The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-09-26
NOT misunderstood.

Our usually we'll informed Anaconda
contemporary, the Standard, expresses
the opinion that the law relating to tn
cutting Of timber upon the public do
main 'has been strangely misappre
hended" and that "the criticisms thu
far made rest largely upon misunder
standing" The Standard is mistaken
1t evidently regards MIR. Carriers rulet
and regulations governing the cutting
of timber upon the public domain as the
law or part of the law relating to the
preservation of the forests Of tbs coun
try. The law is a rider which was at
tached to the bill providing for the re-
peal of the timber-culture act. 1t EN-
powers the interior department to pro
vide rules and regulations to protect oul
forests. In pursuance of the law and
under its authority Land Commissioner
Carter drafted the most absurd set Of
rules and regulations that ever ema'
mated from a department Of the govern
ment. 1t is against these rules and reg.
ulations that criticism has been directed,
and not against the law itself.
The Standard publishes Mr.. Carriers
letter under date of August 14th to the
several Butte citizens to show that the
law "has been strangely misapprehend-
ed" AS a newspaper the Standard re-
produces the article at a very late day.
But let that pass. The letter, however,
is not explanatory Of the law, but sim
| ply explains certain sections of his rules
and regulations formulated and pub
lished anterior to the letter referred to.
1t also puts a new kirk or two in his ia
nous rules and regulations. The TRIB-
UNE has taken occasion to criticise them
1t did it for the following reasons:
First, under Mr.. Carriers regulations
no limit is placed upon the number of
acres of public timber lands the ap-
plicant may acquire.
Second, no limit is placed upon the
number of feet of lumber or mining
timbers or cords of wood one may be
permitted to cut.
Third, no limit is given as to the time
in which the applicant may cut and re-
move the timber applied for.
Fourth, a few men may obtain a mo-
nopoly of all the available timber upon
the public domain.
Fifth. Mr.. Carter may play a few fav-
ored applicants to the exclusion of hum
BILE woodchoppers,
Sixth, the application for a permit in
wolves so much time and expense that
the woodchoppers who have been sup
porting their families by cutting. haul
ing and selling tirewood and mining tim
bers to near communities of people are
virtually shut out of their accustomed
employment.
Seventh, they place too much power in
the hands of one man and are therefore
unrepublican and un-American.
Eighth, they will not lessen by one
foot or one stick the amount of lumber,
timbers or fuel which will be cut
in the state.
These objections will always rest
against Mr.. Carriers timber rules and
as long al they remain in
their present shape. The more one
studies and measures the possibilities
under them the more he becomes con
vinced that they were originally formu-
lated in the interest of designing corpor-
atoms in this state.
In the light of Mr.. Carriers defense of
the rape of Montana by which two men
were seated in the United States senate,
and in the light of Mr.. Carriers abandon
ment Of the interests of silver by work
ing for Tom Reed for speaker and shirk-
ing a vote at a most critical moment in
the house of representatives, for which
acts the Standard has most numerically
him, it's professed confidence that:
"Mr. Carter will act without thought of
and always broadly for the
best interests of the state is particular
ly refreshing and suggests the query,
what has Mr.. Carter done during his Off !
cial life to inspire such confidence, or
what love potion has he administered to
the Standard to turn it's hate into such
warm admiration. Without pursuing
the matter further the TRIBUNE would
the Standard that it gives away
itself and its entire array of argument in
the confession that "there may be strong
to the law" If valid OBJ
j~ections exist against the law it follows
that the rules and regulations founded
upon it must be faulty, if not unjust.
BRADsTREET's is authority for the