FORESTRY COMMISSIONER 



(From Hon. W. P. Allen, former Senator from Cloquet District, 

 and for many years Vice Pres. C. N. Nelson Lumber Company.) 

 Gen. C. C. Andrews, 

 Forestry Commissioner, 



St. Paul, Minn. 

 Dear Sir: 



I have carefully read your circular offering a plan of refor- 

 estation, to be submitted to the people of Minnesota through a 

 constitutional amendment. 



With the general purpose of the proposed plan I am, as you 

 know, heartily in sympathy, and I do not know of any one in the 

 State better fitted by temperament and experience to work out 

 the details than yourself. The adoption of some permanent sys- 

 tem of scientific forestry by the State of Minnesota is, in my 

 opinion, the only way to avert a disastrous famine in forest 

 products in the near future, and, what is worse, a steady decrease 

 in rainfall and the consequent lessening of agricultural production. 

 No dependence can be put on private initiative and enterprise, 

 even when encouraged by tax exemption or other subsidy. 



It is a work to be undertaken by the whole State, since its ulti- 

 mate benefits accrue to the treeless portions of the State even 

 more than to the regions included in the forested limits. 



Very truly yours, 

 W. P. ALLEN. 



(From Mr. James J. Hill, Great Northern Railroad Company.) 



ST. PAUL, MINN., Jan 25, 1908. 

 Mr. C. C. Andrews, 



Forestry Commissioner, 



St. Paul, Minnesota. 

 Dear Sir: 



Acknowledging receipt of your favor of the 24th instant, I 

 beg to say that I have read your plan for reforestation of cut-over 

 pine lands in this State, and find it well worthy of the best efforts 

 of all the people in the State. Our forest, once a rich heritage, is 

 rapidly disappearing. Except for the areas on the Pacific coast, 

 the forests of the whole country will in twenty years be practically 

 exhausted, and then we will be compelled to begin in earnest 

 what you recommend now. 



Yours truly, 



JAS. J. HILL. 



