The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-05-10
LAST LEGISLATURE
AND THIS SECTION

SECRETARY VIBERT OF ARROW
HEAD ASSOCIATION SUBMITS
BRIEF SUMMARY OF LEGISI.A-
TIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR
THIS SECTION OF THE COUN-
TRY.
Matters came before the 1929 ses-
sion of the legislature directly auect-
ing the "four-square program OF the
Arrowhead Association at NUMBER Oh
points Progress is in some cases de-
pendent on legislation and In almost
every phase is affected by It,
What was done is all to the good as
far as it goes, though in several ways
It is much less than was hoped-or
expected-When the legislature met.
Nothing was done to hinder the de-
veIopment of Northern Minnesota re-
sources, but very little to help 1t.
Only in one instance more was &C
complished than seemed probable at
the outset; the act creating a state
game refuge in Beltrami, Kooch1chlng
and Lake of the Woods gave to those
LIsCicts, which were bankrupt through
ditch liens, all that was asked, all that
could have been demanded and more
than was deemed possible when the
plan was preached. 1t promises SOL
vency to those counties and at the
same time may create remunerauVe
time a nominal sum is appropriated
assets for the state.
The attitude of members from other
parts of the state toward this legis-
lation shows what may be expected
whenever the facts are clearly under
stood and the local communities agree
on the remedy. On the other hand,
the failure to obtain any substantial
results in the direction Of adjusting
mineral taxation is only what may be
expected when the problem is not gen.
orally understood and when the local
tiles affected are not agreed on the
remedies to be sought.
Reforestation Program.
The collapse of the program set up
by the Minnesota Reforestation Com
mission was a disappointment. After
a real study for two years, carefully
balanced series Of measures was
brought in, unanimously agreed to by
the members of the commission, ap-
proved with hardly dissenting voice
in the Arrowhead communities, and
well received in the state at large. 1t
failed under the stress of succession
of side winds with almost no direct
opposition.
One act was passed and approved,
an amendment to the Auxiliary For
est" act, designed to make it workable.
It reduces the annual tax on such
lands to five cents an acre, plus three
cents for fire protection. On that
basis there is considerable inquiry al
ready from owners of proposed wood
lots and at least one large project Is in
contemplation. ....
Measures to improve the admins
tration of state lands Jared badly. The
bill to create a department of conser-
walton was shipwrecked. The man
agement of state lands, mines and
timber, is still left to the auditor,
while the states chief fiscal Office is
burdened with incongruous duties. The
department of conservation is still
department in name only, with scat
tered duties and divided authority.
The state is still without manage
ment policy for assets having po-
tential value Of a hundred million dol
lars
The bill to designate additional
state forest lands was lost between
the two houses. However, the survey
of cutover lands Is continued and
lands in the forest area are to be ex-
dIIllIlGu, TcSdIO1SSS VI OW41C1S4ApJ W
ascertain their best use.
By way Of blocking up state forests,
a constitutional amendment is SUBJ
mitted, permitting state lands to be
exchanged for federal At the same
time a nominal SUI mis- appropriated
for the purchase by current funds of
lands belonging to the state trust
funds, so that exchange may be ef-
fected without taking anything from
the trust. The amendment, however,
would enable an exchange to be made
without loss or gain, and some thou
sands OF acres could then be worked
into blocks for more profitable man
agement The Arrowhead association
will undoubtedly feature this amend
ment in the future development of its
'four-square program"
No action was had on measures con-
f1rming the states title to lands in
corrigibly delinquent with view to
their designation as state forest, or
for the satisfaction of local tax claims
from subsequent receipts.
The act designed to give effect to the
met revenue" provision Of the consti-
tuition as amended in 1914 was lost.
Not beaten, it was simply lost, al
though two years ago the legislature
had readily passed 1t and, when it
was vetoed, had half mind to re-
pass it. However, the control Of state
forests by the commissioner of forestry
is somewhat strengthened by a ruling
of the attorney general and admins
trative practices in conformity with it.
The appropriation Of five cents an
acre in lieu of taxes on state forest
lands was again authorized, and again
vetoed. In view of the fact that such
payments are made in nearly every
state having state forests, and by the
national government on more liberal
scale where there are national forests;
in view Of precedents established by
Minnesota; In view Of the fact that
state auditors and governors have
urged the justice Of some such action
for twenty years; in view Of the fact
that members from all parts Of the
state saw that 1t was only fair, it was
not expected that the governor would
persist in his opposition. Under these
circumstances, the reasons assigned by
the veto message for its diSapproval
are far from convincing.
Action on the well-rounded program
of the Reforestation Commission may
therefore be summarized as follows: