most available sites are rapidly being bought up by parties, 

 and in the course of a comparatively few years the general 

 public will find itself more or less excluded from the full 

 enjoyment of these beauty spots. 



Demand Growing in Many Places For Law Permitting 

 Municipal Forests. 



In many localities there is a demand for legislation that 

 will enable municipalities to acquire nearby land for use as 

 parks or forests. At present such land can be purchased at 

 a nominal sum, and there is no reason why many of the 

 cities in our state should not eventually be maintained by 

 their municipal forests. A bill is now being drafted which 

 will authorize cities and towns to purchase land for park or 

 forest purposes. ' It prescribes the method of raising a pur- 

 chasing fund, as well as the methods of administration. It is 

 time that Minnesota should make a beginning at least to 

 provide proper legislation along this line. 



Some years ago a law was passed, the purpose of which 

 was to permit the state to acquire as state forests such lands 

 as reverted to the state for non-payment of taxes. Unfor- 

 tunately a provision was inserted in the bill which specified 

 that only lands which had reverted to the state prior to 1891 

 could be acquired under this act. The purpose of the bill 

 was thwarted by this provision, since, after 1891, a subsequent 

 law was passed permitting the payment of delinquent taxes 

 without penalties or cost on the basis of fifty cents on the 

 dollar. A bill for the acquirement of tax title lands has been 

 drawn up and will be presented to the coming legislature, and 

 it is hoped that no nullifying clauses will be added to it when 

 it is passed. This bill will carry a small appropriation which 

 is necessary to pay the costs of preparing these land titles 

 for transfer. 



The measures above described are the principal construct- 

 ive ones from the forestry department to demand the atten- 

 tion of the legislature. The bills will be drawn up at an 

 early date and distributed to all who are concerned or inter- 

 ested, for suggestions and comments. 



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