- March 14, 1930 – JSA to John Agar (Assn. for the Protection of the Adirondacks)
Dear Mr. Agar:
The article in the March 13th New York Times concerning the Hearing on the Hewitt bill, has just been called to my attention. Had I known of the Hearing, I certainly would have attended and taken with me a delegation.
I am glad your letter was put on the records. The amendment, however, as read to me over the ‘phone, merely corrects the bill to read as the Constitution is now written, and does not alter or modify the bill as might appear from the Times article.
I was just talking to man in the lumber business, and he agrees that this amendment would cause conflict between the public and the private interests, and merely delay a broader policy which should encourage more extensive reforestation by the lumber companies, and utilization of lands, outside of the forest preserve.
It is interesting to note in the Times Article the claim of great profits through commercial forestry by the State, If such returns cannot be obtained by the skillful lumber companies, it is hardly conceivable that the State could be so successful. It is also noticeable that the reforestation acreage exceeds the nursery output and the funds available by such a wide margin that the two are not recognized as being related.
I hope you will be able to get a forcible editorial fro both the Times and the Tribune, before this final vote takes place, since many of our legislators come up for re-election next fall and will probably be more sensitive to their public duty now than they would be after the election.
Cordially yours,
- S. Apperson