The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-09-27
TAX CIGARETTES
TO REFOREST STATE
State Auditor Chase Figures
One-Cent Per Package
Would Yield 100000
WORTH CONSIDERATION
Many Sections of State Are
Naturally Fitted for limb
er Growing IT,.

81. L dul, SCPI. S6.~1soy L .
Chase, state auditor, today sub
mitted his proposed forest policy
for Minnesota to the legislative
interim commission on reforestra-
ton.
The auditor outlined a definite
program for handling state forest
lands; recommended cooperation
with national forests and with pri-
vate forest land owners; urged es-
tablishment of county and municip-
al forests, and suggested tenta-
tive department to have complete
control of all forest affairs.
He urged a cigaret tax of one
cent package to provide a
fund of 81, 100000 or more year
to finance the forest program.
Chase, who has been working ON
his policy for months, said that
his suggestions were not intended
to preclude discussion, but to pre-
woke it.
AS to the scope of a forest pol
icy, he said, "It should be complete,
covering all phases, and compre-
hensive, covering all areas under
every ownership. It should be
constructive rather than critical,
permanent and forward looking,
not lamenting errors of ancestry
but solving the problem for pros
perity." ........
In giving the basis for his pro-
posal he outlined su.roer of facts
which, he said were agreed upon.
These included: @'''--
A steady demand for timb-
err is assured.
There is dangerous and
growing timber shortage.
Every Minnesota acre
should be devoted to it's best
economic use.
Minnesota has all the es- -,
sentials requisite to timber
production. ~ d.
- "A million acres, of state 81
lands, and several million
acres of privately, owned
lands are best suited to for
, estry. g. - j..
Forest supervision should
be non-political. 49,.
"The state forests" Chase said,
SHOULD be primarily to grow limb
er crops, producing timber of larg-
er size and better quality than will
ordinarily be grown by private
forests with their shorter rotation.
increasing and improving produc-
ton on permanent trust fund lands
for the enrichment of said funds.
and secondarily to serve as OBJ:
ject lessons, to prevent floods and
erosion, protect water sheds, pre-
serve water supplies, conserve
converts and food and afford sane
tuaries for wild life.
"The state forests should CONF
prise solid blocks for efficient man
agement and should be established
wherever in the state land class i
ification shows the soil best suited
for forestry"
To select these spots, a complete
land classification is recommends.
"The state forest lands should
then be acquired by reservation of
suitable areas now state owned.
gift and donation, through taking
over tax delinquent lands, pur-
chase, under direct legislative sup
ervision, and condemnation.
Forest expenditures should
be made only by legislative author
ity from forest fund created by
Legislative act. Said fund should
derive it's revenues from sales of
forest products, from lands other
than trust fund lands, federal aid,
gifts, and from a special forest tax
for example a cigaret tax.
'tNo source of revenue for for
est acquisition and maintenance
could be more logical or just
than cigaret tax. Cigarets are
major cause of forest fires.
"None could be more certain.
For the fiscal year ending June 80,
1927, the consumption of cigarets
in Minnesota is estimated at g..
Ito, 664,526. Such general use may
be expected to- continue. Where
ladies lend their beauty, names and
social standing, joining athletes.
actors and business men in blind
fold advertisements, it must be
| SohSOuCu Gildt tiiC QoC VI ClSdIStS
has become quite general, will con-
tinue and increase.
"a ciraget tax Of a cent a
package in Minnesota would pro-
duce over million dollars net an
nual revenue for forestry pur-
poses. Last year the Iowa tax
produced s1,101 ,423.67. It would
be painless, fair, easy, simple and
inexpensive to collect.
For the operation of forest poll
icy, he advocates a few simple cod
flied laws.
In regard to administration,
Chase suggested forestry de-
partment having exclusive juris-
diction over state owned forests
and forest lands and all activities
pertaining thereto" and with an
executive head "The best obtain
able forest expert" q aof
- : R-,tsi