The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-01-26
Proposed Constitutional Amendment fOi
ReforestratiOn Explained by for
eStry Commission.
To the Editor:

eStry Commission.
To the Editor:
On the eighth Of, November next |
the electors of Minnesota will have !
a chance to make an x on separate
pink ballot opposite the proposed |
constitutional amendment for an
annual tax Of one fifteenth of a |
mill on each dollar of taxible prop
erty (equal to seven cents on each |
thousand dollars) for reforestation.
To adopt the amendment requires
majority of all votes cast at the
election. The elector will probably
first vote for the several candidates
for state Offices, members of the
legislature. county officers and rep
resentatives in congress, whose
names will be on another ballot.
and he may feel too much in d
hurry to stop to vote for this amend
merit. Besides. there is nat
ural feeling in every one to vote
against an increase of taxes. So in
spite of allthe talk for reforestation,
this amendment is liable to fail.
SANDY LAND USED.
If the amendment be adopted,
there will annually be raised about
$72, 900, which the forestry board
can use in the purchase at not over
So per acre Of forestry land and in
planting it according to forestry
principles. Naturally, land at that
price will be mostly sandy and only
fit to produce pine trees. The ex-
perience of Germany shows that
pine planted on such land will, on an
average, yield $4,000 board feet per
acre in eighty years. at which time
the trees will be apout twelve inches
In diameter breast high, and that
the investment will net three per
cent compound interest. The pres
ent generation will get the benefit.
of most Of the $72, 900 yearly in pay--
ment for labor. Future generations
will get the timber, and the public
generally will derive benefit in the
increase Of wealth, in increasd beau
ty of scenery. improvement of CHM
ate. soil, Water-flow and covert for
useful game. Good roads go with
forests. The European state forests
are health and pleasure resorts for
the people.
WHY THE STATE SHOULD UNDER
TAKE REFoRESTATIoN
Since its first settlement the pop
ulation of the United States has in
creased at the average rate of
eighteen per cent every ten years.
At the same rate it will in eighty
years be 100000 900.
1t is very seldom that individuals
will plant forests when they have to
wait eighty years for a crop. The
state must do it. Of the present
lcut-over pine lands in Minnesota
only about five per cent have be-
come well restocked with valuable
kinds Of timber. Tt would take
centuries for nature alone to restore
our forests. Nature has better
chance to renew forests in Prussia
than Minnesota; yet Prussia plants
fifty thousand acres Of forest annu-
| ally.
The question is sometimes asked,
why should the state buy land when
it now owns land? The land which
| the state owns il school and institu-
ton land, which. according to the
constitution, must be offered at pub
lie sale = the school land at not less
than SIS per acre. and the state in
stitution land not less than $3.75 per
acre. the proceeds to go into per-
manent funds. Besides. the most of
the state land will be utilized for
agriculture.
AS a source Of a leading industry
the Minnesota forests will be ex-
hausted in dozen years. The state
should begin reforestation.
i How will your county vote on
this question? Which shall be the
banner county for reforestation!
n I ask that philosophical people In
each county appoint a committee td
communicate with an energetic
person In each precinct In che
oot,x,fr w,hn mill crfxxa +hn v.,atAn~