The sun., 1896-10-30
THE FORESTRY AMENDMENT.
The Fisheries. Game, and Forest Commis-
sion,s ReprehensIble Course.

The Fisheries. Game, and Forest Commis-
sion's Repreheusible Course.
To TEE EDITOR OF THE sUS-Sir: The Fish
cries. Game and Forest Commission. either in
defence OF Its conrse or quito gratuitously. for
1t Ia part OF Its official duty to take In charge
or champion proposed vital changes in the or.
gan!c law OF tho State. has issued card at
tempting to justify the amendment to the Con-
Btituton to be voted upon at the coming election.
The Commissioners deem 1t necessary to ac-
quit themselves Of any responsibility for the eI-
istence of this proposition. and take the trouble
to relieve their of any responsibility
for It. How do they know what their prede-
cessorS did, and II they know that neither Com
mission Is responsible, why do they not tell the
public who Is?
But the Commissioners arc not frank. They
say: THE proposed amendment did not orig
mate with this Conn lion. Its preliminary pas
sage through the Legislature having occurred
in 1895, before the present Commission was ap-
sors they take the position Of endorsing the
proposition. as II they had had nothing to do
With Il between 1895 and the present time.
They do not tell what they did with the Legsla-
ture OF 1896. can.
This amendment was. upon the day 1t was In
MIR. Weed, who handed 1t to the Senator who
introduced 1t, and Who at his request, presented
ate committee. This was done in my presence.
and Immediately afterward took MIR. Weed 10
tsE for to s the Hct OF the
in force He then admitted the part played by
him. attempting to defend his action.
Mr.. Weed was them and now is. a member Of
tho present Commission. and he was member
Of It's predecessors; He was one OF that Com
the had II the
in the Constitution, and which was 70 60 into
J Sa:sd S ooT. synds BY Son
OF the night, Forestry Commissioner having
been brought on special engine from Platts-
ia uThE
company tho right of way through Thousands
OF acres Of State lands. And this took place
Land Board OF the State, whore the grant was
refused. and at which meeting Mr.. Weed was
Mao h. DaTs Gt ,Se
menL of Oct. 20. inst. made by the Commission
II 10. he must have diligently avoided knowing
facts OF which the general public have full
Tho endorsement Of the present Commission
bered that its members allowed the Brac kett bill
OF last winter. pract cAlly turning over the Adj
sHa and 70 to Ss no
ate, without tax Ing action todefeat It, tardily
adopting or making public . resolution con-
ais had attack ed 1t and made It's defeat certain.
What does the Commission offer in defence
does not say word In favor OF the exchange or
sale Of land prop"s'toni i ana only refers re- to ths
the most avail able places on the most accessible
lakes TO people probably friendly to the Com
missioners. for trihe. thus excluding the gem
eral public. the loss of tho woods by fire and
waste. following in the wake OF such leases.
The Commissioners make n plea In behalf OF
those already holding leases. No constitutional
provision or enactment can affect existing
leases. hut none OF these should be renewed.
The Commission speaks of the advantage TO
tho State or securing the revenue from the ex-
listing leases. as such funds are available for
the further purchase OF forest lands" ls not
this absurd. when II appears by the report OF the
Forestry Commission for 1894 transmitted to
the Legislature Jan. 81, 1898, that the whole
amount received from leases OF Adirondack
sum OF 81 ,005Y And no leases were thereafter
made. as the prohibition against leasing went
into effect Jan. !. 1895. The Commissioners
must have assumed that the people know moth
ing Of put bile AFFAIRS to allow of such statements
being made.
Their best duty will lie in the direction OF car
ing for the forests as they 1nd them, leaving the
max ing of laws TO those charged with that duty.
The people should stamp the Interference with
disappTOVAl by voting against proposition TO
amend tho Constitution which means a destruc-
tion OF the forests.
Protection 10 tho forests means not only the
enjoyment OF the woods themselves by the peo-
pie Of the State, but Is also necessary for the
IsfrnCe OF our water courses and our canals. The
whole ale destruction which has gone on for
years has already diminished the water in our
rivers and lakes 20 an alarming extent. aud has
caused the dangerous freshets from which wo
have suffered. The people last year voted the
expenditure of nine MILLIONS of dollars for tho
improvement OF the canals, and this sIpSndi-