The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-12-28
THE CASCADE RESERVE.

THE CASCADE RESERVE.
Mr.. Geo. Steel, of Portland, recently
addressed letter to the Oregonian
expressing great surprise that Senator
Mitchell should be exerting his efforts
to have large portion of the Cascade
Forest reserve restored to market.
Among other things Mr.. Steel says:
sit seems incredible that a man of
Mr.. Mitchell's ability and occupying
the position he does should endorse
such move, for the reason that it can
Der eft no one, and will prove of in
calculable injury to the state. In
the first place, when this reservation
was esta blished. the state OF Oregon
lost nearly 250, 900 acres of worthless
school lands for which it received
like amount of lieu lands, to be
selected from tina best government
lands in the state. The gain to the
school furd by such an exchange
should be at least S1,000,000. Shall
this be sacrificed, that few owners OF
sheep may be permitted to roam
through the mountains at will, without
let or hindrance, or paying one cent
to state or general government for
the privilege?
"But this is not the main issue. The
largest forest reservation in the United
States has been established in Oregon,
and laws will be enacted by the present
congress to govern such reserves.
Why destroy or even limit this great
work, on the eve of such legislation?
A law will doubtless be passed under
which agricultural lands may be
opened to settlement, mining and
pasture ge permitted, as also the sale
of saw timber. There is no reason
Why this great reserve should not soon
become self-sustaining, and in time to
be so improved as to stand creditably
among the national parks. Itremains
for the people of Oregon to say just
what shall be done in the premises.
Will they sit idly by and see the school
fund sacrificed to the selfish desires OF
single class, and great work for the
reservation of forests and streams set
at naught? Such will surely be the re-
suit unless immediate action is taken
and the secretary OF the interior be re-
rnonetrated with -
Indeed Mr.. Steel cannot be sincere
when he asserts that the throwing
open of this reservation would be Of
benefit to no one. He probably is not
aware that some 100000 head of sheep
owned in Wasco, Sherman and Crook
counties find summer pasturage on
this reserve, and to deprive them OF
ranging in the Cascade mountains
would necessarily force them upon the
prairie ranges during the summer
months, greatly to the detriment Of
every farmer and stock raiser in the
three counties. The result would be
that within a very few years the farm
ers and stock raisers would have no
range for their cattle and horses, and
either they or the owners of the 300,-
900 head of sheep would be forced to
retire from business. 1t is not alone
the sheep raisers that would be
benefited, but the entire community
in the counties adjacent to the Cascade
mountains.
But Mr.. Steel's most absurd propo-
sitioI is that in reference to the 250,-
600 acres of worthless" school land
which the state is able to unload by
reason of this reserve. and get in lieu
thereof land that should swell the
school fund 81 ,000,0 200. What assurance
is there that every section Of school
land in the reserve would not be
covered with fine timber, and worth
from $50 to $500 per acre? In this
case. the school fund would be vastly |
better off to not unload those 250,000
acres OF worthless" land, and the
actual settler and homeseeker too
might fare better, especially it the
selection of this land is to be manipu-
lated as was the selection of the 10000
acres which the state received in lieu |
of the school lands included in the |
Warm Springs Indian reserve. Those |
lands have netted the state but $1.25 |
per acree, though through the manipu-
lation of parties who had ''pull"
actual settlers have had to pay as high
as $3.50 an acre for them. Perhaps
Mr.. Steel's solicitude for the welfare
Of the school fund is actuated by sell
fish motive; probably he or some of
his associates see in the selection of
hose lieu lands an opportunity to
pocket the difference between the fixed
price and what settlers are willing to
pay.
The flock masters and stock raisers
If Eastern Oregon are not acting
hastily or unadvisedly in soliciting the |
lid of congress to have this reserve
brown open to their stock. They are
lot actuated by selfish motives, but
ather self preservation. If, by order
# the department, it is closed, their
locks and herds must be reduced,
many will be forced out of business, in
act, the result will be that the time
or ranging large numbers of cattle,
lorses and sheep in all counties de-
endent upon the Cascade range will
ave ended, and one of the greatest
ources of wealth in this vicinity will
'e ruihed. therefore they demand that
ONE action be- taken this winter
thereby these animals will be per-
,itted to range on reserve next
ummer.
HOME INDUSTRIES.
Some time since the Oregonian pub.
shed lengthy editorial under the