to secure conviction. This encourages the ir- 

 responsible and the vicious. 



6. The law makes no distinction between 

 the man of evil repute and others. The worst 

 firebug can go on anybody's lands and during 

 the most dangerous season and the owner is 

 helpless. 



7. The law requires the suit to be in a local 

 court where prejudices seriously affect the 

 case, and it does not allow the State to carry 

 the suit into courts of other counties or into 

 higher courts. 



The result is, as stated above, that in spite of 

 innumerable cases of willful firing every year 

 practically none are ever prosecuted. 



II. 



Remedies Offered Tried and How They Have 

 Worked. 



1. For fifty years and more Michigan has 

 had a law (and it is not repealed today) which 

 provides: 



a. For malicious firing of the woods, a max- 

 imum penalty of five years in the penitentiary. 



; And in addition it makes the guilty person, in 

 case of willful firing, liable to payment of dou- 

 ble damages. 



b. It makes it the duty of the supervisor, 

 justice and road commissioner to call out the 

 citizens to fight forest fires. (Unfortunately it 



provided for no penalty in case of neglect of 

 duty on the part of the town official.) 



c. The citizens, under penalty, are com- 

 pelled to answer the summons and fight. 



d. The township board can fix a closed sea- 

 son during which no fires may be set without 

 permit. 



e. A person setting fires to clear lands and 

 for other lawful purposes, must give notice to 





