The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-07
ANOTHER PROPOSED REFORM.

The Protection of Forests from Depreda-
ton to Be Accomplished - Previous
Hasty Legislation Should BE Avoided.
The efforts which we have made to
rouse the attention of the public to the
importance of better methods for pro-
tecting the forests situated upon the
public domain than are afforded by
existing laws are beginning to bear
fruit. The Commissioner of the Gen.
eral Land Office, in his report just
made public, calls attention TO the fact,
which we have constantly pointed out,
that "'depredations upon public timber
are universal, fragrant and limitless".
He recommends the immediate with
drawal from sale or public entry of all
the Government timber lands until
proper surveys and estimates of their
value can be prepared; that Congress
NAV be able to finally determine what
parts of this property shall be disposed
of, what parts shall be retained as per-
manent National forests and under
what rules the sales shall be made
hereafter.
This is a wise and timely suggestion,
which Congress will do well to adopt.
There should not be another acre of
our public forests disposed of under
any circumstances whatever, and every
effort should be made to protect them
from trespass and injury until Con-
gress has determined upon general
forest policy. This is question which
certainly can not be settled Oif-hand.
The interests at stake are vast and
varied, and we can not as a Nation af-
ford to take any more legislative risks
upon questions relating to the public
domain without first obtaining all the
information attainable in regard to it.
We have already the Timber Culture
act as & good example of what hasty
and uncOnsidercd action by Congress
in such matters will lead to. The Tim
Der Culture act is, and always has been,
Il fraud, inasmuch rs it has never sue
ceeded in securing any of the results
Congress intended it to secure. 1t was
based upon observations made only
over small portion of the public do
main, and in entire ignorance of the
possibilities of tree growing in the great
dry region which comprised at that
time, and still comprises, the largest
part of the public lands. 1t has cost
the people of the United States millions
of acres of land, without any return
whatever, and it has ruined thousands
of honest settlers in fruitless efforts to
carry out its impracticable and impossi-
bic conditions. And all this has come
to pass because a few enterprising men
wanted to sell trees and tree seeds, and
so, with the aid of some well-intent-
toned sentimentalists, got up this idea
of giving land in return for
planting trees in region where,
save in some exceptionally
favored localities, it would be AS easy
to make tree grow as to compel
moisture from cloudless sky. There
may be, somewhere, thriving and valu-
able plantations which the Timber Cult
ure act has brought into existence, but,
if there are any such, they escape the
vigilant attention of disinterested East
ern travellers.
Congress ought to repeal the Timber
Culture act forthwith. 1t is disgrace
full TO longer allow honest settlers to be
ruined in futile endeavors 10 obtain
land in this way, and it is not less dis
graceful to allow honest settlers and
land spectators to avail themselves of
the opportunities offered By this law to
defraud the Government.
1t will be wise with this example be-
fore our eyes to go slow in all future
legislation for the management of the
public domain, but i'll the meantime
Mr.. Sparks recommendation for
the immediate withdrawal of all
forest property for sale or entry should
be adopted. 1t is a good suggestion.
N y. SIN.