The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-02-15
The Forestry Question in New Hamp.
shire.

Editor Of the Wdtchman:-In New Hamp.
shire the forestry question seems to have
many sides, some of them new. Besides the
dolorous side and the dollar side that are to
be expected always there are the summer
hotel side, the big manufacturers side, the
sportsmau's side, the aesthetic side and the
literary side. A good many who would let
the forests take care Of themselves see that
it is not safe to let the million bringing
summer boarder think that the White Hills
are being robbed of their beauties. Even
though no change has been made, let the
boarder think he sees one and he departs,
taking his million with him. Then, too,
this is probably the first time in America
when the manufacturers have really made
themselves felt in a forestry question.
Their influence must be great; for, though
the New Hampshire lawmakers might fold
their arms and tell the mill owners of Massa-
chusetts to use coal, they are bound by the
fact that a large fraction of the members
represent manufacturing interests.
The talk over the question Is more definite
than it usually is in forestry discussions
One proposition is for the state to exercise
what the lawyers call the states right OF
eminent domain and take possession of a
large forest area among the White Noun
tains. For these lands the owners would
be paid not their price, perhaps not what
others would give, but price to be fixed by
a commission In connection with such a
plan one cannot help thinking regretful!y Of
the great tracts which have practically been
| given away by the state. II the state takes
| this land, IL will exercise the authority
! which for fifty years it has been granting
railroads 1t will exercise an authority
which the United States supreme court has
said the state may lawfully grant to mill
| owners who wish to build dams The con.
stitutional right to do it is then beyond
question. The difficulties are then in de
termining the use to be made of the tracts
acquired. 1t Is easy TO say that the state
must look after the forests and get the pro.
fits from the growth of the trees. In Ger
man state, where forest management and
administration of public property have been
made sciences, an interest could probably
| be paid on the cost of the land. In Amer.
| lea all our experience goes to make us be
lieve that state management of forests
would leave the balance on the wrong side
| OF the account.
The plan of state management might be
put in novel form by adopting Mr.. Cor.
! bins proposed amendment. He would
have the state make huge hunting parks
aud then let them out to corporations com
posed OF men willing TO pay large sums fol
the exclusive privilege OF fishing and hunt,
| ing within certain limits. In his argument
he has the advantage OF having an example
| at hand. He points to the thousands OF
acres around Croydon bought by him and
i hhO vi IN DrlnR'
| ing animals far too valuable to be shot
Truly, if there are many wealthy men will
| ling to pay at the same rate, The forests are
more valuable than gold mines During
the last few years the terror over aban,
doned farms has beer. so great that men are
| anxious to have them sold without regard
| to the purposes for which they NAV be
used. IL man will buy score OF aban.
doned farms, he may by the consent OF pub.
lie opinion buy another score OF occupied
| farms and then turn the whole into hunt.
ing park. Hence Mr.. Corbin's Croydon ex.
pertinent has not been viewed as critically
as IL had been in times of agricultural pros
perity. In fact, 1t has everywhere been
spoken OF with approval. Perhaps the ma
| jority OF the people of New Hampshire are
willing to have the forests and back farms
turned over TO buffalOes and bears IL these
| tenants can be made to pay city prices for
| their accommodations.
But some notice ought TO be taken of the
| poetical side OF the question, which is lust
| coming into notice. Mr.. Harrison, the en-
erRetic secretary OF those work ing for forest
protection, evidently believes that old say
ing about the ballad maker being superior
| to the law-maker. Last October he wrote
leading literary journal saying, The
wood-cutters on the mountains are serving
notices OF ejectment on the great manufa &C.
turing corporations along the Merrimack
and Winnepesaukee," and calling for a