Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-02-19
REF ORESTATION
PROJECT DEFEATED

VI UAlc w 1oCOIlSlu supreme court,
covering the matter of demonstration,
knocks the plans of State Forester.
iritfith and his cohorts into a cooked
nat and effectually disposes Of the
plot to practically eliminate five
counties Off the state map in the at
tempt to create a million and half
icre forest reserve of which some
would become available within the
next one hundred years or so. Be-
lore the work can be carried further,
an affirmative vote by the people, in
che form OF an amendment to the
constitution, will have to be passed.
Judging from the fate of those voted
on last fall there isn't much danger
Coming from that source very soon.
Senator TOmpkins however is quoted
as saying that he will favor the pas
the present session. This brings the
as chairman of the legislative inveS-
tigating committee and supposedly
neutral. His neutrality seems be on
a par with the fellow who doesn't
give d--n who ticks the Dutch tho
the fact Of Ashland county laying
outside of the reserve area may have
tended to convert him to the belief
that it is a good thing for neighbor-
ing counties. The people Of the five
counties have every reason to feel
| highlyelated over the decision just as
before, they had every reason to fear
| the outcome Of the demonstration
! idea. taxpayers ali over the state
would also have awakened 10 the fact
| that they too, had a financial inter
est in the project had it been able to
hold it's head up before the Supreme
| Court
This decision will do much to hast
en- the settling of all the counties as it
has undoubtedly been retarded for the
past few years. Men naturally would
hesitate to start permanent improv e.
ments in a country doomed to be a
wild wilderness for coming centur-
les. You can be sure that immigra-
tion agents and real estate men of
other counties, have made good use
of our dilemma too when talking to
d pIosp GcJiye iand purchaser who in
cidentally happened to state that be-
fore closing deal anywhere, he in
tended to go up into Villas or Oneida
county and look around little. Now,
with not one foot of dry land but
what is suitable to some form of ag
riculture, much equal to the best in
this or any other state, good railroad
| facilities( every description in Villas
County can be reached in half day
from some railroad station within it's
borders) heavier rainfall per annum
than any other portion of the state,
good water, good roads, good markets,
good schools and neighbOrS. All OF
i1soI hi fnO 0f 0C
important factors in rapid settling
firmly beliye that Villas County will
comes around in 1920.
The Stevens bill passed two years ago
giving towns the right to levy taxes
on state lands within their boundar-
les is also declared unconstitutional.
The Milwaukee Journal that has
been busy spreading the gospel Of re-
forestry for two years, had nothing
to say beyond quoting Senator Hust-
ing as being deeply panied az the
-gTeat setback thus given to Con
servation Of state resources, etc. 4
The Evening wisconsin timidly
said: 1.-THE decision of the state SUI
preme Court that the forestry policy
of Wisconsin is unconstitutional Will
save a loo OF trouble"
G. e. NanderCook, the think for
him self legislative correspondent for
that paper said: Efforts which seek
to make a forest where nature in
tends farm will STOP
Again: against the earnest pro-
test and prayer Of the citizens of
northern Wisconsin this gigantic plan
of mpracticability was fastened
down."
And: 1.-THE men who knew all
about it and who from time to time
have forged the chains which the
court sewers, promoted the scheme
through the most enticing methods
ever presented. The prospectus is
sued violated the spirit and intent of
the most drastic blue sky Ian ever
thought OF. =
In connection with the foregoing,
the following summary taken frola
the report made by the Investigating
committee to the present legislature
is interesting reading as showing
the way the cards were put together
prior to the cut by Judge Marshall.
SUMMARY
The Committee Found:
1. That Wisconsin conditions are
ideal for the growing Of trees, partlc-
ularly white and Norway pine.
2. That artificial reforestation will
ultimately become source of profit
to the State.
8. That such planting should be
confined principally to white and
Norway pine.
4. That quicker and cheaper re-
suits can be had by the encourage
ment of natural second growth-that
is, natural reproduction.
S, That it will only be few years
before owners of private estates will
engage in the refOFeStation of their
non-agricultural lands.
6. That the task given the COM
mittee to decide which Of the lands
in the proposed Forest Reserve are