Arizona citizen., 1879-12-06
The Timber Question.

Notwithstanding the recent legisla tion permitting timber 10 be freely taken from mineral lands for mining
 and agriculture and other local pur
 poses, and the satisfaction which il
 gives 10 tEe people of the Pacific Coast and interior States and Territories, a strong effort will be made to modify the same at the present session of Con
 gress so as to compel payment for sucl
 timber under what may be made em
 barrassing and expensive regulations and restrictions. Following is report ed as an extract from the annual re port of Secretary Schurz.
 The greatest danger of the wholesale destruction of our forests and of the disastrous consequence that dcstruc ton will bring after il, cXciles in those States and Territories where the tim | Der indispensably required for domcs- tIc use must be taken from public lands, there being no timber lands in private possession and the public lands being mostly unsurveyed and not subject to purchase or entry.
 The Secretary refers to his previous, i ly expressed opinion, that under the said legislation advantage would be taken of the privilege not only by set tiers and miners to provide econOmi. cally for their actual current wants, but by persons who would see in thIs donation a chance to make money quickly; that it would stimulate a wasteful consumption, beyond actual need, and lead to wanton destruction, etc, and he now claims that such are the results.
 The Secretary admits the necessity for timber, and that it is the duty of Congress to provide a ready and req sonable way to buy it. Here is what he says in these respects:
 It is by no means denied that the people of the above named States and 1 Territories must have timber for their domestic use as well as the require ments of their local industries; neither is it insisted upon that the timber sU required should be imported from a distance so that the forests in these States and Territories might remain in tact. This would be unreasonable, but it is deemed necessary that law be enacted providing that the people may lawfully acquire the timber required |, for their domestic use and their local industries from public lands, under such regulations as will prevent the indiscriminate and irreparable destruc- ! tiOn of forests, with its train of disas- trous consequences. It is thought that this end will be reached by authoriZ- ! ing the Government to sell timber from the pubic lands, principally val uable for timber thereon, without con- veying the fee, and 10 conduct such sales by Government officers under such instructions from this Depart ment as will be calculated to prevent denudation of large tracts, especially in those mountain regions where Tor ests once destroyed will not repro duce themselves. l have no doubt thai under such a law, well considered in its provisions, the people of those States and Territories would be en- abled 10 obtain all the timber they need for domestic as we'll as industrial purposes at reasonable rates, and that at the same time the cutting of timber can be so regulated as to afford suffi clent protection to the existence and reproduction of the forests, which Is so indispensable to the future prosper ity of these regions.
 The people of Arizona are vitally interested in any legislation on the tim Der and timber lands. Timber is con- partively scarce, and in many of the mountains difficult of access. That it should be used economically, no one disputes. As a matter of policy the lumbermen of Arizona should commit no useless waste or destruction. The Secretary bases his argument for new Legislation on the ground Of needless