The New York herald., 1878-03-25
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

WASHINGTON, March "a, 1875
THE TIMBER DnpRt DA1IoNs s--REPoLT OF spE-
CIAL AGENT NowLAN DESrID-sEcHETARY
ACTION.
Hon. Martin Magnnis Delegate from Montana, has
received the following despatch IRON Helena, In shat
Territory, dated March 23:-
United States Mar.hal hceIcr reports S. 900
cash collected IRON seized WOOD ana lumber
IN GoDtana, mostly from wood IN the hands
OF laborers VINO ivo by cutting and haul
ing TO market. The tax has advanced
lumber. Only consumers have suffered, not sawmil
men, as crroneousiy stated by the Nowlan letter to
ony Tor domestic purposes, not for speculation. Tho
low price OF wood now is attributable cnureiy TO tho
remarkably mid winter, which his been ike autumn
weather since October. u. NJ. rAKcHEN,
President Helena Board Of Trade.
Secretary Schurz sail curing an interview regard
Ing the recent action OF the senate the matter OF
timber depr redation:-
The appropriation for the discovery and prosecution
Of timber a.preda,ors, reduced To $1,000 as It Lus
been by the senate, unier the present circum.
stances VIII not bc Sufficient to prepare mecca
now Impending in tho different states. There are
many suits still pending IN Mississippi, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota ana Louisiana, anu seventeen
Indictments IN Florida and nucen IN California In
many Instances II viii bc Lecessary in order to com-
plete the testimony to employ surveying parties to
retrace the Iues where deprcdations have been
mitted, SO AS TO enable the government to sho~
thoritaiIvcy the particular subdivisions OF public
land on which the timber had been cut and THIS costs
money AS the preparation OF this testimony 10 tho
most imperative thing TO be done at present We
snail have 10 Apply the money appropriated TO
tnat purpose, HDd We snail DO obliged to
abandon the investigation OF dcprcuatioDs aud their
prosecution IN ali other localities TINS rs rather un-
dcrstatlng than overstng the case. have considered
IL, and do consider my duty officer OF the
government to execute the laws. BY making an APP
preparation at all for the prosecution OF timber dopre
dations Congress recognized the principle that the
laws In that respect thould bc executed. But u Con
gress makes that Appropriation small as 10 restrict
TO very nilcd sphere OF action, sucn an
uct Will DO considered as virtually proclamation TO
timber dcprcdaiors IN all the length and breadth Of
the country now to go In and make themselves COM
portable, as they arc assured tLat the government
Will no longer have the means to interfere with tbnn.
Tho amendment to the biiI prohlb'.ng The uso
OF tho money appropriated for the seizure Of
any timber cut upon The public lands OF
the Territories which is not for expectation from the
territory OF the unitod states where the lumber grew
will, in my opinion, have this effect In the rrrrto-
res OF Montana, idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Dakota
on as heretofore without any interiorehce or
regulation upon tho part OF tue govern.
pent unless further legislation DO had; aud
am conhdcnt that the time 10 not far dn
taDt when the people, especially OF tho mouD-
famous regions, VIII look with great regret AT thcir
mountains stripped of their forest growth. VIII Icb,
when once destroyed, will never reproduce Itself aud
remember the effort made To savn IL IRON 1esrncivn
and the disastrous consequences winch Inevitably
must follow, which effort has been defeated.
There is ono Territory iron which extensive cx.
portaton Of timber taken from tho puulc lands
That IS tho Territory OF Washington. Even u this
small appropriation now made bc not absorbed ny
other necessities II would be impossible 10 II with
any considerable effect 10 stop the exploration the
department would not DO able TO use the
money Tor the said purpose unless tho intention Of
exporiaton DO conclusIvey shown The difficulty
OF showing that intention Is apparent II We pro-
hibitod IRON using this appropriation In making
seizures OF timber cut uDon the public lands on tho
spot whero II Is cut, or tho logs IN booms IN tho
timer yards OF dealers and SPECTATORS, ana
strctcd 10 seizures made where the Iuten 10 export Is
nj ho al ncs
Is evident that IN country with many iDlcts and
| little barbors as Washington Territory, We can
succeed only In very rare instances. Even with o
larger appropriation IL would bo impossible Tor US,
under such restrctions to prevent The bulk Of that
Legitimate trade from going on as before. and tho
stealing of public timber viii therefore, In all proba.
bty, DO carried upon greater scale than before,
With this encouragement.
| II Is noteworthy that tho law prohibiting the
taxing OF TIMBER IRON The public lands s not repealed
by this ACT WHAT thc act really does Is 10 render the
| government unable 10 execute tho law, the justice
and validity VI which has never been questioned until