The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-21
TO PROTECT THE FORESTS.
TIE Nsesns TsEe- FOR the PRESERVATION sss
Regulation OF the Ttnbered Areas.

RerpIstIop or the Ttmbered Areas.
WASHINGTON. Dec. cot is hoped that the
Senate will not fail 70 take timely action on inc
bill passed by the House, under a suspension OF
the rules. for the protection Of forest reserva-
tions. This may not be tho best measure posi-
Bile for its purpose; It makes concessions which
some may regard as too liberal for cutting tim
Der on the reservations; but IL IL = compromise
between conflicting interests, and is believed TO
be better than the lack Of suitable Legislation
now prevailing.
The Importance Of such legislation is shown
by the fact that the great public forest areas
set apart include some OF the finest timber
lands and most beautiful and impressive
landscape scenery In this country. EXCLUSIVE
OF Afognsk Island In Alaska and Of the yell
lowstone Park addition. which latter can be
sufficiently protected b. the Park military
guard. there are is reservations. An estimate
made some time ago ascribed an area of over
10000. 900 acres to the reservations under the
act Of 1891. The present means Of protecting
them are Inadequate, and. under existing laws,
permits to cut timber on them may be issued
without compensation. Commissioner Bowers
not long ago declared that Information received
at the General Land Onlce showed continuous
trespassing and depreciation by lumber men,
prospectors, sheep herders, and others, and
forest fires caused by the careless and vicious.
resulting in irreparable damage, especially those
started by sheep berders In the mountain dis
tricts In the fall TO create new pasturage for the
following season."
The pending bill authorizes the Secretary Of
the Interior to make provisions to protect the
timber reservations ard prescrIbes the penalties
for their violations. II also authorizes the Sec
rotary Of War to detail such troops for protect
ing them as the Interior Department may re-
quire. This last IS undoubtedly the most
economical and may be made the most efficient
means of furnishing protection. as the expert
ence Of the Yellowstone and Yosemite and
other national parks will testify. Organized
and di~oipllntd men and intelligent and skilled
ofic,l- are tbs furnished without any increase
of pay or subsistence, so that the advantage in
tnis respect over the hiring of a special force of
inspectors and constabulary is manifest. 1t. is
true that there is no appropriation in the bill for
barracks and other accommodations for such
troops. but means can be taken TO provide for
that lack. Again. II might have been more ef-
icctivo TO provide a special code Of penalties, but
are made applicable, will prove sufncient.
The chief objection urged during the debates
S Sf.ions fo the eu peiISin and pi ..,i Telst ,imt to Its its , pro,
reservations. 1t provides that the Secretary OF
the Interior may cause to be cut from them so
much or the deNd or mature timber as may be
necessary to preserve the trees remaining. For
this purpose such dead or rIatured trees are to
offered for sale at not less than the appraised
value, in limited quantities to each purchaser,
hitcr. pEtSFTlDtu newspaper advertisement fOr |
not less than sixty days. Again, after sixty |
davs' newspaper notice, public lands within the
found better adapted to agriculture than forest |
"" may be restored to the public domain upon |
ter fe approyed by tS Se t PF. s,edGretarY TS d. f thG IN
Ing provisions are also noteworthy:
That nothins IN this act shall be 50 construed as to
Under Under r ssS .,aGs TO-, 60 be pTss:STise !; / Sy him; ne n;Sot
e GiGfFs rg faq inaiv Hna pT S:i fST ar rSs d %ine fsns;, ss,
O 'hny Ysn %." II any p5 p forest rsssI EaIhSi%', tn. mineral
.eofdance WITH he he eI H.: Hse mi or ,n Avs ne y s" 'Ss t III &c;
States; and the rules and regulations agPiied th.Tsto,
Sided; that pro:psctor. and mirsrai claimants shah
resources thereof.
1t win he seen from these provisions that tho
pending bill Is largely concerned with author
Mr.; Motee, who had, charge Of it in the
score, pointed out that the Interior Department
already had authority to issue free permits to
{ 1t timber. and during a debate on the subject
1T a previous session he showed a large number
Of such permits that had been issued. He urged
the present bill simply substituted Tor such
eminent when tin Der Is thus cut and, removed.
such cutting rehaii be that ot aprSs nag Fp tSe
living and growing timber. The object is sup
TO be observed that these large reservations
are In no sense public parks, but are simply
from the public domain, in order 10
-'hA AS'N'N $3.50 ASA aiu ILL., l
proper devastation. The substance OF this meas
lre seems TO be the placing OF responsibility upon
he Inferior Department for n proper cutting of
The trees, so as not to injure the growth and the
Valne OF the areas as Ia whole or the water
which TO a conside rable extent depend
On the for, SITS.
The provision for continuing the present use
of timber and stone. free OF charge, To local resi-
dents and settlers and Others Exclusively for
use for frewOod. fencing, building,
mining or prospectus purposes" may be abused,
canno' very well be avoided. since other wise
|, hardship might be imposed upon dwellers in
he neighborhood by the reservation OF tracts so
Extensive. They would have to bring the wood
'equITed by them from great distances. Here
again. however, the great need seems 10 be Of
regulation, so that the privileges may
lot be nisused. Again, n provision which may
he viewed with some suspicion Ia the
me for withdrawing portions of the reserva-
ions FOR agricultural or mineral purposes. and
PARTICULARLY for allowing prospectors and others
'ccess to the reservations for the purpose OF
Prospecting, locating, and developing the min
raj resources thereof 1t will not do TO throw
i0wn the safeguards hat have been secured
~ the acts of reservation, and the Senate may
,erhAps he able TO suggest some changes in the
ults granting access. indeed. the general di-
ection OF amendments 10 the bill should appar-
ntly be that OF adding increased precautioDs, in
rider that the good effects OF the reservation
may not be impaired.