Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-05-25

on them thousand of square miles of
heavy growths of timber men like Dr.
Rowlard, VIM. Hobson, Thomas Bro.oi
Detroit and JudgeWaldo have told me
this and it proves that the actual set
tlement Of the country is favorable to
the protection Of the forests. and that
it is the only way to secure a contin-
uance OF the natural forestry. Bin
ger Herman's plan to cut boulevard
as a fire break through the forest re
serve, sixty feet wide on each of the
township lines would require thou
sands of men several years and what
would they do with the TIMBER If they
would cut IL down? 1t would leave il
in worse shape for a fire than ever be-
fore tree was. cut down. To put
into execution his published plan TO
have a patrolman stationed every
seven miles would take thousands
more men. What nonsense
this all sounds like? Yet Hermann is
reported to have asked an appropria
tion of s27O,OOO from congress to do
this work which the settlers would do
for nothing in their own self protec-
tion They are the natural fire
police.
lido not know that this scheme to
create and maintain constabulary is
at all understood by the dwellers in
the cities. But there are men all
through this country promised these
jobs as government patrOlmen on good
salaries at So a day and there will be
no difficulty in finding men who will
tlke these jobs though they secretly
laugh at the folly Of the whole propo
sition. l never so fully appreciated
the stubborn horse sense Of Uncle
Johnny Mimic and his opposition TO
the timber land reserve schemes as l
have since since spending few days
in here.
The whole timber land reserve
scheme sounds to me like a
fraud on the people who want to go
in and make homes and become the
real protectors of the forests. The
big corporations headed by men like
Alger, of Michigan, who is now in
McKinley's cabinet, haYe done more
to destroy vast tracts Of timber in
Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin
than all the settlers IN Oregon. The
big corporations that will get permits
to run stock and to cut timber under
the timber reserves management by
politicians in Oregon will do more
damage to the forsets than all the
home seekers that will eyer locate in
the Cascade mountains.
THE CONSTABULARY PLAN
is un-Amercan and will breed
an army of political camp followers
and salaried dependents on the gov
ernment just the oppostein character
to the sturdy independence of the pio-
neers who settle up timber country
like this. If Congressman Tongue
backs up this plan of timber reserve
management he deserves defeat.
The least that should be done would
be 10 throw open the reserve to settle
mept for ten miles on each side OF the
Corvallis and Eastern railroad
and let that road be extended through
to Eastern Oregon. without settlers
that road can meyer be built. Under
the present timber land reserve policy
it can never. be extended. | believe
the people OF Oregon should oppose
this timber land reserve policy as it
will permanently hinder the develop
ment OF the state and has put a dan
gerous power into the hands of a few
men who will use it TO enrich private
corporations at the expense of the
many intending home seekers who
would build up the undeveloped parts
of our state and in protecting their