Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-03-23
THE FORESTRY BOARD.

y
in the nick of time. to prevent
its passage, the most monstrous
legislative woodchuck seen for
many day. Mr.. Donnelly de-
nounces the proposed law in we'll
deserved language in his inimita-
bic way. 1t will not be offered
again in it's present form, nor as
long as long as Donnelly sits in
either branch Of the legislature.
We call attention to this mat
ter because this innocent looking
forest reserve bill is the boldest
attempt to do up the people of
this or any other state that we
have ever seen. A careful read.
ing of the section quoted by Mr..
Donnel]y shows it to be nothing
more nor less than an attempt to
exempt mineral lands from taxa
ton. We print again the section
alluded to and ask for it's careful
perusal:
ANY person or corporation being
the owner in fee simple Of any cut
over or denuded, or partially cut
over or partially denuded, natural
forest lands, which will not probably
be utilized for many years for agri-
cultural purposes, or any bare or
waste, or partially bare or waste,
rough prairie lands, or any very
sandy, very rough or very rocky
lands, in this state, or any lands
deemed absolutely necessary for the
preservation of water courses all to
be determined by said State Forestry
Board), may deed the same to the
state of Minnesota for forestry pur-
poses preserving minerals, oils, Goals,
and mineral paints, with the right to
hunt for, dig, mine and carry away
the same, in proper and reasonable
manner, by such temporary machin-
cry, buildings, appliances, roads,
common or rail, as may be necessary,
doing as little damage as possible to
the forest growths thereon, and under
the rules, regulations and require
ments of said State Forestry Board,
or its officers, agents and executive
committee, as to roads, operating
grounds and destruction of trees) all
lands so decided to the state for for
estry purposes by any person or COR
poration are HEREBY FOREVER DEDI-
GATED FOR FORESTRY PURPOSES.
No one who has any insight
into the present system of class
legislation can for a moment
doubt that the real object of this
bill was nothing more nor less
than to exempt the mining land
of the state from taxation. But
it wouldn't do of course for the
Rockafellers to propose a bill
avowedly for this object, so they
got the forestry board to bring
in an innocent-looking bill for for
estry reserves as proposed in
the above scheme. Now we don It
mean to say that any or all Of the.
forestry board were bribed to do
this or dishonest in bringing in
this bill. But we do say, that if
all on the board are honest men,
then they were fooled by some
'''Smart Aleck' to adopt this
and the: result would no doubt
have been as indicated.
A forestry reserve bill! Moth
ing more! How innocent! Mem
bers of the legislature with
stacks of bills on their desks nev-
er read any further, Why. this
bill comes from the forestry
board, pass it. And so if it had
not been for the eagle eye of Mr..
Doenelly it would have passed of
course, Inside Of a year the
state would have owned all the
country northwest OF Lake Sup.
erior for forest reserve and the
mining companies would have
had their right to. mine on it pre-
served without. being liable to
pay taxes. Them as Donnelly.
says, the mine owners would be
in Possession uf 3 vesed right, 8;