Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-02-05
TALKS AT RHINELANDER
State Forester Griffith Tells
His Side of Story to Rhine
lander People last Tuesday

lander People last Tuesday
In an explanatory address on
the workings of reforestration IN
Oneida and Villas counties, to the
people of Rhinelander last Tues
day night, the New North gives
the following report of E. M.
Griffith, state forester:
E. M. Griffith, head of the state
forestry department, made an address
on his side of the present state re-
forestraton system before large
audience at the city hall Tuesday eve
ming. Mr.. Griffith presented his ar
gument in favor of reforestration in
an able manner and to people who are
not acquainted with the situation 1t
no doubt impressed them favorably.
A great MANY statements which he
made were misleading to those who
have not given demonstration much
consideration.
In the course of his address Mr..
Grill tn stated that it was the pur-
pose of the department to acquire
only such lands for demonstration as
are unfit for agriculture and tried to
impress upon the minds of his hearers
that the larger portion of the lands
now owned by the state are not suit
aole FOR farming. The fact OF the
matter is that at least so per cent Of
these lands are adapted for agricul-
ture He also declared that he is en-
deavoring to get the state, through
the legislature, to pay a portion OF
the school tax of the towns in which
reserve lands are located. Nothing
has as yet been accomplished along
this line.
He pictured to the people in a
highly colored way what fine thing
it would be to lease lands TO tourists
from all over the country at from $40
to $50 per lot per year for summer re-
sort purposes. From the general tone
of the speakers address in this re-
spect it would be inferred that he
woald like to see all this part of Wis
consin one big summer resort for the
idle rich irrespective of the citizens
and the home builders. 1t is well
known that the majority of the lands
bordering on lakes and streams are
the best for agriculture. 1t is also a
fact that the people who come
into this country seeking to build
summer homes want piece of land
which they car own and not lease.
Mr. Griffith said it was his plan to
enclose from 5000 to 10000 acres of
land in Villas county for a game pre-
serve which he intended to stock with
elk from Yellowstone Park, moose
from northern Minnesota, also fur
bearing animals of all kinds and game
birds. He neglected to say, however,
that it would require an army OF men
to maintain and guard the preserve.
This would cost the state thousands
of dollars annually with no income,
only to give the wealthy class a
chance to get some big game shooting
at the expense of the state.
He said that bill is now before the
legislature to tax all automobiles a
license fee of fifty cents per horse
power, that part of the money so
derived would be expended for roads
in the forest reserve. This statement
seems amusing as it is true that Mil
waukee county pays the highest per
cent of the automobile licenses in
Wisconsin and has roads of its own to
build. 1t would not seem reasonable
that Milwaukee would sit quietly by
and allow all this money to be spent
for roads in the forest reserve in
northern Wisconsin.
Mr.. Griffith also brought out other
smooth statements in favor of refores-
tration which sounded good but if
carried out would be very expensive
to the taxpayers.