33 



can possibly be done in this direction. Whenever such crops be- 

 come possible and profitable, capitalists will invest their money 

 in (timber lands instead of bonds, and leave as a legacy to their 

 families, thousands of acres of land which will ensure them a steady 

 and perpetual income, and incidentally, benefit and enrich the 

 State. 



To induce investment^, the tax rate on such lands should be but 

 nominal, sufficient only to keep the property listed in the records 

 of the county, and whenever these lands are cleared a certain per- 

 centage of the value of the product should be paid to the State for 

 the protection afforded during the period of growth. To insure 

 immunity from fire, it is absolutely essential that proper persons 

 be appointed and paid to watch the reservations during the season 

 when fires prevail, and that railway companies shall station watch- 

 men along the lines of their road during the fire season, who shall 

 patrol all forest districts through which railroads run, after every 

 train. Severe penalties should be required from all, who either 

 through intent or carelessness, are found guilty of setting out forest 

 fires. The general public cannot be expected to give the careful 

 and watchful attention to the prevention of fires upon the reserva- 

 tions that their value and importance require. The responsibility 

 for their safety must devolve upon the owner, which is the State, 

 and this means that the State must employ the same methods for 

 protection that individuals find it necessary to adopt in order to 

 secure the same end. A modern city could not exist without a reg- 

 ularly organized fire department, assisted by a police force that is 

 constantly on the watch; neither can exposed and inflammable 

 property, such as forests, be secure against evil disposed and care- 

 less persons, unless efficient guardians are provided who shall dis- 

 cover and arrest offenders and extinguish fires. A law, therefore, 

 should be at once enacted which shall authorize the employment of 

 watchmen upon the State reservations, and provide for their proper 

 compensation adequate for the service required. 



The report of the Commissioner is largely devoted to a recital of 

 what has been done to arrest offenders and prevent for<est fires 

 during the past year. He shows how frequent and destructive 

 these have been, and how inadequate are the means now provided 

 to prevent them. The importance of the question, therefore, can- 

 not be exaggerated, and all of our experience, as well as that of 

 others, shows that this is not only the weak place in our system of 

 forest management, but is also primary, in any plan, if it is to be 

 effective in forest preservation and for the securing of timber 

 growth. 



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