The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29

for years in tho Yellowstone. Yosemite
Grant. and Sequola national parks is thu
best testimonial to the value OF military
guards In preserving order and protecting
the forests from destruction.
Two questions. however. may arise as to
I this plan. Tile troops have other duties to
perform. and might not easily supply de-
taobments to 40 many additional forest
reserves, or for even fifteen, excluding
| Afognak Island in Alaska aud the Vel.
| lowstonc reserve, which latter can be taken
caro- OF by the present park guard. Per-
haps the difficulty might DO met by en-
| ploying infantry rs we'll ns tho cavalry
| hitherto exclusively used for tho purpose.
mounting tho attachments Of tho former.
Perhaps, also. cavalry enough might be
spared since. with proper encampments on
the reservations. they would be nearly rs
available there as In tho forts. for q coll t.
duty elsewhere.
But the bill carries no appropriation for
barracks and other accommodations for
tho troops thus to be detailed, or for execut-
ing It's other provisions. Again. 1t pro-
vides no penalties for intrudng upon
the forest reservations without author
ity. 1t is true that there nre gem
eral penalties for depredations upon
public timber. but special penalties might
themselves act as O deterrent and protec-
ton. Ono Of the greatest troubles expert
enced by the troops in charge Of the Yell
lowstone Park has been the lack of proper
code Of laws for It.
An important feature OF the pending bill,
and the only one which seems to have
aroused opposition. allows the Secretary
to sell timber on these great forest res
ervadons to the highest bidder on sealed
proposals, for not less than the duly ap-
praised value. Several members Of the
House protested against any cutting of
trees on the reservations. even in order
to bring revenue to the Government.
Mr.. McIiAE. however. urged that the law
OF 1891 allows the Interior Department to
issue free permits for cutting timber when
Its use Is a public necessity to the re-
gion. He displayed permits that had
been issued to more than fifty per-
sons and corporations. His point was that
the Secretary now had no authority to sell
surplus timber. but had authority to give it
away. The Interior Department has long
believed that the Government ought to re-
celve compensation for such timber permits.
The theory OF the present act Is that these
reservations are not intended for parks. but
for forest preservation. with view. also. to
protecting the water sources. which are
more or less dependent on the forests.
Hence 1t Is held that the forest cover eau
be perfectly protected. although with thin
ming here and there. which should be done
under proper regulations. and would
even help to perpetuate the forests. The
basis OF the permit system is that 1t
might be hardship upon the neghboring
settlers IL areas as vast as those now set
apart should be wholly shut Off from fur
nishing timber for domestic use or manu-
thus forcing them to haul 1t from
a long distance.
MR.. MCRAE holds that the bill does not |
create new facilities for decreasing the |
timber on the reserves. but only substitutes |
sales for gratuitous permits. the measure
expressly abolishing tho latter. II also it |
Is true that, rs has been estlmat- |
3D. 1.-The Government can realize from
s25o. 900 to $500. 900 annually from this sur
plus and useless timber" it would Justify an |
for the needs Of the troops.
But any inroads on the forest cover. even
under Government regulation. must be /
Iealously watched. and care taken that |
they do no injury to the reservations.