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MAY 19, 1880.—Ordered to be printed and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

SAINT PAUL, MINN., March 31, 1880.

DEAR SIR: After the adoption of the report, memorial, and bill for a school of forestry by the chamber of commerce, on the 16th February last, letters were sent out of the tenor of the inclosed form, in some instances signed by the president of the chamber, in others by a member of the special committee, soliciting the views of distinguished persons whose opinions would be supposed to have weight on the subject. The letters were sent impartially, without any knowledge on our part of the opinions the gentlemen would have on the subject. The result has been that out of fourteen replies, which up to this time have been received, twelve are absolutely, unconditionally, and earnestly in favor of the plan; while only two, those of Dr. Eliot, president of Harvard University, and Prof. C. S. Sargent, are adverse to it.

Among the distinguished men who emphatically favor the plan are the presidents of Cornell University, Yale College, Amherst College (Mass), Thomas Russell, ex-judge of the superior court of Massachusetts and ex-collector of the port of Boston, and John A. Warder, of Ohio, president of the American Forestry Association.

I now have the honor, in compliance with instructions of the chamber of commerce, to inclose all of these letters to you; those adverse as well as those in favor of the plan. I would state, however, that the originals of the replies from the president. of Cornell University, the governor of Iowa, and the president of the University of Wisconsin were mislaid by a press reporter, so that I am only able to send you printed copies of those three letters.

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At the meeting of the chamber of commerce last Monday, I suggested that all of these letters be printed with the report, memorial, and bill, in pamphlet form, but Messrs. James Smith, Banning, and McClung expressed the opinion that you would be able to get the letters printed by the Senate. I expressed doubts about your being able to do so. However, the chamber instructed the special committee, of which I am chairman, to send the letters to you and request that you have them printed by the Senate. If we had procured a one-sided expression of opinion, there might be strong objection to the Senate printing it; but as the expression is impartial, and procured in an impartial and disinterested spirit, perhaps the Senate will be willing to print it. The document, anyhow, will be rather short.

As to the adverse letters, Dr. Eliot is opposed to a grant of land for technical education. Judge Russell's authority (of the same State) should be equally as strong. He quotes Daniel Webster with effect.

Professor Sargent thinks a school of forestry would have no pupils. But Mr. Ludden, an experienced lumberman, shows that men instructed in forestry would now find plenty of employment at good pay. It can also be said that if the proposed plan should now receive the desired support, it will be ten years or so before it can be well under way.

In addition to the other letters, I inclose one from State Auditor Whitcomb, expressing the opinion that the value of the proposed grant would not average over $1.25 per acre. Also, a letter from Mr. Baldwin, chief clerk surveyor-general's office, as to the destruction of forests in Minnesota.

I remain, dear sir, respectfully and truly yours,

Hon. S. J. R. MCMILLAN,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

C. C. ANDREWS.

[Form of letter soliciting opinions on the proposed school of forestry.]

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,

Saint Paul, Minn., February 23, 1880.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to inclose copy of a report, memorial, and bill recently adopted by the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce, favoring a donation of land by Congress for the endowment of a school of forestry at this place. The chamber will be quite thankful if you will be at the pains to give the papers a perusal, and, in case the plan meets your approval, to communicate a few lines to that effect, which might be submitted to the committee in Congress having the matter in charge.

I am, dear sir, very respectfully, yours,

A KEPORT ON FORESTRY.

General Andrews, for the special committee appointed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a school of forestry, submitted a report in writing, accompanied by a memorial and bill. He prefaced the reading of the report by stating that he became interested in the subject about ten years ago, when he visited the iron district of Sweden and observed there the systematic preservation and reproduction of the forests which for centuries have supplied the charcoal used in smelting iron. He then found there established a forestry institute in the nature of a college, and several minor schools of forestry. He had afterwards made an official report on the subject to our government, which had printed and circulated it. The report was then read, as follows:

The committee's report.

The committee appointed under the motion adopted the 9th instant relative to the expediency of the chamber memoralizing Congress for a donation of land to endow a school of forestry at Saint Paul, have regarded the subject as one of much importance, and have endeavored to give it candid and careful consideration. They are aware that the chamber of commerce should economize its influence in respect to memorializing Congress, and that it should refrain from such action unless supported by strong grounds. Also, that it would be impolitic to burden the Senators and Representatives in Congress from this State with impracticable schemes. There is now such a prejudice against land grants that only an exceptionally meritorious measure looking for such aid could expect favorable hearing. Minnesota acknowledges the past liberality of Congress as to donations of land. Those which helped to build her railroads have, however, benefited the country at large as well as this State, for the roads are but tributaries to that current of commerce which wafts opulence to the great centers further east. Every acre of land granted to Minnesota for educational purposes has

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