Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-09-22

Does Not ssssievs In csostig Large Tracts
Against the settler.

Does Not fss;isve In CLOSING Large Tracts
Against the settler.
While in Boise recently Hon. w. Il.
Heyburn had occasion 10 express him
SET on the subject VI government for
est rcservs In this state, and his state
iacnts are here rcpublished because Of
the vital interest felt by residents Of
kootenai county in the subject under
discussions:
Tn. system Of drawing arbitrary lines
around large sections within our state Ia be
sci aside AZ timber reserves from which settle
ment In To ID, excluded for AN indefinite period
u nos only un lust Ia ihts., .sha would .cuk
homes therein, ha. most detrimental TO cur
gr,wtb and development as a state; within
such vast areas there are hundreds Of ihous-
nnds OF acres Of splendid farming land in the
valleys from which settlement Is thus eNclud-
ed. several millions OF acres Of land IN idaho
are now because Of this unreasonable policy
closed against the settler In kootenal and
Idaho counties. and the growth OF these por-
tions OF the state Is thus limited
The wealth Of such state as ours is esti-
mated In a large measure by the amount Of
available land for settlement Why should
We ae,tuicsce in policy thai thus reduces our
available assets: The valleys of the Pend
d'oreilie river. In kootenaI county are adapt
ed To the raising Of all kinds of fruits and
grains. and they have AN unlimited market
for such product, AT their door The elcya-
tion Is more than loco feet lower than Boise
valley. The wholesale forest reserve has linz
tied that section 10 the extent OF partial stag
nation. The valleys Of the upper Clearwater
and Its many tributaries are now under the
ban OF this restriction. and al the very door
OF one OF the most productive sections Of Ida
no tiicr, il n drad-iinc across which the enter
prise or the pioneer and the home builder
may not step Thousands OF acres that lie In
the valleys or that region are doomed to lie
Idle aud unproductivc and that great Inland
Empire OF central Idaho upon which sc have
counted so much for the future GREATNESS, Of
~" state Is parnlyzed to Il grca, extent and
and the greatness If It's future ostponed in
definitely.
Protect the timber by all means. but do II
In IA way that Will not Interfere with the set
Element OF The country. Why exclude SET tile
ment within The limits of the timber reserves?
The pioneers in whose tracks the empire has
swept across the cont inent have always boon
divided into classes. The one of which settled
Ia the open lands and the other Ia the timber
from natural inclinatinn: 1t took them both
To build the nation. The timber lands Of
north Idaho are us fertile as the prairie and
some of the iint,i homes and most productive
lands have been carved out of The forest val
legs.
We want no ''unexplorcd region" In Idaho.
open every acre ~ IL To the investigation OF
the diversified skill and necessities of the pic
ncrr and lenaa hand 10 the growth and de -
naiur affords us. The forests will have no
more Jealous protector than those who count
them part OF the wealth or the r,e.ion ihcy
inlhbtt Keep out spectators in timber lands
who would despoil them; make and enforce
such laws and regulations as will protect
them against wnnton waste. but keep thu.
door Wide open to those who would make
their home therein.
Great mining camps are growing up within
some of these reserves and viii afford IA mar
kct for the products OF the valleys around
them. Given the opportunity. new towns ana
cities Will grow up IN these mountains and
valleys TINT shall add to the wealth and
greatness OF the state settlement will ill the
gap hetss.entir north and the south There
Is no inducemcnt tn build railroads into or
excluded or whose resources are cntrcnched
behind the dead -line Of forest reserve The
Idea of this wholesale restriction upon tn,
growth and development OF our western
states might ,anannte from the envy of some
mot the country far beyond our borders
Y should receive no sanction ut our hunds