22 Second Annual Eeport of the 



private enterprise, otherwise private capital would suffer through 

 competition. This argument concedes that the State can supply 

 power more cheaply and more efficiently than private capital. 

 Similar arguments have been made in all cases whenever munici- 

 palities have found it necessary to engage in public service, and 

 thereby replace inefficient private management with public devices 

 better adapted to the needs of mankind. 



It is said that the evils arising from private management may 

 be remedied by State regulation and control. We maintain that 

 the distribution of electric energy by municipalities would be the 

 most effectual method of regulating the cost and service by private 

 companies. 



It does not follow that private corporations would be driven 

 out of business. By the exercise of efficiency, by the adoption of 

 modern methods, and by the reduction of prices to the cost of 

 service, private companies could compete with municipalities in 

 furnishing light and power. 



DIVISION OF LANDS AND FORESTS. 



The Conservation Law in relation to lands and forests (chapter 

 444, Laws of 1912) in its main outlines closely follows the bill 

 which was prepared by this Commission and submitted to the 

 Legislature for enactment, pursuant to the provisions of law. In 

 regard to the so-called " top-lopping law," the Commission in its 

 draft narrowed the scope of the original law so that the limbs and 

 branches of evergreen trees should be lopped in the so-called fire- 

 towns only ; and this limitation is found in the present law. The 

 Legislature, however, struck out the clause providing a specific 

 penalty for failure or refusal to lop the tops. This is an anoma- 

 lous condition. While there may be statutory authority for the 

 imposition of punishment for refusal or failure to comply with 

 the top-lopping law, nevertheless the fact that the Legislature has 

 seen fit to eliminate the specific penalty tends to create a doubt 

 in the public mind as to the wisdom and necessity of such a law; 

 and in order that laws shall be respected as well as enforced it 

 is necessary that there be no doubt in the public mind of their 

 wisdom, or at any rate of the belief of those who enacted them 

 that thev are wise. 



