No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 401 



ment was crystalized into a nation-wide movement. Chief 

 among the objects for which the National Conservation Con- 

 gress was created, as annunciated in its declaration of prin- 

 ciples, is to "afford an agency through which the people of the 

 country may frame policies and principles affecting the con- 

 servation and utilization of their resources, to be put into effect 

 by their representatives in State and federal governments." 

 This year's congress convened at Washington, D. C, on No- 

 vember 17, and its sessions lasted through four days. The 

 official delegates appointed by the Governor to represent Massa- 

 chusetts at this congress were State Forester F. W. Rane and 

 Sec. C. O. Bailey. Its discussions were devoted largely to 

 forest conservation because of the national importance of the 

 subject in its many phases. Practically all the leading foresters 

 of the United States were in attendance, and the discussions 

 on the various branches of forestry were of great value to those 

 who were privileged to hear them. 



New Legislation. 

 The following bills relating to forestry were enacted at the 

 last session of the General Court and were intended to advance 

 the forestry interests of the Commonwealth: — 



Forest Taxation. 

 Reference was made in the last annual report of the adop- 

 tion by the voters of the State of an amendment to the Con- 

 stitution relative to the taxation of wild or forest lands. This 

 action was taken at the election in 1912, following which the 

 Legislature of 1913 passed the following resolve: — 



Acts of 1913, Chapter 131. 



Resolve to provide for the Appointment of a Commission to investi- 

 gate AND report upon THE TAXATION OF WiLD OR FOREST LaNDS. 



Resolved, That the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, 

 shall, within thirty days after the passage of this resolve, appoint a commis- 

 sion of five persons, citizens of the commonwealth, to be known as the 

 commission on the taxation of wild or forest lands. Said commission shall 

 investigate the effect of the present laws relating to the taxation of wild or 

 forest lands in this commonwealth, and the laws and systems of taxation 

 of such lands in operation in other states and countries, shall correspond 



