The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-02
POLICY WANTED FOR ORPHAN
ACRES.
Duluth Herald, June 30.)

cut-for which the state needs some
nolicy. In the natural course OF ev-
ents something more than half Will
he taken for farms; abodt a million
acres may be put into federal forest
and something like eight million
acres will be left orphan.
For that orphan land state poiicy
is wanted. And it would better not
be a stepmother policy either-a pol
lev which would leave the land sat
ting like Cinderella in it's ashes.
Very likely the state will scqulre
area by forfeiture. That is simple
way of building up valuable pubic
forest and Minnesota may find 1t
good business to pursue that plan.
1t is being done in Michigan. More
than three million acres of cutover
land has reverted to the state OF
Michigan. In some counties more
than half the land has passed to the
state under tax judgment beyond any
right of redemption.
Under the Michigan law. where
any. of this land is better suited Tor
raising trees than for other purposes
if the conservation department GER
tifies to that effect, it may be turned
over to the forestry division to be
managed as state forest.
But there is catch to it-there
always is a catch. In this case the
Aalcmgan legislature realized what
is becoming apparent in Minnesota
blocks of land, unless the state also
pays the dues that apply to the land,
other land owners in that district,
...e settlers and farmers, are frozen
QUA.
So Michigan adopted rule that
on these forestry tracts the state
will pay what is equivalent to mini
mum tax for schools and roads in
thinly settled country. On that
ground the state pays five cents an
acre to the local government, as an
advance payment from the proceeds
of the forest which the state expects
to reap some time in the future.
The state reckons on being reimburs-
I'd by and by and the settler has a
chance to work out his salvation
without being crushed under double
load of taxes
AS for the rest of the land, which
lies under tax judgment, land which
nobody wants enough to pay taxes
on it, Michigan has nothing to offer
so far but the step-mother plan.
On this plan, Michigan has acquir-
ed nearly a million acres of forest
bearing land
Two million acres more is waiting
to be taken over by the forestry de-
partment. 1t is land fit for growing
trees, land that is abandoned to tax
Judgment, not redeemed, not likely
to be redeemed, unstable at present
at any price.
The forestry department wants it
but does not apply for it. Why,
No funds. The state has not prov
ided enough.
Two million acres, owned by the
state, which the forestry department
can have for public forest for five
cents an acre per year-and no mon
ey to pay the dues.
Under precisely similar circum-
stances, the state of Minnesota needs
a policy for the eight million acres
of cutover land that won't be wanted
for farming for another generation.
1t may be good business for the
state to take over for public forest
In that case it needs policy by
which the state will pay dues on the
land. 1t is either that or the STEP
mother policy. and that is too hard
on the settler to be tolerated.
There may be other land which the
state will not acquire. In Europe
where state forests are generally fav-
ored and usually profitable there are
still private holdings. In Sweden,
where public forests are notably sue
cessful, 70 per cent of the forest
land is in private ownership. For
this forest bearing land in private
ownership Minnesota needs a policy,
something better than the step-moth-
err policy of neglect,
Northern Minnesota the Ten
Thousand Lakes country and the Ar
rowhead district-are looking for a
harvest of tourist traffic; tourists
won't come if the country is subject
to fire and desolation. What shall
be done about it? All Northern Min.
nesota has been dwelling for years
on a development program; it will
be frustrated if the settler has to
carry a double head of taxation
What shall be done about it?
And for that par. Of the area
which will raise crop of trees or do
nothing, there is the alternative of
finding a successful policy or letting
the fires and the taxes run.
What shall be done about it?