FOREST POLICY. 119 



missions have worked, frequently, without pay and without 

 appropriation. 



The forestry propaganda in the various states has been usually 

 on a par with the propaganda for good and charitable purposes 

 led by public benefactors, by the noble spirit of the women's 

 clubs, or by the enthusiasm of lovers of sport and nature. The 

 real business interests of the various states have been, and 

 continue to be absent from the forest propaganda. 



As if economic problems could be solved by that portion 

 of the people which stays away from economic production ! 

 As if sentiment rather than economic sense could become the 

 mainspring of an economic policy 1 



The chief hindrances to state forest conservation aside of 

 the poverty of the states, many of which are prevented from 

 making loans for any such purpose as forestry are the following 

 two things: forest fires and forest taxes. 



If there were no forest fires, nothing except the plow could 

 prevent our cut-over lands from reproducing their crops of trees 

 in the long run. If forest taxes were reduced, the financial 

 chances of an embryo forest would be improved. 



The state bounty laws relieving the taxes which burden the 

 forests or forest plantations have been ineffective. The forest 

 tax problem will be solved, in all probability, only at a time 

 at which the majority of a state's revenue is derived from an 

 income tax. 



Alabama: In 1907, at the occasion of a special session of 

 the legislature, an act was passed inaugurating a forest policy 

 for the state. 



A state forester was appointed and tax exemptions were 

 provided. 



California: In 1885, a state board of forestry was established, 

 serving originally as a bureau of education, but supplied with 

 police powers in 1887. Board issues three botanical reports, 

 and establishes two forest experiment stations. Board discon- 

 tinued in 1891 ; the two stations being made over to the University 

 of California. 



Instrumental in formulating a definite forest policy was the 

 Sierra Club, organized in 1892, with John Muir for leader, and 

 the California Water and Forest Association organized in 1899. 



