New-York tribune., 1896-11-02

tfkOM STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.
Albany, Nov. 1.-The Forestry amendment to the
constitution apparently may be defeated. Daily
new opponents 10 IL appear. and the members OF the
Fish, Game and Forestry Commission. who have
Issued circular letter in support OF it. express
fears that their advice will not be followed. II is
unfortunate that ;hc scope of the amendment sug-
gAsted is not generally understood All the facts
relating TO the question have not been placed be-
fore the public. owing to the attention of voters
being concentrated National issues
What amount of territory in the State Is touched
by the amendment? Such a question has doubtless
arisen in the minds of many voters. The Fish.
Game and Forestry Commission has given no an
swer to IT. There has been a common idea that
the amendment concerns merely forest lands Of the
State within the lines of the Adirondack Park-a
park which is yet non-existent except in a frag-
mentary form. The fact Is that 1t affects every
acre of land owned by the State in the counties OF
Clinton. Delaware, Essex. Franklin Fulton. Ham
Nton. Herkimer. Lewis. Oneida. Saratoga. ST. Law
renee Warren. Washington. Greene. Ulster and
Sullivan In other words. II every county
In Northeastern New-York. and embraces terri
tory bounded by the valley Of the Mohawk River.
the St Lawrence River, Lake Champlain Lake
George and the boundary OF the State of Vermont.
II also touches all the State lands situated in the
Catskill Mountain region.
The Constitution provides. In the seventh
section of Article T. as follows
The lands of the State owned or hereafter
fixed by law. shall be forever kept as wild forest
or be- taken bv anv V nb Sr or
stroyed.
Chapter S52 of the Laws of 1898 in the following
manner:
The Forest Preserve shall include the lands owned
or hereafe- acquired by the State within the coun-
Dannemora;, Delaware ESSEX Franklin. Fulton.
Hamilton. HeTkimer, Lewis, Oneida Saratoga, ST.
m lie.
and Sullivan. except lands within the limits OF any
village or city. and lands. not Wild lands. acquired
by the state on foreclosure OF mortgage made 10
the Commissioners for oaning certain moneys OF
the United States. usually called the United States
deposit fund.
The amendment 10 be voted reads follows:
The lands OF the State, now owned or hereafter
aSd t Gohs,qtihs @ tne doaes pressrye now
lands. Except authorized by this section. they
shall not be leased sold or exchanged TO be taken
by any corporation. public private shall the
timber thereon be sold. removed or DESTROYED. The
terms as it may fix by law, Of a parcel OF not more
than iive acres OF land In the Forest Preserve. 10
The Legislature may also authorize the exchange OF
lands owred by the State situate outside the Forest
within the Forest Preserve. The Legislature may
also authorize the sale Of lands belonging 10 the
money obtained shall not be- used except for the
purchase of lands situate within the Forest Pre-
a part OF the Forest Preserve.
There two three questions 10 be asked
about this proposed amendment. One IL as 10 what
lands Of the State exist outside OF the limits OF the
counties named above being within the limits 0f
the Forest Preserve which could be exchanged for
lands within the preserve. II person visits the
rooms of the Fisheries. Game and Forestry Com
mission. and desires to have pointed out lands
which might he exchanged for wooded land within
the preserve his attention IS called 10 certain spots
In the counties OF Warren. Washington Essex and
Franklin. These counties are not outside the For
est Preserve. They within H. 1t Is true that
the blue line OF the proposed Adirondack Park does
not touch nine-tenths OF tho territory In those
counties but that blue line does not define the
Forest Preserve In the sense in which IL was re-
ferred in the amendment 10 the Constitution
made in 1894.
There is good reason to think that the actual aim
of the amendment IL to give authority 10 the Fish
cries Game and Forestry Commission TO lease
ground in the Adirondacks and the Catskills to pr
vate citizens. II Is. at any rate arousing oppos-
tior and dstrust. and there increasing indica-
tiOns Of its defeat