Millions of dollars have been lost in Minnesota due 

 to fires. The appropriation of sufficient funds 1<> 

 carry an adequate field force to guard our resources 

 would have prevented a large part of this loss. Much 

 of the land burned over is of little value to the pres- 

 ent owners, slash and windfalls are allowed to re- 

 man and become a menace to adjoining valuable tim- 

 ber property. 



If the state had the power of purchasing forest 

 lands, these "fire traps" could be cleaned up and re- 

 forested. These areas under state control, as State 

 Forests, would protect other valuable timber owned 

 by individuals and, would-be a safeguard to lives 

 and towns with the fire hazard removed. Before any 

 definite steps can be taken toward reforestation, fire 

 danger must.be controlled; this can be done only 

 through absolute control of a large area by one man- 

 agement. The State which, as such, lives on forever 

 is the only permanent body which can obtain and 

 practice adequate control and develop the land with 

 an eye toward the future. 



Lumbering 1 ranks next to agriculture as the most 

 important industry of our country, and the public 

 should be deeply concerned in any industry on which 

 one twentieth of the population depends for a living. 

 The states must take a lead in purchase of lands for 

 reforestation work. Wood using industries depend up- 

 on our lumber supply; these same industries give 

 work to thousands of men, w r ho in turn give back 

 to the state millions of dollars per year in taxes and 

 other state assets. It should be the duty of the state 

 to protect and help retain these industries by produc- 

 ing raw material. 



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