Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-09

concerned, it certainly would not be,
given OF the reservation within this
State. Vita regard to Utah, II the
presld entail orders are revoked, as
the Senate lie now attempting to do,
and nothing OF a similar character be
maize to take their place, 1t would be a
great misfortune t. III, Safe. II Is
probably tue case that Ip't Just whers
the matter now is, there may be in
Justice in some Of the other states; but
that never was contemplated in tho
plan by whicl tho reservations wero
made. 1t was INTENDED to withdraw the
areas named, ana then secure their
regulation Tor tho benefit OF the pub ic
In woy that would protect tue lores.
growth, yet make no unnecessary In.
reference with other interests. 1t
would appear that to continue the pro.
iect to the extent of this Modification
would be far better for tue ultimate
welfare Of tue Wost, ana much less
lusceptible to che charge OF blind
seltishness, than is the course now
advocated in the Senate, ami ardently
OIL oven Radically supported by most
of the western senators.
A abatement OF the history ami status
OF this forestry reservation by the
President may bs given briefly. Six
years ago Congress enacted q law pro-
viding that tue government should
own and hold in perpe ulty certain
lands other than those needed
Tor its imme late purposes OF those
set aside Tor parks; among them
were lands for forest reservation. This
was departure In an important item
from the former policy Of the govern.
ment holding the public domain only
until 1t could DO disposed Of To actual
settlers. II was taken upon the theory
that HORSEPOWER ON slopes AMI noun.
tsins must be maintained to regulate
the ilow OF streams, IL prevent erosion,
ana thereby to maintain favorable
conditions on the plains AMI 10 the
valleys bslow. This was the theory
held III Utah, and this departure from
the old policy was advocated stead.
lastly; 1t was held to be u necessity for
future sa'ety tnst the hill timber
| should be reserved by tue government.
| Yet when that theory Is given prac.
teal application in the West a great
protest lie raised against 1t by some Of
the very people who had been lite
! ardent advocates,
For a score of years or more the
governuent interior department, aud
especially the general land Office, has
urged this departure, pointing out
that an enormous devastation OF pub.
| lie timber by theft and fire was going
through lack Of any rational msth Oh
| Of permitting the utilization of the
| wood material by the Resident popula-
lion. Al the ftleth Congress IN
effort was made to Withdraw all tim.
bar lands from entry or disposal, put
failed; Ia;er there was some leglsl1.
ton 10 the direction indicated; then,
In 1891. came the law first named,
which provided:
That the President of the United States
| may, from time to lime, set apart and
rese.vo in any state or territory having
| public land bearing forests, in any part of
the public lands, whollyor IN part covered
with timber or underground, whether
| of commercial value or not, as public
reservations, and the President shall, by
public proclamation, declare the estab-
lishment Of such reservations and the
limits thereof.
Under this law there have baun
eighteen reservations, sixteen by
President Harrison, and one by PfSsi-
dent Cleveland lin 1889. sggregatinZ
IL 5000 acres; and a second one Wy
President Clt veland In Feb, 1857
Of 20, 0OO, 900 acres. There was an Gu :
cry agsinst all OF these, and especially
against the last, hence the attempt to
restore all these reservations to the
hubble domain. A chief cause Of all
the complaint is that aecretlrles OF the
Interior have construed the reservation
act to mean withdrawal OF thrt G
lands not only from sale anu entry,
tut from oil use whatever. Ihi.
feature never wac INTENDED by
the advocates or projectors of the
forest reservation policy; and II is thin
, interpolation OF the real policy tina
Congress should aim TO change. /
n should not destroy the reservations, a
. | mould ha tho case N the pregeu