NATIONAL FORESTRY LEGISLATION 29 



employed in France and Germany. The question raised in connec- 

 tion with this measure is not one of theoretical fallacy but of the 

 practicability of its application in the United States. 



The Capper Bill would divide the United States into forest 

 regions; it would have harvesting regulations; it would have these 

 administered over all private and public forest lands by regional 

 foresters ; it would provide a check upon the lumbering methods and 

 accounts of those cutting forests ; it would provide for the payment 

 of a tax of five cents per thousand board feet on all timber cut 

 according to standard and regulations and $5 per thousand on all 

 timber not so cut, with penalties for evasion. 



The Sixty-Seventh Congress at its fourth session passed a resolu- 

 tion creating a Select Committee on Reforestation of the Senate to 

 investigate problems relating to reforestation. Out of the hearings 

 of this committee the McNary-Clarke Bill (discussed in detail below) 

 was evolved, embodying the ideas of the Snell Bill in part and receiv- 

 ing a virtually united support among foresters and forest interests. 



National Legislation in Brief 



1876 $2000 appropriated to employ a competent man to investigate 



timber conditions in the United States. 

 June 30, 1886 Act creating Division of Forestry in Department of 



Agriculture. 

 March 3, 1891 President authorized to establish Forest Reserves. 



Yellowstone Park Timberland Reserve proclaimed by President 



Harrison on March 30, 1891. 



June 4, 1897 Present National Forest Act passed. 

 July i, 1901 Division of Forestry becomes Bureau of Forestry. 

 February I, 1905 Bureau of Forestry becomes Forest Service. 

 March I, 1911 Weeks Law passed. 

 April n, 1921 Snell Bill introduced in Congress. 

 May 2, 1921 Capper Bill introduced in Congress. 

 December 15, 1923 McNary-Clarke Bill introduced in Congress. 

 April 23, 1924 McNary-Clarke Bill passed House. 

 June 6, 1924 McNary-Clarke Bill passed Senate. 



