FORESTRY. 383 



is the main cause of the woful neglect to save the remainder of our 

 forests from an absolute wreck, then, in the name of common sense, 

 let the tax system be so adjusted as to be an inducement to men to 

 cease their persistent vandalism, and repent of their sins "before it 

 is everlasting-lj' too late."' 



Mr. Walker demands that "taxation should be proportioned to in- 

 come." A just law that, and the farmers call for it more strongly 

 than any other class. But, on the data of such a law, the farmer 

 naturally asks of the gentleman, "would j^ou or your coadjutors 

 maintain that no tax should be levied on the lumberinan's timber 

 lands, and, if such lands were exempt, would you or they preserve 

 the forest by virtue of that tax exemption? If the competition of the 

 lumber industry is so intense that there is not profit margin enough 

 in pajdng the tax, should the people of the state be held responsible 

 for the ill luck? As the lumbermen do make profits, yet paj^ing the 

 tax, would 'the leopard change his spots' when the tax is lifted? On 

 the contrarj-, would we not expect that the policy of saving the 

 forest by non-taxation would, if applied, result in greater destruc- 

 tion of our forests because of the surety of greater profits?" These 

 are pertinent questions. 



But Mr. Walker suggests a happj^ departure, and builds wiser 

 than he designed, perhaps. "Better far that the state should pro- 

 vide not onl}- exemption from taxation, but pay a preinium to those 

 who would preserve the timber we now have than to inaugurate a 

 new and expensive system of bounties for tree planting." 



If he would take one more step forward^encourage the retention 

 of bounty for tree planting on our prairies, and extend the system 

 to our native forests, that is, "paj^ a premium to those who would 

 preserve the titnber we now have," the Forestry' Association would 

 feel that we surelj^ have a Gladstone in the 'Lumber House' to lead 

 the van of victory over the forest vandals. Surel}^ we are not far 

 apart. If he and the rest of his profession will lead off, or back the 

 association in a bill at the next legislature to inaugurate the "pre- 

 mium sj^stem " for forest preservation, the tree reformation will have 

 dawned. 



Possibly Mr. Walker's premium plan would take the precedence 

 of lumber profits by lumber risks; and that the remnant of our for- 

 ests would be saved and put on the scale of extension on all non- 

 agricultural lands. 



Would the premiutn plan pay? That's the question to meet in the 

 legislature. Would not the objection arise at once and fall upon 

 it in one crushing blow, that it is unwise and impractical for a 

 state to paj' a man for improving his own land by tree preservation? 

 But the state has already committed itself to paying the prairie 

 farmer. Where the benefits accrue only to the proprietor, it would 

 indeed be unwise and impractical. A forest is not like a crop of 

 corn or potatoes; it concerns the interests of all the people, and the 

 people, therefore, have just reason not only to encourage tree plant- 

 ing by bounties or otherwise, but to determine where the forests 

 shall be planted and how managed for the most beneficial effects. 

 The legislature ought to understand the great uses of forests in 



