Our land = La Nostra terra. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 191?-1913, 1913-04-05
RESERVE BILL HEAR
ING
April 10th Set as Date
When Bills Against Refor-
estration Will be considered
Five Counties Protest

y
protesting against reforestration, will
have their hearing before joint COM
mittee of the senate and assembly in
the assembly parIors, April 10TH
The two bills in question seek to re-
strain the work of reforestration until
thorough investigation of the agriculur
al achievements and possibilities of the
land affected, have been Investigated.
The first bill provides that a commit
tee of three from the senate and five
from the assembly be appointed. form
ing a legislative body to investigate
the forestry situation. This committee
would report at the next legislative
session whether the forest reserve in
. Villas and Oneda counties is not better
adapted to farming purposes than to
reforestration. Also whether it is not
for the higher purposes of the state to
restore most of these lands to the agri-
cultural domain.
The other bill provides that the Sc
cretary of state and the state forester
must report to the state tax commits
sion on May 1st of this year a complete
list of the land in the state forest re-
serve. On or before Nov. 1st. the state
tax commission shall assess and deter
mine the value of these lands and re-
port to each county the acreage value
assessment of the land within its bor-
ders. These lands then are to be sub
ject to taxation for all except state
purposes. When the taxes are collect
ed by the state treasurer, the money
shall be paid into the respective coun-
ty treasures.
During the past few months, since
the magnitude of State Forester Grit
fifth scheme of demonstration became
apparent, and the serious effect which
it would have upon the development of
this county became known the counties
involved have introduced legislation to
save their agricultural lands from be-
ing swallowed up in tract of almost
million and half acres of forest re-
serve which is Mr.. Griffth's proposed
plan.
Villas county has had printed and cir
culated throughout the state thousands
of circular letters, illustrated folders
and maps showing the effect the reser-
We will have upon its lands. illustrated
hangers depicting farm scenes. agricul
tural progress and settlement of Villas
county's area, by industrious progress
sive farmers, have been circulated
where they will convince people of our
agricultural wealth. They have been
brought before the legislator and show
such scenes as Adams Bros strawberry
farm, Croker Bros flock OF sheep.
fields of grain of as fine appearance as
can be seen anywhere, fiourishing fields
of corn. both growing and in the shock
scenes Of industrious settlers building
prosperous farms in the proposed re-
serve belt, dairy herds that would be a
credit to any farm in the southern part
of the state and many other pictorial
truths proving this section to be true
agricultural region contrary to Mr..
Griffith's statements.
Forest and Onieda counties have also
presented their arguments against re-
forestraiion by sending representatives
t. Madison with agricultural exhibits
and literature telling of what has and
is being done in those counties.
/ AT the hearing April 10th Villas coun-
ty will have delegation Of representa-
tive farmers before tire committee as
will the other counties who stand to
lose much territory should the reserve
project go through. They will endeav-
or to convince the committee that The
people within the proposed reserve belt
-c.come a legislative investigation as
to the real value Of their land as com
ing agricultural country and will abide
by an unbaisd opinion founded upon
thorough investigation, which they are
confident viii be in their favor
The enormity Of the demonstration
scheme looms up in dangerous aspect
only to those who take time to investi-
gate the proposed plans Of the state
forester. An almost solid tract Of ap-
proximately one million and halt
acres will wipe out Villas county, tbs
north nalf Of 0nieda county, about &
third of Forest county. fourth o-
Iron County and about seventh oi
Price county. This gigantic reserva-
ton of good agricultural land for refol
estration purposes will retard the de-
velopnent Of the n,rthern part Of The
. state in a manner detrimental to all IN
terests FOR the higher welfare Of the
state, besides being q constant draiT