Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-15
FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN,

aged will become source Of continuing
profit to the owners and a substantial
asset and great source Of prosperity to
the State Under present industrial and
agricultural conditions 1t Is an inevitable
law Of nature that the territory In YER
mont devoted to forest growth should In
| crease.
Besides the question Of making the
land OF greater value to the owners,
there Is also involved the preservation OF
our water supplies. II we neglect our
forests and cut them without judgment
our water powers will be seriously I'M
paired. not only the larger ones SO NEG
essary at manufacturing centers. but
| also the great number OF small powers
scattered throughout the State which
are or ought to be OF great value to their
respective communities II we strip our
hills mad mountain sides and do not
take proper care to replace their forest
growth the danger OF floods In the spring
time vii! be greatly increased, causing
damage to small, mill properties and Sc
riously destroying bridges and injur!nG
highways In the end the domestic water
supplies Of our villages and cities VIII
also be seriously affected
Thus both directly and indirectly prop
er forest encouragement and MANAGEMENT
is necessary to the best interests OF all
the people Of the State. It Is no longer
theory or simply an aesthetic question.
but a very practical one Vermont has
already begun to recognize her duty In
this regard. In 1904 the Legislature pro-
vided that tho Governor should designate
one OF the members Of the board OF agri-
culture to act as a forestry commissioner
| and that the first selectman OF each town
should take measures to control and ex-
| t!nguish forest fires. 1t also exempted
from taxation for ten years uncutivated
lands planted with timber or forest trees
under certain conditions The Legisla-
! ture OF 1906 appropriated 500 annually
for five years for the purpose OF aiding
In the establishment and maintenance or
nursery for the propagation Of forest
seedlings Of useful varieties at the YER
mont Agricultural Experiment .tation.
The commission on taxation in their re-
port recommend changes In the taxation
of timber lands for the purpose of en-
couraging their cultivation and preserya-
ton.
All this has been In the right direction.
but 1t does not go far enough Vermont
should have distinct forest policy of her
own. That this may be successfully in
augurated and carried on we should have
State forester educated and trained
along the most advanced and approvJl
lines, who shall give his entire time ia
tho study of forest conditions as they ex-
list In Vermont. with view to their prac-
teal and permanent Improvement. This
policy has been adopted by many OF tho
States, and 1t is most successfully pur.
sued by the national government in tho
Territories and national preserves under
Its jurisdiction, Such forester
should carry on Il publicity and
educational work. freely advise with
individual owners, supervise our
forest fire laws, which ought to be
strengthened and mad" moro efficient.
eventually take charge of the state
nurseries for forest seedlings. and
in general way formulate and com
duct a policy so vital to the true pros
perity of the state. While this will
entail some expense. belieye tho
state can undertake no work nor as
sumo any equivalent expense that
would yield to her people greater re-
turns than an advanced forestry pol
Icy wisely and progressively conduct
ed.
COMMISSION ON TAXATION
joint resolution Of the LEGISLATURE
of 1906 provided that commission
composed or six persons especially
well versed In matters relating to
taxation should be appointed by the
Governor to thoroughly Investigate
the subject Of taxation. This COM
mission. composed OF orion NJ. Barber
OF Remington. John H. Senter of
Montpelier. George W. Pierce of Brat
tleboro. Leighton i. Slack Of st.
Johnsbury. Ernest Hitchcock of Pitts
ford, and A. Allyn Olmstead OF South
Newbury, has performed this duty In
most painstakin1 manner, and it's
full and comprehensive report has al
ready been very generally distributed