The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-20


forest reserve order, and both have come
to the conclusion that IT should not be re-
seinded. One OF them speaks with an tn
teiligsnt comprehension OF the conditions;
the other does what the commission did
IL lays down theories relating to forests
and then wr,ngfuliy applies them TO the
mining districts OF the state OF Washing
ton.
AS IL VIII 10 only by persistent work.
even now. that the required modification
Will be secured. IL Is well not 10 pass I'm
noticed these expressions Of opinion be-
cause they are at the root Of our trouble.
The Oakland Enquirer. after admitting
that TO take away from use one-fifth TO
one-sixth OF state IL serious matter.
goes on to say that the pioneer is right
as 10 his facts. but Is somewhat In error
as 10 the purposes OF the forest reserva-
ton policy. We are not so much In err
Tor as to the purpose OF the forest reser-
walton policy: We know that the policy is
based upon certain statements. and we
know those statements 10 be married by
inaccuracy. The pioneer is not asking to
have the forests thrown open: he is ask
ing that the forest reserve order shall not
be extended TO include treeless foothills
or regions whose value consists OF ores.
and not OF lumber.
The Enquirer consoles us with the as
surance that the trouble owes its origin
TO the circumstance that the details OF
the reservation policy have not yet been
worked out or the liberty OF operations
granted TO settlers which IL is proposed
10 allow. There Is no reason IL con-
tinues. why mining should not be per-
mitted. under proper restrictions. In the
forest reserves. and as soon as a proper
code OF rules can be made 1t will be DONE"
That Is all very well, but IL these very
important regulations were regarded as
just, why were they not made a part of.
or adjunct OF, the order? Who can be- bet
ter qualified to make these rules than the
men who considered them desirable even
before the order was determined uponf
II may 10 taken as certain that had not
roar OF protest gone up as IL did the
moment the discovery was made. the
mining industry OF the state could have
sat down on a stump and waited a year
or two TIL the dilatory senate had dis
posed OF the International arbitration
treaty and gotten to the end Of Morgsn's
Cuban resolution.
The Sacramento Record-Union IL much
more determined that the order shall not
H. "a -. al
unthinkable that sheepmen. timbermen.
or any one else should seek TO influence
the government to any course Of action
that will tend TO injure the forest IN
terests OF the people" The dense ignor-
anoe exhibited tn this comment is what
lies at the bottom OF all the mischief.
What sheepman would be interested IN
the grazing lands OF Monte cristog What
lumbernan IL anxious to haul logs from
the canyons OF the Cascades? 1t may be
true that cutting down trees means "the
deprivation OF the air OF certain essen
tials furnished by the leaf OF timber
growth" and which deprivation is follow
"a by injury TO the public health. But
Is not the certain essential-wh atever 1t
may be-gurnished by the leaf OF the sec
ond timber growth or must the leaf
grow on the tree for certain number OF
years. Is IL furnished alike 10 the pine
and the nr2 Is il the prevalence Of these
certain essentials IN the state OF Wash
ington that makes the climate of Call
fornia 50 healthy
The more such nonsonse--usiug the word
only 70 mean misapplled sense. Of course
Is published now the better. 1t is the
more easy TO convince the president by ex-
PLANTATION that the order Is based upon
sentiment applied TO The wrong con-
6ltions- /, is Ike insisting that because
oEone is very heslthfal. therefore Lake
Washington water should not Re used
for domestic purposes because its sup
! ply viii b. exhausted. 1t might he noces-
sary to prove to the president that Lake
| Washington had nothing to DO with
| oxone. and even II u had the quantity OF
| water used for domestic purposes would
| not De percoptble IA thousand years
one Is no more unreasonable than the 9th
er
| The very sound proposition that trees
are healthy and should De preserved on
/ account 81 the watershed. can - very
/ coacisely met sy the answer that the
| health % the population living 81 the
( mining regions % the Cascades win not
/ D. Affected IN ages by the quantity q
| lumber needed sor mining purposes. and
| that tLe water shed - eQuAlly well pre-
| served - the second growth.