The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-24

SEATTLE WEDNESDAY, MARCH .
TsE COMMISSIONS DEFENSE.

The commission upon whose rscommen-
dation President Cleveland based his for
est reserve order Is defending itself
through some Of the Eastern newspapers.
Upon the general argument that the for
ests should ee preserved from wanton de-
etructfon ard the nesdwaters OF rivers
protected there will be no difference Of
opinion The objection TO TIE order Is that
IL reserves a great tract OF land where
there l. either no timber at all. as in much
of OkanogaH. or mons possessing either
mercantile value or a protection against
dfogth. The commission does not deny
that intersss already established viii he
injured. bui declares It's purpose TO pre-
rare ana recommend plan b. which the
whole value 81 tue reserves may be used
for re good Of the people and by which
none of tBeir resources viii remain nnde~
xelope8" II the commission has seen al
ready TAO necessity for some such meas
Ire Of relief. II nay De asked why those
needing tia. relief are unreasonable In
demanding that IL shall be concurrent
with the order OF reserve7
The commissioners point 20 the patriotic
example Of California IN declining 10 be
Included in the senate amendment TO the
sundry civil bill. whose effect would have
been to reopen the reserves. The condi-
tons between the forest domain OF Cali
fornia and those existing In this state are
entirely different. The reserve In Califor-
MA does not include the most valuable
mining region In the state. IL Is confined
to forests whose timber Is their sole value.
except for the FcenIc effect they ar
ford. II the order had been restricted to
the mountain forests OF the state there
would have been no objection. although
our streams are fed by glaciers and by
perpetual snow. supplemented by an at
mospherio humidity wanting In California.
and dependent not upon trees, but upon
the relation between the japanese current
and the hign mountains over which the
ocean currents pass.
But we do not need TO compare ourselv -
with California In order to defend the po-
sition taken by this state. The commits
sioners themselves admit that It has never
been their desire TO restrict the natural
Development of any resources contained in
the reserves but on the contrary. TO rec
ommend the widest use OF all their re-
sources mines as well as all others. COM
ratihie with the preservation of the for
ests upon them" This Is ali that the peo-
pic OF Washington ask. but. unfortunate
~. the purpose OF tho commission was
frustrated BY the failure OF the commits
sion TO provide for that widest use For
some reason the proclamation was rushed
through In the closing hours OF the ad-
ministration. Il was sprung upon the
people without a Word Of warning or a
moments opportunity TO be heard or to
protest themselves. Mines. wagon roads.
constructed by private capital. townsi;es
ard millsites were by one act locked up
and Isolated. great tracts OF land suitable
for orchards and cattle ranges were
fenced IN hy the same decree: ana. we'll
fneaGing as the intention Of the commis-
s-on no doubt was, every man wao has
been over the ground knows that ii Is mis-.
taken IN as facts "a so much Of the area
When the commission carries out It's
avowed purpose by suitable provisions.
preserving the forests without interfering
with the development 81 the state. the
peepls VIII ofrsr no objection. but on the
contrary. approve The uleasurs as hearti-
IS "a they did when it Vas fsst proposed
on the lines laid down hy TIE commission.