t be Conservative.
THE CONSERVATIVE
AltllOlt I > AV.
TIVE gets many
letters relative to Arbor Day , its origin
and observance.
The subjoined is from a book edited
by Governor Robert W. Farnas and
published by the State Journal Com
pany in 1888 :
"What is now known almost through
out the civilized world as 'Arbor Day , '
originated in Ne-
Its Origin. , , . .
braska. At an
annual meeting of the Nebraska State
Board of Agriculture , held in the city of
Lincoln , Jan. 4 , 1872 , J. Sterling Morton
of Nebraska Oity , introduced the follow
ing resolution , which was unanimously
adopted , after some little debate as to
the name , some present contending for
the term 'Sylvan' instead of 'Arbor' :
" 'Resolved , That Wednesday , the
10th day of April , 1872 , be and the same
is hereby especially set apart and con
secrated for tree planting in the state of
Nebraska , and the State Board of Agri
culture hereby name it Arbor Day ; and ,
to urge upon the people of the state the
vital importance of tree planting.hereby
offer a special premium of one hundred
dollars to the agricultural society of
that county in Nebraska which shall ,
upon that day , plant properly the largest
number of trees ; and a farm library of
twenty-five dollars' worth of books to
that person who , on that day , shall
plant properly in Nebraska the greatest
number of trees. "
"Mr. J. T. Allan offered the following
resolution , which was also adopted
unanimously :
" 'Resolved that the newspapers of
the state be requested by the State
Board of Agriculture to keep the resd-
lution in regard to the anniversary day
for tree planting standing in their
columns until April 10th next , and to
call especial attention of the people to
the importance of the matter from time
to time. '
'The newspapers of the state were
generous and kept Arbor Day well
before the people. The result was that
over a million trees were planted in
Nebraska on the first Arbor Day , April
10 , 1872. The day was again observed
in 1873 with increased interest and
results.
"March 81 , 1874 , the first Arbor Day
proclamation was issued by the gover
nor :
"Whereas , The Nebraska State Board
of Agriculture , at its January meeting ,
1874 , adopted the following resolutions :
"Resolved , That the second Wednes
day of April of each year be and the
same is hereby
Governor's . . , , , , .
proclamation. designated , dedicated -
cated , and set apart
as 'Arbor day' for the state of Nebraska ,
and that the agriculturists of Nebraska
be requested to petition the legislature
to make said Arbor Day a legal holiday.
That until so.made a holiday the gover-
nor be requested to call attention to said
'Arbor Day , ' by proclamation , and re
quest the wholft people of the state to
observe it , by planting forest , fruit , or
ornamental trees.
"And , Whereas , I have been officially
notified by the president of said board ,
and by him requested to comply there
with ,
"Now , Therefore , I , Robert W.
Furnas , governor of the state of Nebras
ka , do hereby publicly proclaim the
aforesaid transactions of the State Board
of Agriculture , and both respectfully
and urgently recommend that the day
designated , viz. , the 8th day of April ,
1874 , be observed by the people of this
state , as desired and expressed in the
resolution herein referred to
"In testimony whereof , I have here
unto set my hand and caused the great
seal of the state of Nebraska to be affixed
on the 81st day of March , A. D. 1874.
iSEAL OF STATE. ] ROBT. W. FURNAS.
By the Governor :
John J. Gosper , Secretary of State.
1 'It was generally observed in all parts
of the state , and millions of trees were
planted on that day. Annually there
after , other governors followed this
example , until at the session of the
legislature in the winter of 1885 , the
following act was passed , designating
the 22nd of April in each year as Arbor
Day , and making it one of the legal
holidays :
"Sec 8. [ Days to be observed as holi
days. ] That the following days , towit ,
the first day of January , February
twenty-second , and the twenty-second
of April , which shall be known as 'Arbor
Day' the twenty-fifth day of December ,
the thirtieth day of May , and July
fourth , and any day appointed or
recommended by the governor of this
state , or the president of the United
States , as a day of fast or thanksgiving ,
and when any one of these days shall
occur on Sunday , then the Monday fol
lowing shall , for all purposes whatso
ever as regards the presenting for pay
ment or acceptance , and the protesting
and giving notice of the dishonor of bills
of exchange , bank checks or promissory
notes , made after the passage of this act ,
be deemed public holidays , and be
treated and considered as the first day
of the week , commonly called Sunday.
Provided , That when any of these days
shall occur on Monday , any bill of ex
change , bank check or promissory note ,
made after the passage of this act ,
which but for this act would fall due
and be payable on such Monday , shall
become due and be payable on the day
thereafter.
"Since the inauguration of Arbor
Day , liberal ( both constitutional and
statutory ) provis-
. .
Statutory Enactments. . . .
ions have been
made in Nebraska. A clause in the
existing constitution provides , 'That
the increased value of lands by reason of
ive fences , fruit and forest trees grown
and cultivated thereon , shall not be
taken into account in the assessment
thereof. '
"The following statutory enactments
are now in existence ( Chapter 2 , Agri
culture ] :
"Sec. 8. That the corporate authori
ties of the cities and villages of the state
of Nebraska shall cause shade trees to
be planted along the streets thereof.
"Sec. 4. For the above purpose a tax
of not less than one dollar , nor more
than five dollars , in addition to all other
taxes , shall be levied upon each lot
adjacent to which the trees are to be
planted as aforesaid and collected as
other taxes.
"Sec. 5. Trees shall be annually
planted , when practicable , on each side
of one-fourth of the streets in each city
and village in the state of Nebraska ,
until all shall have shade trees along
them not more than twenty feet apart.
"See. 6. The corporate authorities
aforesaid shall provide by ordinance the
distance from the side of the street that
trees shall be planted , and the size
thereof.
"Sec. 7. Provided , the owner of any
lot or lots may plant- trees adjacent
thereto where ordered as above , in the
manner and of the size prescribed , and
on making proof thereof by affidavit to
the collector , said affidavit shall exempt
said owner from the payment of the
aforesaid tax.
"Sec. 8. Any person who shall
materially injure or shall destroy the
shade tree nr trees of another , or permit
his animals to injure or destroy them ,
shall be liable to a fine of not less than
five dollars , nor more than fifty dollars ,
for each tree thus injured or destroyed ,
which fine shall be collected on com
plaint of any person or persons before
any court of proper jurisdiction. One-
half of all fines thus collected shall be
paid to the owner of the trees injured or
destroyed ; the other half shall be paid
into the school fund.
"Sec. 9. That this act shall not apply
to any person that is occupant of any
business lot without his consent.
"Sec. 10. That when any person shall
plant and properly cultivate for-the
term of five years , six rows of trees ,
eight feet apart , and the trees four feet
apart in the row , along either the north
section or the half section line , running
east and west , said rows to be not nearer
to the said north section or half section
line than four feet or to the south line
of any road which may be laid out on
said north section or half section line ;
or when any person shall fill out to the
standard above prescribed , and keep the
same in a proper state of cultivation for
the time above stated , any rows of trees
that may have previously been planted
along said north section or said half
section line , it shall be the duty of the
county commissioners to pay to such