FORESTRY COMMISSION. 95 



in position to bear it? And to llic credit of our State, be it said that 

 this argument was duly considered and tlie legislature provided as has 

 been stated above that tlie town shall not lose all revenues but shall 

 receive ]«iynient in lieu of these taxes, the money to be used for school 

 and road. It has therefore practically admitted the soundness of the 

 argument and the propriety of meeting this demand and it is but natural 

 that this matter in the future will receive further consideration and be 

 adjusted equitably and satisfactorily. In this way the fourth, the most 

 just and formidable argument practically falls away as regards Michi- 

 gan State Forest Eeserves. The State has declared it right and meets 

 it. 



We see then that the protest may be and is fairly met and it is 

 gratifying to note here that in the counties of Roscommon and Craw- 

 ford where the reserve policy has made its beginning the people have 

 completely changed their views and there is today a most hearty and 

 intelligent cooperation betwen the State and the people in the matter of 

 Forest Reserves. 



And now, what is it that the State should do? The answer has prac- 

 tically been given in what has been said, but may briefly be stated more 

 categorically as follows: 



1. The reserve policy of dealing ^\ith all State lands has proved 

 acceptable to the people, it is the only economical and safe policy, it is 

 in keeping with experience of the older parts of our Union and with 

 centuries of experience in the Old "\A'orld. It should be continued and 

 it should be extended to all State lands and to every acre of land as 

 soon as it becomes delinquent for taxes. 



2. No State land should be sold for less than |5 per acre, for the 

 land alone and any timber on the land should be sold according to rules 

 established by the State Forestry (Jomnnission. 



3. Xo lands or timber should be sold except by public auction to be 

 held in the county seat of the county where the land or timber is 

 located. 



4. No lands once deeded to the State should be sold or offered for 

 sale unless written application is made therefor and the useless whole- 

 sale advertisement of our lands and the forcing of these lands on the 

 market should cease. 



5. Lands delinquent for taxes should be offered for sale once in ac- 

 cordance -with the present law, but it should be illegal to waste the 

 funds of the State in repeated advertising as has been done in the past. 



G. I^ands on which the taxes have not been paid for five years 

 should be deeded to the State irrespective of any circumstances and the 

 title thus obtained by the State should be sufficient. 



7. The policy of the Federal Government in selling its land only to 

 actual settlers and in tracts not to exceed IGO acres is sound in prin- 

 ciple and practice and should be followed in the disposition of our State 



lands. 



8. Non-agTicultural lands should not be sold at all and in cases where 

 doubt exists the Forest Commission should decide, since lands of this 

 character are generally more valuable for timber than for farms. 



9. The appropriations at present devoted to the handling of the tax 

 title lands should be used to give these lands protection, care and im- 



