among "those handling 

 Nature's resources." Apparently he has no conception of the funda- 

 mental importance, not only from the standpoint of the general public, 

 but of the lumber industry itself, of handling the forests, so as to keep 

 them continually productive, and of the part which greater public con- 



