Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-28

| pFbp'SltlOn, new luea, IL mas IIlet Will
the vicissitudes which such measures
| always meet. This committee has tried
| to take into serious consideration what
the State as State could do to prevent
| the decreasing of our country. We have
suffered from it in our coast counties
| terribly. Tho portable mill comes in
and sweeps over the land like a swarm
Of locusts over the fields, leaving Moth
| ing behind them. The farmer. if he
possesses a wood lot, parts with his
heritage. The wood lot is stripped and
| the farm loses its most important fea-
ture and So the thing goes on. l have
had a painful and personal experience
| Of the damage thus done. / enlisted in
such an enterprise to aid friend of
mine. The operation took place in places
| remote from highways, not affecting
water supplies or scenic beauties; but
when | went upon those lots and saw
| the devastation that was wrought l
was ashamed of the whole transaction;
and ! tried To eXpiate my crime little
later by going outside the city of Bath
and buying some woodland along the
public road and preserving it for the
city Of Bath, which l have done, and
am about 10 present it when l get
through with this session of the Senate.
So speak from experience and not as
one who skirts are entirely clear. DO
say that the stripping of young groWtn
of our state, from six to 10 inches, OF
no value TO those who take it, but of o
great value failed to remain upon the
farm is matter of as far reaching
moment as anything that has come be-
fore this Legislature.
Two years ago in the House we
passed a bill in the House which
would exempt the farmers wood lot
from taxation and try to encourage him
to save his wood lot, but it did not pass
this higher body; and if it had passed,
I am not sure it was entirely proper
bill, not only because we want to reach
the older counties in the State. but we
want to reach the large forest counties
where is situated our water power. our
rivers, and our great lakes So with the
difficulties in mind, this committee in
consultation with the forester of the
State and members of this body inter-
ested in numbering, and with such tai
ent as volunteered framed the bill
which has come up from the House in
definitely postponed. 1t was bill be-
lieve of as great merit as was ever
any bill ever introduced in this Legis-
lature.
1t was designed to save real estate in
our counties opened up to the summer
business, from ruin. 1t was bill to de-
sign to protect the large operators
themselves in the lumber industry, so
that they might not cut wastefully. 1t
was a bill especially designed, as 1 say,
IF
great water supply in this State,
which after all is the only great re-
source we have left to us. Now the bill
has been Indefinitely postponed in the
House, after very unsatisfactory dis
cuSSiOn of its merits, at this late hour
l think there is no use to attempt to
resuscitate the measure; but l am more
friend of it in its defeat than 1 would
be if it had now its hour of triumph. 1t
was the beginning of good legislation on
this subject. 1t was in advance of the
times. 1t was in advance of the educa-
ton of the people on the subject so that
it has to go over; and my motion at the
end Of my remarks. will be to concur
with the House in its indefinite post
ponement.
Before making that motion however
want to show you what large ques-
ton that is, and how earnestly those of
us who may ever serve in these nails
again ought to work to accomplish this
purpose This bill prohibits an individ-
ual on his land from cutting down his
young growth but it makes reasonable
and generous exceptions.
Sect. 5. This act does not apply to
the cutting of trees of any size under
the conditions and for the purposes fol-
lowing: G trees unaVoidably cut, in
jured or destroyed as incidental to con-
Quoting legitimate numbering or logging
operations; (2) trees owned by a nat
ural person growing on his land cut for
the construction or repair Of his fences
or buildings or for his domestic use as
fuel; CD trees growing on land suitable
for tillage or pasture owned by any
natural person cut for the purpose Of
clearing such and for improvement
and use in agriculture; "a trees nee
eSSarily cut to clear or improve land
for use and occupation in carrying on
any legitimate business, trade or occu-
patton, the opening of any road or way,
or to provide a site for the erection of
any lawful building; 60 trees cut to
prevent the same from being blown
down to the injury of other trees in
case of reasonable grounds for appre-
hension Of such injury; CO. trees cut in
good faith for the proper thinning out,
care and promotion Of forest growth
which is too thick.
l believe if we had passed this bill,
we would have taken the largest step
forward in the preservation of the nat
ural resources of this State that has
been taken by this Legislature. The bill
is dead or will be dead when I make
my motion. The question of doubt that
has always risen in the consideration
of such n measure as this, is this: And
that has had as much to do with kill
ing the bill as anything
or not tho State can reach and control
the owner If land in doing with what
grows on it as he will. That is a queS-
ton which no member of this body can
solve and which can never be solved
unless it is brought up properly before
the supreme court of the state.
While VIC have that question in doubt,
we always have it said you cannot do
this because it is unconstitutional.
Now. after making the motion to con