New York State Forestry 55 



A Constitutional Convention convened at Albany during the 

 past summer and appointed a conservation committee which held 

 hearings and made a report to the Convention. There seemed to 

 be a general antipathy to any modification of the constitution, 

 which would permit the lumbering of State land. The criticism 

 was so severe in some instances, that professional foresters were 

 accused of being subservient to the lumbermen ; the forest schools 

 looking for employment for their students; and forestry itself 

 nothing but destructive lumbering. 



The matter of occupancies was considered and the committee, 

 finally recommended, by nearly a unanimous vote that camp 

 sites be leased to persons who were occupying land subsequent 

 to December, 1909, but after a vigorous discussion on the floor of 

 the Convention, it was defeated by a vote of 66 to 60. 



In the opinion of the writer there can be no doubt but that 

 it was a decided mistake to veto leasing of camp sites. There 

 are sites enough for both rich and poor. The private lands are 

 held at a speculative price and only the wealthy can afiford to 

 purchase. There is no doubt but that a lessee is a protector 

 of the property and the game, while the transient has only a 

 passing interest. The Empire State is not so wealthy that she 

 needs to refuse an honest and substantial source of income. Leas- 

 ing of camp sites would have solved the most difficult admin- 

 istrative problem, would have been an excellent means of pro- 

 tecting this property worth many millions of dollars, and would 

 produce a large revenue. 



The proposed new conservation amendment adopted by the 

 Convention and submitted by referendum to the people is as 

 follows : 



ARTICLE VII 



Section 1. The department of conservation shall consist of 

 nine commissioners to serve without compensation and to be ap- 

 pointed by the governor by and imth the advice and consent of 

 the senate for terms which shall expire in nine successive years, 

 the first ending on the first day of January, one thousand nine 

 hundred and seventeen, and their successors shall be appointed 

 for terms of nine years. Vacancies shall be filled for the unex- 

 pired term. One commissioner shall reside in each judicial dis- 

 trict. No person shall be eligible to or shall continue to hold the 

 office of commissioner, who is engaged in the business of lum- 

 bering in any forest preserve county or who is engaged in any 



