Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-27
THE DARLING BILL.
Hearing Given Measure Before Com
nittee On Forest Preservation.


n,ttee On Forest Preservation.
The Senate chamber was filled Fri
day afternoon with timber land owners
and others Interested in the provisions
of the bill introduced by Representa-
tive Russell OF Gardiner entitled An
Act for the preservation. pcrpctuaticn
and increase Of the forests of Maine.
and known from the author Of the
blI. Treasurer David n. Darling Of thc
Rradst"e"t Lumber Co. Ct Gardiner.
AZ the Darling bill. on the occasion If
the hearing Of this bill before the com
mittyc On forest preservation and wnt-
er supply.
The bill provides FIR the creation
cf a state forest commission consisting,
q forester and six assistant forest
crs. It provide that the forctsr shan
recommend 20 the G. Governor and Coun
ell tracts cf land. which will in his
Judgment be most advantageous to the
State in preventing the determination
of forests and in replantng barren
areas, and the State shall obtain title
to the same by filing plans and paying
just compensation therefor.
The most important section of the
provides that growing trees on forests
owned by private individuals shall be
exempted from taxation. and that an
excise tax Of per cent. shall be pad
upon the stumpagc value of al trees
cut, For the prevention of forest fires
the act creates IL warden force Of one
warden to every 100000 acres OF for
est land. who IS vested with police
powers.
The bill calls for appropriations of
100000 for 1909 and 100000 for 1910,
for carrying out the provisions Of the
act, the uneXpended balance TO remain
in the treasury to meet the need Oh
such extraordinary expenditures as
may arise by reason OF fires in dry
seasons
Mr. Darling explained the provisions
of the bill. assisted by Amos *. Butler
Of Skowhegan. who acted in the ca
pacity of legal adviser. while Hon. For
rest Goodwin of SkoWhegan asked
large number of questions, covering
the moro important objections to the
bill.
Mr. Darling enumerated as the prin-
cipal points Of the bill. scientific ana
just taxation. fire prevention, provision
for ample reproduction and reforestra-
ton.
He gave from the report Of the Unit
ed States department of commerce and
labor the following figures in regard
to the lumber cut of 1907, based upon
the returns of 927 mills in Maine:
Spruce. 52S, O13.0o0; white pine, 32S.-
775. 900: hcmlock, 12l,966,000 hard
wood, 1850, 900; fir. 35,0o5,o0o; cedar,
1879. 600; yellow pine, 3,69o,000; total,
] 03.S08. 600.
He estimated the average stumpage
value at $40 per thousand feet
amounting in all to $5.1 6,S04, and said
that this did not include trees cut Tor
ties, telegraph poles. spilng or fuel.
He stated that far more than three
fourths of our timber is cut from this
land. but to be conservative he had
estimated it in nearly this direct pro-
portion. Three -fOurthS of the total
stumpage value Of these returns is
SO .s97, sos. which at 5 per cent. will
yield in taxes 194,S8O.15 Adding to
this the soil tax provided in the bill
we have a total of $234.657, an increase
Of s7o.919 over the present taxes, and
this increase is placed not upon the
which can bear it,
He apportioned the yearly expense
Of 500 900 called for by the provisions
Of his bill as follows:
Salaries and expenses for operation
Of the commission, including clerk
$43,6J4; salaries and expenses for fire
prevention, $30,466; balance for patrols,
fire fighting and incidentals, $25,S80,
total, 100000.
In response to the inquiry of Senator
Wheeler. Mr.. Butler explained that ne
considered the excise provision OF the
act constitutional as he had found
nothing in the constitution Of the Unit
ed States, or that Of Maine prohibit
ing it,
In response to an inquiry of Senator
Wyman Mr.. Butler said that in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the
bill a man might cut cord wood for
himself without paying the stumpage
provided by the bill. but as soon as 1t
was cut for manufacture or market
he was obliged to file application with
the State forester for a permit. Mr.
Goodwin contended that this could not
be constitutionally done, as all real
estate must be taxed equally.
Thomas Sherman of the United
States Forest Service favored what he
called the two or three great points
of the bill, the exemption Of the grow
ing timber, the excise tax and one or
two other features. but thought that
5 per cent. was too low.
Senator Warren wanted to know II
the whole matter was not a question