REPORT 



OP 



THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, 



TAX LANDS AND FORESTRY 



TO THE 



GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE 



OF THE STATE 



UPON THE SUBJECTS REFERKED TO THAT COMMISSION BY ACT NO. 

 i88 OF THE PUBLIC ACTS OF 1907. 



To Hon. Feed M. Warner^ Governor: 



Sir: — We submit to you for transmission to the next legislature our 

 report and recommendations made as the result of our investigations 

 under the act of the legislature of 1907, creating the Commission of 

 Inquiry, Tax Lands and Forestry. 



We submit also a duplicate for use of the Board of State Auditors 

 and State Printer. 



Our report and recommendations are as follows: 



THE SCOPE AND OBJECTS OF THIS INQUIRY. 



This Commission of Inquiry was appointed under Act No. 188 of the 

 Public Acts of 1907. Its primary duty under this act is to submit to 

 the legislature of 1909 a report setting forth a comprehensive plan for 

 the protection, improvement, utilization, and settlement of the delin- 

 quent State tax lands, now owned or that may hereafter be acquired, 

 and for the better and more economical administration of the affairs and 

 business of the State connected therewith, and with other denuded waste 

 or forest land; to the end that henceforth a consistent and complete 

 policy may be pursued in reference thereto. The act directs that the 

 report shall (1) define the proper attitude of the State toward the de- 



