Norwich bulletin., 1909-01-23

and other organizations and Individual
citizens.
The work of waterway development
should be undertaken without delay.
Meritorious projects in known con-
formity with the general outlines Of
any comprehensive plan should pro-
coed at once. The cost of the whole
work should be met by direct appro-
priation if possible. but If necessary
by the issue of bonds in small denomi-
nations
1t is especially important that the
development Of water power should be
guarded with the utmost care both by
the national government and by the
states in order to protect the people
against the upgrowth Of monopoly and
to insure to them a fair share in the
benefits which will follow the develop
ment Of this great asset. which belongs
to the people and should be controlled
by them.
Forests.
l urge that provision be made for
both protection and more rapid devel-
opment of the national forests. Other
wise, either the increasing use Of these
forests by the people must be checked
or their protection against fire must
be dangerously weakened. If we com
pare the actual fire damage on similar
areas on private and national forest
lands during the past year, the govern
ment fire patrol saved commercial tim
Der worth as much as the total cost of
caring for all national forests at the
present rate for about ten years.
/ especially commend to the congress
the facts presented by the commission
as to the relation between forests and
stream dow In its bearing upon the inn
portance Of the forest lands in nation
al ownership. without an understand
ing of this intimate relation the con-
servation of both these natural re-
sources must largely fail.
The time has fully arrived for recog-
nizing in the law the responsibility to
the community, the state and the ma
ton which rests upon the private own
ers of private lands. The ownership
of forest land is public trust. The
man who would so handle his forest
as to cause erosion and to injure
stream flow must be not only educated,
but he must be controlled.
The report of the national conserva-
ton commission says:
Forests in private ownership cannot be
conserved unless they are protected from
IRE. We need good fire laws, well en-
forced Fire control is impossible with
out an adequate force Of men whose sole
duty is fire patrol during the dangerous
season.
l hold as first among the tasks be-
fore the states and the nation in their
respective shares in forest conserva-
ton the organization Of efficient fire
patrols and the enactment Of good FIRE
laws on the part Of the states.
The report says further:
Present tax laws prevent reforestation
Of cut over land and the perpetuation Of
existing forests by use. An annual tax
upon the land itself, exclusive of the tim
Der. and tax upon the timber when cut
is well adapted to actual conditions of
forest investment and is practicable and
certain. II is far better that forest land
should pay a moderate tax permanently
than that 1t should pay an excessive rev.
enue temporarily and then cease 70 yield
at all.
Second only in Importance TO good
fire laws well enforced is the enact
ment Of tax laws which will permit
the perpetuation Of existing forests by
use.
Lands.
With our increasing population the
time is not far distant when the. pyob-