, 1900-10-18
RALLY,
Congressman Mondell Addresses a
Large and Interested Audience in
Saratoga Last Thursday.


A very large and interested audi
ence greeted Congressman Mondell at
Densen's hall last Thursday evening.
There was not nearly enough chairs
'and benches to accommodate the crowd,
many of whom had to stand up and
others were compelled to go away be-
cause of the lack of seating capacity.
A chorus of ten voices, male and
Female, led by Mrs. Gustave Jensen,
Opened the evening with a couple of
patriotic songs. Mr.. Mondell was
then introduced and spoke for an
hour and a half on the issues of the
sday. He a listened to with great
attention and his speech made a very
good impression.
After the meeting a couple more
songs, "The Star Spangled Banner"
n solo by Mrs. Dyer, and mckinley
is the Man." gave the audience much
pleasure, after which the Saratoga
orchestra played the"Stars and Stripes
Forever" making such splendid music
that the young people could hardly
fit still. After the speaking the hall
was cleared and given over to the
tiancers.
In the course of his remarks last
Thursday evening Mr.. Mondell re-
fered to the devastation by forest
fires, the effects of which he had motto
ed in his trip through the Battle Lake
hnd Encampment mining districts,
and briefly referred to the efforts
which were being made by the Gen
eral Government to assist in the pres
@ervation of our forests. In answer to
'interogations by The Sun reporter on
the subject u Congressman said:
Congress made a largely increased
appropriation this year for the pro-
lection of the mountain forest regions
of the west from destruction by fire,
and We hope to secure still more lib
eral appropriations for this important
purpose the coming session. Our
people are fully aroused to the ne
cessity of preserving our forests from
destruction by fire if we are to main
tain a steady and continuous flow of
water for irrigation purposes and a
permanent supply of timber for the
developement of the mining and ag-
ricultural resources of the country.
These important objects are now at
tanned in forest reserves, by the ap-
pointment of rangers, whose duty it
is to thoroughly patrol the reserve
and guard against the starting and
spread of forest fires. Under the
law relating to reserves the right to
locate and and hold mining claims, as
on other portions of the public do
main, is guaranteed and the rights of
settlers, ranchmen and miners to use
timber, is clearly defined. The graz
ing of certain classes of animals on
reserves was formerly prohibited by
regulation. this policy has been modi-
he'd, any grazing on the reserves is
now regulated as the differing con
ditlons on each reserve seem to war
rant. On some of the reserves I'M
restricted grazing is allowed; on 9TH
ers the grazing of certain classes of
animals is restricted to specified areas,
the object being in every case to main
tain conditions most favorable to the
conservation of water for use during
the entire irrigation season and the
preservation of the forests from des-
truction and waste by fire and other
wise.
1T has been found quite difficult to
protect the forests on the public do
main outside of the forest reserves.
Last summer, when the fires were
burning in the mountains hereabout,
| was in Washington and had the
Comr. of the General Land office au-
thorize Judge Camplin, the Special
Agent, who was here, to incur any ex-
pense necessary to put out the fires.
Owing to the Roadway the fires had
obtained, the extreme dryness and the
difficulty of securing help, the fires
did much damage. We need legis-
lation which will authorize the APP
pointment of rangers in the timbered
districts outside the Forest Reserves,
whose duty it shall be to prevent the
setting and spread of fires. l shall
work for the enactment of such legis-
lation and, though such protection is
more difficult than in the reserves, /
hope some plan may be devised where
by such protection may be accom-
plished."
Hard to Get Coal