The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1948-12-30
An Open Letter to the
Garrett County Forestry Board:

Last May you sent out letters the farmers and land own
er OF Garrett County advising that your Board adopted
Regulation restricting the cutting of mine props on
privately owned lands The Regulation is as follows:
For the purpose of this Regulation the following
tree species will be considered as desirable:
Red Oak, white oak maple red maple, hem
lock- brch, black cherry, all pines white ash and
No tree of the above species shall be cut that is
less than seven inches in diameter measured one
foot above the ground level, unless prior approval
Board"
The letter falsely stated that passing the Regulation YOU
were interested only in timber land and its benefits to its
owners and the people Of Garrett County. Only days
before the Regulation adopted your Chairman attended
protest meeting at Accident, where Approximately four
opposition restrictive Regulation that would prevent
us from cutting timber into mine props for sale.
Yet few days later he recommended the adoption by the
Board OF the above Regulation in direct defiance of the
farmers and land of county This Regulation
adopted by the Board after good sufficient warm
ings from hundreds of most substantial citizens that
these species comprise 90 Of the only kinds timber we
have here that is marketable in mine props clear there
fore, that the deliberate intent of the Board TO fon
hopeessy cripple, the cutting props on private
lands in the County, while continuing to foster the
srcted cutting of mine props and other timber on State
lands
You were warned of the waste that must inevitably result
from such Regulation If had known any thing about
TIMBER your judgment would have told you that when
the larger trees are cut down. the smaller sapngs from
which we cut mine mashed down and broken,
less they removed before the larger trees are fallen
You were told by dozens OF practical farmers and woods
men that this Regulation could only result in useless
SUuctOn and waste or w OF valuable
Der. You told too that mine prop timber more
valuable to here, than second growth timber and
that can harvest crop of mine timber from
land every ten to fifteen years.
Confronted by this arbitrary act by Board citizens
have been compelled to ignore your order you deed
ignored us The Regulation, you know has not been
Obeyed We cutting mine props usual from be-
low seven inches and expect to continue before.
We deny that Board has either the legal moral
right to restrict the cutting of timber private lands
through arbitrary action If Regulation could be
forced it would destroy the economy of population
by deprvng of the of of valuable
crops
We declare that will maintain farm lands inviolate
and that arbitrary rules of management by public boards
private property and by who know nothing about
the business they trying to regulate is un-Amercan
and unecOnomcal It. is power" without responsibility.
So long our farm homes and pay taxes o
land remain free to harvest timber other
and to finances, without interference by
public officials.
In conclusion want the people all this and
especially the members of State Legislature, know
that believe the Forestry Law, it stands,
invasion of most basic rights and therefore it cannot
be enforced against except by around necks.
GARRETT COUNTY LAND AND TIMBER
OWNERS PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
CLIFFORD FRIEND President
RALPH AULT Secretary.
BY order Of the Board of Directors,
in nopn+in at