D. FOREST POLICIES OF EUROPEAN NATIONS. 



The conditions which a hundred years ago influenced the policies of the European nations — 

 namely, the necessity of looking out for continuance of domestic supplies — are at present well 

 overcome, provided the supplies in other countries last and can readily be secured. 



In regard to supplies, the European countries may be grouped into those which produce as 

 yet more than they need, namely: Eussia, Austria-Hungary, Servia, Sweden and Norway, which 

 are, therefore, exporters,* those which produce large quantities of forest products, but not 

 sufficient for their needs, Germany, France, Switzerland; those which depend largely or almost 

 entirely on importation, England, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, 

 and Turkey. 



Nevertheless, at least in Germany, the desirability of fostering home production and advan- 

 tages of a general economic character, especially employment of labor in winter time which the 

 forest industries insure, have still an influence upon the policy of the Government, even with 

 supply forests. 



In this way may be explained the protective tariff against wood imports, which was enacted 

 in 1885 and increased later, especially to keep out competition from the virgin woods of Austria- 

 Hungary and Eussia. The last revision of 1892 has for its object not the discouragement of 

 importation, but the inducing of importation of only raw material to be manufactured at home, by 

 imposing a duty five times as high on lumber as on logs. 



The result, however, has been more satisfactory from the revenue point of view than in 

 protecting the forest owners, the Austro-Hungarian railroads equalizing the duty charges by 

 lower rates. 



The existence of a State forest policy, such as most European States have adopted, is based 

 at present mainly on the protective value of the forest cover and the recognition that private 

 interest can not be expected, or is insufficent, to give proper regard to this feature in its treatment 

 of the forest areas. 



It can not be said that a finally settled policy exists in any of the States, not even in Germany, 

 but only that it is in a highly advanced stage of formation, with the tendency of increasing 

 governmental activity and interference. 



Such a policy is expressed in various ways, State ownership, State supervision of communal 

 and private forests, restriction of clearing and enforced reforesting, establishment of forestry 

 schools, and experiment stations. 



State ownership of forest areas, which in the beginning of the century began to decrease 

 under the influence and misapplication of Adam Smith's teaching, and the doctrine of individual 

 rights urged to its extreme consequences, is now on the increase m most States. Thus France, 

 which during and after the Eevolution, took the lead in this dismemberment of the forest ^property 

 which the monarchy had maintained, sold during the years 1791 to 1795 nearly one-half of the 

 State forests and continued to reduce the area until there remained in 1874 but one-fifth of the 

 original holdings. Since then a reversal of the policy has been in practice, the area not only 

 being increased but financial assistance in reforesting on a large scale being given to private 

 owners and communities. 



Thus in the budget for 1895 of $2,500,000 appropriated for the State forest department, 

 $1,000,000 is set aside for the extension of the State forests and necessary improvement of the 

 existing ones. The State owns about 2,600,000 acres— somewhat over 10 Der cent of the total 



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