New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-19
THE GOVERNOR'S FOREST BILL.

There is now cheerful prospect that the bill
appropriating 81 100000 for the extension of the
Adirondack Forest Preserve will become law.
not in its original form, but so amended as 10
overcome some natural and serious opposition
and, by diminishing the cost Of acquiring Sc
lected tracts to make the public money go much
further than 1t otherwise would. II is under
stood that the amendment which will accom-
pllsh these results provides that owners OF lands
taken by the State may retain for fifteen years
the right to cut and remove spruce trees exceed
ing ten inches in diameter at the height of three
feet. excepting within distance of twenty rods
from lakes and streams For violation Of the
restriction heavy penalties are imposed, ana II
suitable regulations are also adopted TO prevent
incidental abuses Of the privilege the state VIII
probably gain in the end considerably more than
it loses by the concession. If the question OF
original expense did not have to be considered
and the Constitution were not In the way II
might he better for the State to buy the land II
wants outright and conduct on its own account
the business Of cutting and selling the timber
which is not essential to It's main purpose or
forest preservation But the simple fact Is that
both these obstacles do exist. Indeed, 1t Is not
perfectly clear, If. under the proposed act, the
State Is to take immediate title to the lands from
which nresent owners are to be allowed to re-
move the fullgrown spruce that a CONSTITUTIONS
objection may not be interposed. The forest
preserve amendment to the Constitution adopted
in 1894 Is as follows:
The lands Of the State, now owned or here
after acquired constituting the forest preserve
rs now fixed by law shall be forever kept AZ
wild forest lands They shall not be leased. sod
hn
public private. nor shall the TIMBER theieo
be sold removed or destroyed.
That Is a remarkably precise and stringent
prohibition. but we assume that the lawyers VINO
lave had the bill in charge, including Governor
Black, who is understood TO be It's author ana
principal advocate, have given this question due
consideration and are prepared TO prove that the
proposed terms Of purchase do not conflict WIN
the organic law As TO their ACCESSIBILITY there
NAV be some difference Of opinion: but it should
be remembered that the constitutional amend
ment was not supposed or intended to embody
the trne principles Of forest management. being
supported wholly on grounds Of practical utility
The argument was that public opinion was not
vet thoroughly enlightened. and therefore that
II was wiser on the whole, to make the prohib!-
ton absolute than 10 leave the forests at the
mercy of successive Legislatures. We some
what reluctantly accepted that view, and have
not changed our opinion but the question now
comes up in new form, and IL it IS constitu-
tionally and practically possible 10 obtain for
the money expended two or three times as much
forest land by means of the proposed arrange
ment as could otherwise be acquired. without
sacrificing those elements upon which It's essen
tlal value to the State depends, the opportunity
ought to be improved. 1t Is however, indis-
pensable that ample guarantees of security
against trickery and careessness should be es-
tablished Governor Black, whose sincerity in
this matter Is undoubted. will be expected TO
look sharply after defects in the bill for which
he stands sponsor and to appoint firstclass
commission to carry out his plans.