586 Forestry Quarterly 



perhaps one of the forest schools. The functions of such a com- 

 mission should be, once a year to discuss, amend or approve the 

 working plan for the year, submitted by the State Forester. To 

 further democratize, however, the administration, the forest 

 service might be changed from the usual bureaucratic form, in 

 which the head of the service is final authority, to a collegiate 

 form, in which a council of his assistants forms a supervising 

 committee, acting under majority vote. This method works 

 admirably in British Columbia. 



"One thing is certain, that the staff of the forest service must 

 be divorced from politics, and the appointment of the head of 

 the service must be for long enough time to assure the possibility 

 of carrying out a continuous policy. Either Mr. Whipple's or 

 Mr. Young's overture covers this requirement. I am inclined to 

 favor the first as more pliable. 



"Believing that in a Constitution only broad principles should 

 be stated, leaving to legislation any detail, and keeping in mind 

 the above stated conditions, I take the liberty of suggesting the 

 following wording : 



" 'The lands of the State now owned or hereafter acquired, 

 constituting the forest preserves in the Adirondack and Catskill 

 Mountains, are to be administered conservatively with a view 

 of developing their use as a public park, and for the protection 

 of the watersheds and utilization of waterpowers. 



" 'They shall be under the care and management of a tech- 

 nically educated State Forester appointed by the Governor and 

 supervised by an unpaid commission, consisting of the Governor, 

 the attorney general, the State Forester, and four members 

 chosen from private life. He shall be removable by the Gov- 

 ernor only, for cause upon reasons publicly stated and after a 

 public hearing. 



" 'He shall appoint all officers and employees engaged in the 

 service of the commission and, so far as technical or professional 

 knowledge is required, or the position is of permanent character, 

 from eligible lists, resulting from competitive examinations con- 

 ducted by the civil service commission. 



" 'In all technical questions he is to be guided by a council con- 

 sisting of himself and two deputies. 



" 'Action may be brought in the supreme court by any citizen 

 to enforce the provisions of this section and to prevent its 

 violation.' " 



There is now need of further educational work to make sure 

 that something as definite and yet as pliable as is contained in 

 the above propositions, may find entrance into the Constitution 

 which will have to be next submitted. With this in view, we shall 



