FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 39 



menace near future generations, though few, are plain and easy to follow. 

 This observation at present applies to private land. Timber on State land 

 under the present Constitution, — unfortunately, — cannot be cared for in a 

 practical manner, nor cut or used. We can only protect it from trespass 

 and let it rot. We cannot clean it out when burned, or down ripe and old. 

 The public cannot have the use of timber that is fast depreciating in value, 

 thereby shortening the supply, adding to the demand and increasing the 

 price. We cannot utilize our enormous water power which should yield 

 to the State a large annual revenue. We cannot, without great cost, 

 reasonably protect our forests from fires, because of the thousands of fire 

 traps left by lumbermen, by other fires and windfalls, read}* for the spark 

 from the locomotive, the carelessly left camp-fire, or cast-by lighted match. 

 For these reasons, regulations suggested apply to private property and will 

 so apply, until the State's property can be handled under an amended 

 Constitution in a more sensible and business-like way. 



It is the belief of this Department that the State has ample inherent 

 power to control the use of private property in such a way that public 

 interests may be best served and protected. The power in the State for 

 this purpose should be invoked to prevent in certain localities the cutting 

 of trees below ten inches in diameter, and to compel the clearing up of refuse. 

 This is a matter of regulation and may be done for the public good without 

 the confiscation of private property. If this right to control private prop- 

 erty to some extent does exist, then no one should be allowed to cut trees — - 

 at least in certain places where water sources would be affected — below 

 ten inches in diameter, and individuals should be compelled to clean up the 

 debris left after lumbering, thereby removing opportunity for fires. The 

 law should permit State property to be protected in the same way, at least 

 so far as to remove the danger from fires. 



To encourage tree planting for commercial purposes, it should be made 

 as attractive as possible by legislative acts, encouraging thereby each one 

 to plant trees who has a waste acre of land fairly safe from fires. Trees 

 should be furnished below cost, and land dedicated to tree growing and 

 planted ought to be exempt from taxation. These are the lines to follow, 

 and the only ones that seem to lead to safety. 



The State owns many acres of land outside of the Blue Line in the 



