THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 21 



the last moment, at a cost which would bring him better profit 

 in some other business. 



These facts are recognized by all students of forestry. The 

 following authorities hold no brief for the lumberman. They 

 approached the subject solely from the side of the people : 



Theodore Roosevelt : "Second only to good fire laws is the 

 enactment of tax laws which will permit the perpetuation of 

 existing forests by use." 



National Conservation Commission: "Present tax laws 

 prevent reforestation of cut-over land and the perpetuation 

 of existing forests by use. An annual tax upon the land it- 

 self, exclusive of the timber, and a tax upon the timber when 

 cut is well adapted to actual conditions of forest investment 

 and is practicable and certain. It would insure a permanent 

 revenue from the forest in the aggregate far greater than is 

 now collected, and yet be less burdensome upon the state and 

 upon the owner. It is better from every side that forest land 

 should yield a moderate tax permanently than that it should 

 yield an excessive revenue temporarily, and then cease to 

 yield at all." 



H. S. Graves, Chief Forester for the U. S. : "Private owners 

 do not practice forestry for one or more of three reasons : 1. 

 The risk of fire. 2. Burdensome taxation. 3. Low prices of 

 products." 



Professor Fairchild, tax expert, Yale University : "Forestry 

 must come some time, and its early coming is a thing greatly 

 to be desired. We can hardly hope to see the general prac- 

 tice of forestry as long as the present methods of taxation con- 

 tinue. With regard to its effect on revenue, there is little to 

 be feared from the tax on yield. It is equitable and certain. 

 // a tax at once equitable and dependable is guaranteed, the 

 business of forestry will not need to ash special favors." 



