The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-05-26
FORESTER GIVES VIEWS
e. NJ. GRIFFITH MISQUOTED AS TO
CUT-OvER LANDS SPEECH.
Denies Statements Attributed to Him
Which Might Be Derogatory to
Northern Wisconsin.

MADISON, Wis. May I'll Speciail
State Forester +. NJ. Gritlith issued
this statement today anent the cut-over
lands controversy:
Ny attention has been called to an article
IN the front page of the Milwaukee, Sen
incl Of the 10Th, in which | am quoted as
having stated iii a talk before the outdoor
Art Association Of Milwaukee that all cut
over IahdS III northern Wisconsin were IN
II for agriculture and that the owners or
hcSe lands Were duping settlers by selling
o them at SO per acre, whereas the state
ould purchase the same character of lands
Il 500 per acre.
| have been mlsauoted and the article
gives an entirely wrong impression. AS /
was showing some views of very sandy anu
'ocky lands which had been burned over re
)cutcdly, | stated that the best utilization
II these lands was serious economic prop
en- for the state, and that the attempts OF
certain compa MES to induce settlers TO pnr'
base such lands at SO per acre was devil
Sh' as the lands were not suitable Tor
agriculture but were strictly forest lands.
! stated that dipping poor settlers In TINS
way had oftentmes resulted III giving
northern Wisconsin n black eye as al agfl-
cultural section. | did not of course state
hat all the cut-ovcr pine lands were unlt
'or cultivation, as such statement would be
absurd.
Some -four years ago l secured samples or
sandy soils from different sections IN Is
uusin and the analysis showed that lhey
varied remarkably in soil fertility. Also
having travelled through nearly every coun-
y in northern Wisconsin ! know That IN
some sections there are good Farms on
sandy soils, while in other sections the sci
-lcrs are wrctChcdly poor It makes all the
Inference In the world whether it Is pure
sand or whether there IS iOam mixed IN
with the sand. What | did say was that
Inc hardwood lands of northern Wisconsin
were really just beginning tp be settled ana
hat these wOull be fine farming sections
md | do not believe any one VIII dispute
this.
was also nIisquotcd in what I said re-
sardinG water powers The article states
speaking of the water powers of The state
Mr. Grillith said the owners were making Il
bitter fight against the state handling them
'ur the whole people. In Ih!S he SAID, they
were standing in their own light. Ms the
STATE now had the power 10 aunul any
franchises which had been granted.
What | did say was thar ! thought inc
water power owners were standing IN theit
Dwn light rs "a forty'yenr franchise. Whlrh
1t was suggested should be- gwen, seemed
better than SO-calcd perpetual frnncHlS'
which contained the amendment and repea
cause.
As stated, ! was misquorcd just enough &c
convey an entirely wrong Impression To the
reader. I trust YOU will Civ" this correction
# mine rs prominent a pace rs possible. a.
! do not want to in any way retard the sci
Element of lands which are really Snlthhle
for agriculture. | have repeatedly stated
IN my published reports ana in articles an0
addresses that il Is one of the principal ten
els Of forestry that no land suitable Tor
farming should he KEEP; under forests n
there is plenty Of land in Wisconsin, ano
nearly every other state which Is suitable
only for forest growth.
Therefore there should be no quarrel be
tween the forester and those VINO are sou
ing land really suitable for farms y great
wrong * done to the settler and hnrlu e
the state when he is induced 10y FALSE STATE
mrnts 10 locate on nou-agri"uItural Janus
The state has commenced a soil survey
Of northern Wisconsin aud this IS L dc
laycd step in the right direction.