The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-26
WHAT WE MAY EXPECT.
Europe Has Expended Millions Try
ing to Repair Damage by De-
struction of Forests.

Washington, May 26-The president
has sent to the senate the detailed re-
port on forestry made by the Academy
of Science at the request of the secre-
tary of the interior. The general con-
illusions of the committee were an
nOunced in an abstract furnished by
the committee some weeks ago. The
report goes into details as to European
experiment regarding the influence
upon climate and stream flow and saws
the figures demonstrate a considerable
progressive reduction in the mean and
the annual, the flood and the lowest
water levels upon all the chief rivers
draining into central Europe. Millions
of dollars have been expended during
recent years in Europe in checking the
force of floods due to denuded noun
tain slopes, by the construction of stone
dams and river beds and planting sod
and trees. The committee predicts
that similar expenditures in this cOun-
try must follow the destruction of
mountain forests if the narrow valleys
of the west are to continue habitable
Fire and pasturage are cited as
chiefly threatening the reserved forest
lands of the public domain, illegal tim
Der cutting damage being comparative
ly insignificant. The committee says
the government in permitting free pas
turage on the public domain to sheep
owners in the public land states and
territories is clearly unjust to people
elsewhere, who must own or hire pas
lures. Traces of depredatiOns were Wis
ible in all of the reserves visited. These
great bodies of reserved lands cannot
be Withdrawn from all occupation and
use, but should be managed for the
benefit of the people of the whole coun-
try, not for class or section. AS to
this the report says that under a strict
Interpretation of the interior depart
ment forty million acres of land are
thus theoretically shut out from all hu-
man occupation or enjoyment, a con-
dition of affairs that should not con-
tinue.
Land more valuable for its mineral
deposits or agricultural crops than for
it's timber should be taken from the
reservations and sold to miners and
farmers, ripe timber should be cut and
sold; settlers within or adjacent to the
boundaries unable to procure it in other
ways should be authorized to take such
material from reserved forests as is
necessary for their needs and prospect
ors should be allowed to search the for
ersts for minerals. This general scheme
of administration of forest reserves IS
submitted:
A forestry bureau under a director,
who is to be president of an advisory
board consisting of himself, an assist
ant director and four forest inspectors
It also provides that the bureau ShOuIu
have a disbrrsinsr officer, clerks and le-
gal advisers 26 head fOresters, 70 as
sistants, to constitute a perHl amen
corps; 200 rangers and various assl -
ant rangers, the salary roll Gaming LOT
an annual appropriation OF $ZoOUOV' ,
with appointive preferences given TO
- 81 NJ fgra4511ates To provide for
tSe eS survey Vtl' Of all lands reserved or to
he reserved, a board of forest lands
is recommended. Holders, corporate or
i1dividuaI of lands in the reserves are
70 axchange them for equitable hold
Is to the unreserved forest lands, the
report urges Withdrawing from sale ana
entry lands more valuable for -tlmper
and for other purposes, and suggests
that after survey those tracts less valu-
able for forests be opened for sale and
entry and the remainder helo per1na-
nently for the government.