The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-15
secretary Sehurz ON the Destrue-
ti0n OF Timber on the Public
Lands.

WASHINGTON, March 14.-Secretary
Schurz being asked what he thought Of
yesterday's debate 10 the Senate on the
prosecution Of the timber depredators In
Montana, said some Senators attack the
Interior Department for doing thing 1t
has not done, and scarcely mentioned the
things 1t really has done. We were ar.
raigned for having persecnted settlers
and miners who wanted little wood for
their stoves and mines, while We really
had only prosecuted spectators who had
deprecated on the public lands on large
scale for the saka Of perponal profit. un.
der the instructions Of this Department
mot settler or miner has been touched,
except where persons had cut timber un-
der cover Of fraudulent presumption or
homestead claims. When these specula-
tors obtained from FIVE to eight dollars
per cord for wood and from $50
TO $50 per thousand feet for manu-
factnred lumber, which they have taken
from the public lands, they could afford
to pay the government at least small
part Of their profit as the people in other
parts Of the country have to do. As to
depopula,ing the territories there are no
signs Of that, either in Montana or any
other territory, in consequence Of the &c.
tion Of the Interior Department, but 1t is
. notorious fact that the consumption OF
timber which the people take for nothing
will be infinitely more wastefnl than II
they have to pay for ii. In this way the
mountain sides in these territories will
soon be stripped Of their forests, and the
forests once destroyed the mountain sides
will remain bare forever. II that goes
on In the present wasteful manner only q
short period longer, then these ter
ritories will, in part become unin..
habitabIe and depopnlated, especial
" the valleys which depend on regular
supply Of water. II the consumption OF
timber can be reduced to the actual me-
cessities OF the people by action Of the
government, and the waste now going on
be prevented, the territories, instead OF
being depopulated, will be protected
against the most disastrous consequences
which otherwise must ensue. notice
that our method Of doing this has been
called unAmerican. / never thought 1t
was unAmerican, to prevent stealing, to
enforce the laws. We are bound to exc.
cute the laws as they are as well as We
can. Ifthese laws are not as they should
be, it il the business OF Congress to make
them SO. The operations ot the Depart.
ment for the prevention OF timber devas.
tation apply only in limited extent to
territories. The principal field of oper-
ations Is In the timber growing States,
such as Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and 9TH
ers.
Mr.. Schurz, on being asked whether he
had made speech while in the Senate
on the moiety system denouncing
spies in the revenue service, said, SO far
as he could remember, that he had not
uttered word in that debate, nor in any
other about spies. Those who were spies
in the employ OF the Interior Department
were simply agents, who were sent out to
discover what depredations had been
done and who had done them, and II the
Department wanted to know anything
about the matter these agents had TO be
called on for information, as depreda-
tors are not in the habit Of reporting
themselves.
The Secretary Of the Interior has de-
cided that the pre-emption filing Is not
absolutely required in making a home
stead entry, and il may be entirely dis
pensed with in making the final proof
therenn