Permanent Forests. 



FORESTS are necessary for the well-being of a nation, 

 and the ninth amendment is a cornerstone for a policy 

 which will provide us with permanent forests and these 

 will be raised on lands which are entirely unfit for farming. 



Permanent forests are essential for the protection of our 

 watersheds, for equalization of waterflow and for aids to nav- 

 igation. 



We have in our state, the source of the biggest river in 

 North America, and it is necessary that we take all due pre- 

 caution to protect its watershed in such a manner as to help 

 to equalize this flow as much as possible. The national gov- 

 ernment, appreciating the importance of the watershed of the 

 Mississippi river is giving this state annually $10,000 in order 

 to help us to guard its watersheds. Even though floods, caused 

 by the Mississippi owing to deforestation of the headwaters, 

 would not cause appreciable damage in Minnesota, it would 

 be of tremendous influence in the states farther south, and 

 even though we would not find it advisable for our own sake 

 to protect the watersheds of the Mississippi and its tributaries, 

 we should consider it as a sacred duty to guard them for the 

 sake of our sister states. The ninth amendment for state for- 

 ests will provide us with the necessary watershed protection. 



Protection of Crops. 



Forest shelter belts are a necessity for the successful cul- 

 tivation of our farm crops. This has been demonstrated time 

 and time again in Southern countries where the forest cover 

 has been removed. 



Two of the Southern provinces of France, for instance, 

 which formerly were heavy producers of olives, are now un- 

 able to do so, owing to the removal of forest shelter belts. 



Northern Minnesota, heavily protected by forests has as yet 



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