The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-27

pPoeeet Agaanse The pooeey 90 II.
eo01e10 Then Fpo0 che WeOeevees

pPoteet A9aanoe The pooocy % III.
eo00o0O Then Fpo0 che We0eevees
North yahsma. wash. Sept. ~.
To the Editor. The policy Of excluding
cheer from the ran0es Of the forest re-
serves. recently iuAugurate1 ~ Secretary
Hitchcock. % the department % the int
rior. threatens the immediate destruction
cs ore % the greatest and most proilsaole
Industries % Washington an1 Oregon. IL
carried out at once. ~ the secretary
seems 20 Indicate viii be done. heavy
ios~ce vii bc sustained by those who
have their capital invested In large nocks.
for they will be compelled 20 move their
sheep hundreds Of miles 10 other ranges
or 90 sell them at a season which does
not AFFORD the best market.
In tho state % Warrington practically
the only summer ranges capable OF sus-
taining large numbers 81 sheep are within
tho Rainier reserve. THIS year nearly
sal0p sheep have grassd there. purtax
the winter season nearly all Of the shRep
ef Central Washington have been fed In
tho Yakima valley. where tire rich irri-
gated lands produce enormous crops OF
alfalfa hay. than which there - no better
or cheaper feed for sheep In the winter
season, and which at the prices that have
prevailed riace the sheep came In has
probably bean tho most profitable croY
raised by the farmers or the valley. tax
Ing into consideration the cost OF pro-
duction. An acre % alfalfa toes not yield
the returns that an acre OF hops or fruit
yields In the Yakima, but farmers may
raise alfalfa who have not the capital TO
handle hops or fruit.
Various alleged reasons for the cyclu-
sion of tho shesp have psseolated down
from the luxurious Offices Of the horny
handed farmer at Washington city To the
humble shepherds and farmers Of tho
Yakima valley. II II claimed that the
sheep destroy the ranger: that they In
jurs the watershed. that they cause great
damage 10 the timber Of ths reserve. and
that tho careless shepherds start Ares
that do much harm The secretary IL re-
ported 20 hold the opinion tha: the sheep
industry IL a matter Of small consequence
compared with the matter OF the prcser.
walton OF the forests
These so-caiied reasons for ar arbitrary
ana Injurious official aetioa should be- con-
sidered. Regarding the destruction Vt tho
ranges, u may he ssid that tho reserve
was not established 20 preserve the
ranges, but tho timber. ~ the reserve II
for this purpose. aud "a 20 DO closed ~.
what difference does u make 10 anybody
whether the ranges remain In good condi-
ton OF not9 They ara 81 no value since
they can't be used. In fact, grass upon
the rangea II detrimental, aimee In tho
fall II may he the means ~ starting fires.
II may be said that sheepmsn deny that
their Hooks tnjure IN ranges, and none
Of those In Central Washington are re-
daeing tho sise OF taeir Gocks because
tho ranges which they have used FOR sew
efat years ara not 90 good az formerly.
To tha charge that sheep injure the
watershed, a suffcisnt epswcr II that
they have not dons 90. Not q word Of
complaint of this kind has ever been made
by the farmers Of the Yakima valley. who
ara entirely dependent Upon the water
from tho mountains for moisture sum
Client 20 grow even a single blade of grass.
II can he conclusively shown that fewer
ffcs have been started sincs tho sheep
have been on the range than before. ~ Is
decidedly - the interests 81 sheep grow.
ere Who use the ranges that there should
be no free, The secretary " wrong In the
assumption that the timber IL os more
value than the sheep because he does not
know the facts Most ~ the ranges are
above the timber line. ~ 10 true that
there IL some timber on thu ranges, hut
ne everybody ia the state Of Washington
knows. the vaiuabi. timber lands within
the reserve ars on thu west side of the
Cascades, wher. the sheep 10 not 90. and
on the east side. where Tire ranges are.
there II little merchandise timber. The
sparse growth In mainly % ssnntsJ built
pine" ana climatic conditions ara such
tina, theta never viii es muen 81 any
thing else. II the secretary had ever
seen Washington forest ~ merchant
able timber HE mind would have been Ills
abused ~ the idea that sheep running
through u could iniure ~
~ the meeting ~ 'hs Wool Growers
Association ~ Yakima tho other faY gr-
fansements we're made 20 prspars con1-
prehansive and conciasivs statement -
facts concerning these matters for ihs
use ~ the congressional Delegation witch
VIII Try 10 secure the sheepmeH ms re-
lief Witch they need Whether ~ will
have any erert upon the Eastern thsufs
iasa and seniimentali~fs who have In The
fnifess ~ their Ignorance eoneernfng
conditions that etisf hsre MAIDS repeated
and iamssius attacks upon the material
interests ~ THIS state. remains o. 20
seen. 80