The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-29
TELLS WHY HE WANTS
CONSOLIDATION PLAN
State Forester's and Cattle
Commissioners Of
fees Criticized

interests OF the state. 1t seems, he said
| that he was misunderstood in some quar-
ters, especially about the cattle commits
sioner and the forestry interests, al
though he intended and supposed he had
made his position clear, both in his mes
sage and his informal talk the other
evening to the Farmers club, and to the
members of the legislature who had
called on him.
| He further stated that he had no gum
shoe or dark lantern scheme in this or
any other matter. that his sole purpose
was TO give the state the best he knew
| how TO give, that he believed firmly in
single headed authority and responsible
| ity In answer to further question as
10 the forestry situation. he stated he in
tended to give and would give that inter
eat the best trained man he could find,
who would devote his entire time to see
that the value of forestry was brought
home TO the farmers Of the state as it
had never been brought home before;
that he believed almost every farmer
when he once realized the Importance of
forestry to him, would begin to set out
on his waste lands a crop that in few
years would add an increasing value
to the farm; that the acquiring Of cut
over lands by the state was certainly of
Importance If bought rightly and looked
after properly; that the large holders OF
timberland and cut over lands were cor
porations and men Of means, who knew
and understood forestry and were amply
able 10 look after the matter themselves
but the small holder was the man to be
instructed and encouraged.
Although the department. has been in
existence some eight years, the results to
the small holder are negligible compared
with what they might be; that there has
been for some time friction ais TO the
conduct OF the Downer state forest, while
II petty quarrels had been laid aside,
this property might have been Of great
Importance as a field for instruction for
ticing forestry, orchardry and agriculture,
ticing forestry. orchadry and agriculture:
that he thought forestry must be taught
out of doors, not in any office, and could
best be taught by personal contact with
the land and its owner; that meetings
for discussion. of course, were of great
Importance and tended 10 disseminate in
formation. but that personal contact
with the man who could be persuaded to
set out trees and care for them was of
far greater importance; that no man
could expect to get quick results when a
forester was permitted to spend two
thirds of his time in classroom teaching
a class of young men who had yet to
make a start in life or who had not even
yet acquired the land upon which to
plant tree, or in his office writing tech
nical letters to people who could not yet /
by any possibility have acquired techni- |
cal knowledge of forestry.
When he was asked about the cattle +
Gov. Graham stated that
Mr.. Davis was efficient and thorough in
his work, but that the management and .
conduct of the state fair, for which he
received an adequate salary. occupied
considerable portion OF his time and fur 4
ther that he issued test permits and re-
reived reports from the veterinaries and
issued certificates upon the auditor,
which work was in nine cases out of ten
purely office routine which could be han
He'd properly by a good Office man in
with other office duties, such
is accounting for the money used by the
present board of trustees for the state
agricultural schools and the commission
II of agriculture. and il the bill in ques- |
ion becomes law, the money used in {
he conduct of the forestry bureau. And !
good stenographer would handle the !
of all of these depart
nents easily. !
The commission would have time TO 90 5
bout the state great deal more than in
he past and very easily settle such dis 8
'uted questions as might arise; that it q
vas to be expected that technical for /
stry questions must be settled in the {
rst instance by the forester, but that Q
he advice and oversight of well trained {
of agriculture would not {
ONE amiss when questions of policy Il
rose, especially If the Importance of
orestry interests were to be for once at
east brought home TO the farmer; that
ir. Davis had said to him last week that :
e personally would not oppose the con
plan, but that the drovers and !,
hippers would.
Upon inquiry as TO the resolution
dopted by the Vermont Timberland
'wners' association last Friday evening,
he governor stated that an examination >
: published in The Caledonian, disclosed =
hat these people were not timberland u
wners, but the representatives of large );
1ncerns in Massachusetts and New .
whose principal business up :
, the present time was the denuding OF i
le forest lands, rather than the encour- q
cement OF tree planting. and that sP- y
arently the officers of this association u
ere non-residents.
Gov. Graham stated with some force, OF
9TH in voice and manner, that since he el
I'd taken the Office the present state
lrester had not called upon him. either g
paw his respects or to suggest what u
Ight to Be- done to improve the forestry "
terests, although he had noticed the "
Irester at the hotel and in the lobby az n
le State House almost every day since VI
: return from Washington; that the a.
tiers and resolutions which have come p
ON Washington and the forestry con- m
renee had been inspired. as the govern n
Learned Of il when in Washington last re