Editorial JVote and Comment. 
The 'Billboard Nuisance . 
A drastic bill has been introduced into the New 
Jersey legislature to abate the sign-board nuisance. It 
proposes to tax such advertising signs five dollars per 
square foot, and as it does not legislate against them 
directly, it is not expected that any question will be 
raised as to the constitutionality of the measure. The 
long, level stretches of country in New Jersey, and its 
network of railroads, have invited the billboard adver- 
tising companies to do their best, and the final result 
would seem to be that unless a check is put upon their 
encroachments upon public rights, the public will have 
to travel between continuous advertising signs, with 
the landscape entirely cut off from view. In the Gov- 
ernor’s message to the legislature touching upon this 
proposed bill, he reports that by actual count, early 
in December, there were 1,601 signs of all descriptions 
and sizes between Jersey City and Trenton. He closes 
by saying that : “In the interest of a suffering and in- 
dignant public I present the subject to the legislature 
in the hope that they may be able to find a remedy.” 
* * * 
The 'Press and Improvement . 
The importance and progress of the movement for 
the improvement of outdoor surroundings, civic better- 
ment, the town beautiful, or by whatever title it may be 
known, are in certain evidence by the attention which 
is being bestowed upon its various phases by the lead- 
ing periodicals. In point of fact the educational cam- 
paign has assumed such proportions that it should be 
difficult to find an individual citizen not acquainted to 
some extent with the general question. Did such a 
gulf not exist between the “precept and practice” con- 
nected with this reformation, it might be assumed that 
a comparatively short time hence would witness an en- 
tire change for the better over the face of our country. 
Unfortunately the very nature of the subject as a whole 
involves both knowledge and practice, and the work 
of bridging the chasm is one of difficulty and time. 
But the very fact that the subject is an engrossing one, 
and that it is being voiced in the leading literature 
throughout the length and breadth of the land, should, 
on the one hand, promote an absorbing interest in so 
beneficent a movement, and on the other, lead to the 
adoption of methods of imparting practical instruction 
to more rapidly secure the promising results. 
* * * 
The c/lnnual Tree Butchery. 
We are close upon the time for the annual tree trim- 
ming campaign, days when tree lovers, and those 
who appreciate beautiful streets and avenues, are in- 
censed beyond measure at the ruthless and unnecessary 
abuse to which city trees are subjected at the hands of 
incompetent laborers. Every one who has any desire 
to see the trees protected from this annual destruction 
should make every effort to oppose this system, and 
call upon his local papers to utter a vigorous protest 
against the employment of incompetent men to do such 
work. Systematic and intelligent pruning, that is, 
pruning at proper times and in detail as absolutely re- 
quired, is good for trees ; it promotes health, strength 
and beauty ; it helps the tree to do its best under the 
adverse and unnatural conditions of its city existence, 
but it should be done under the direction of a skilled 
horticulturist or gardener. It is so important that we 
urge another perusal of Mr. Dunbar’s articles on the 
subject, given in our issues of March and April, 1903. 
Tree trimming has no rules, beyond the few general 
suggestions on the subject that will apply to all trees 
in common. Every tree in every class of trees is an 
individual and devolops an individuality which in some 
particulars requires a special treatment. How is it pos- 
sible, then, that common labor can be trusted with work 
necessitating a student’s intelligence? The beauty and 
usefulness of tree life demand the best efforts of the 
community for their care and protection. 
* * * 
Tree and Forestry Laws in Massachusetts. 
Some fourteen bills relating to trees and forestry, 
seven of which concern the destruction of the gypsy 
and brown-tail moth, are now before the General Court 
of Massachusetts, which indicates the measure of im- 
portance with which the subject is regarded by the old 
commonwealth. Among the most important, besides 
the seven mentioned, are : A bill calling for an amend- 
ment of the forest fire laws ; and one for the establish- 
ment of the office of State Forester. Both of these bills 
are of prime interest, and are being urged and support- 
ed by the Massachusetts Forestry Association, to whose 
active efforts the now popular Tree Warden law must 
be credited. There are two bills looking to the same 
end— the reorganization of the State Board of Agri- 
culture, in which is included a division of Forestry ; 
should the best of these become law, there will be 
no need of the bill creating a state forester, but in 
case of the defeat of the measures the latter bill will 
be pushed as an independent bill, which will institute a 
forest service, responsible to the Governor and the Gen- 
eral Court. The forestry question is rapidly gaining 
intelligent support in Massachusetts, as it should in 
every state in the Union. 
* * * 
The Municipal Art League, Chicago. 
The Municipal Art Feague of Chicago, which has 
recently issued its year book, was organizedin 1899. The 
Feague, which is composed of representative people, 
and has associated itself with the leading local improve- 
ment and art associations in the work of civic better- 
ment, has already been a power in the abatement of 
certain crying evils, notably in the smoke and bill- 
board nuisances, and should its present activity con- 
tinue to be maintained, the organization is just what 
has been needed to awaken Chicago from its municipal 
sleep. 
