New York State Forestry 59 



tution and is an amendment which was adopted by referendum 

 November 4, 1913, and permits the taking of three per centum 

 of the Forest Preserve for regulation of stream flow and muni- 

 cipal water supply. 



Section 4 — The City of New York has expended approxi- 

 mately $190,000,000 in the Catskill region for the construction 

 of a reservoir and conduits therefrom for a water supply to 

 New York City. There are two small parcels of land, to which 

 the State acquired title on account of unpaid taxes within the 

 flow line of this reservoir, and therefore, the City of New York 

 in the maintenance of this reservoir is violating the constitution 

 of the State. It was the purpose to permit the use of this land 

 by the city. There might be added other cases where no damage 

 would be done in taking a small amount of water from state 

 land for the use of small communities. 



Section 5 was to make a mandatory provision as to appropria- 

 tion by the legislature for the purchase of land, for reforesta- 

 tion, boundary work and valuation surveys. The first idea was 

 to incorporate and provide for a definite appropriation each year. 

 This section does not require any definite amount, and probably 

 the legislature could comply with the provisions of the constitu- 

 tion by making an adequate appropriation. 



There is no question but that there has been politics in forestry 

 affairs in New York State; but the next question is would the 

 proposed plan remove it and would it result in efficiency. 



Forestry in New York is much different from the educational 

 administration. The former is both making policy and carrying 

 it out, while the latter is chiefly administrative. There are 

 questions which must be passed upon every day and orders is- 

 sued. A single commissioner is now given authority and he is 

 held responsible. How many unpaid members are going to be 

 as diligent? It was sarcasm to raise the question at this time 

 when there is in office a Commissioner, who never was in poli- 

 tics, is not interested in politics, is giving service at a sacrifice 

 and is administering the affairs of the Department without politics 

 and in opposition to past methods. There is probably no depart- 

 ment in any state or national service with less politics than the 

 present Conservation Commission, which it was proposed to 

 "take out of politics." 



The campaign for the adoption of the constitution was carried 



