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Show TAXATION GOVERNS FUTURE FORESTS Forty years ago President Cleveland admonished the nation to pause and consider the future of its timber. Every President since then has had something to say about preserving the forests. If the forests were suddenly wiped out, our land would be uninhabitable, no substitution can be made for the forests. Vegetation and timber growth are essentiail to the storage of water. They hold moisture in a ns-.tural reservoir and allow it to run off gradually. Thus, they prevent periodical floods and dry periods "It is essential that our watersheds be protected not alone by sane and economic logging practices, but also by a well developed and farsighted planting program," says the Aberdeen, Washington, Daily World." Cutover lands must be replenished and protected. Fire destroys the young growth, and burns out the natural elements in the soil which are necessary to growing trees and vegetation." The burden of taxation causes many timberland owners to cut forests which they would rather hold but if they held them under present tax laws their value would be confiscated in tax payments. Also, many owners of cutover land would like to hold it with young growing trees on it, or replant it; but with heavy taxes this is impossible, for its entire value is wiped out in tax payments. For thi3 reason it is imperative that a taxation method be worked out, which permits a tax payment when the timber is marketed, mark-eted, and not continously while it is growing. |