Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-04-16
WESTERN LEGISLATION.
Measures introduced In Congress That In
terest New Mexico,

Considerable legislation of interest to
western people has been introduced in
congress since Saturday. A bill sent to
congress by Secretary of the Interior
Hitchcock affects sheep grazing on the
forest reserves. 1t gives the secretary
of the interior authority to make such
charges for grazing on forest reserves
as he deems just The revenue derived
Is to be expended for the protection and
preservation of forest reserves. The Sec
retary, in his letter to congress says:
"On some reserves grazing can probably
be allowed without injury. There are
lands within such reserves better adapt
ed to grazing than for forest purposes,
and so long as this is SO owners of live
stock will consider it an unnecessary
hardship to be excluded from the use Of
these grazing lands, and will continue
to demand that they be allowed to en-
ter the reserves with their live stock. If
1t is rational to utilize the timber prod
ucts to derive a revenue, 1t Is equally
rational to provide charge for graz
ing. There Is no lease contemplated by
the bill suggested. 1t simply provides
that when the department allows limit
ed or temporary grazing in a reserve it
may impose reasonable charge there
for"
A new policy to restore forests in the
west has been inaugurated by Hon. Bin
ger Hermann, commissioner of the gen.
eral land office, by instructing forest
superintendent to replant the portions
of forest reserves within his jurisdiction
which have been denuded of trees. Seeds
of several varieties have been sent him,
but he has been instructed to use only
the sorts indigenous to the soil. The for
est rangers will perform the work Of re-
planting the deforested areas. If this
experiment Is successful the same plan
will be pursued in other portions of the
country.
Representative Wilson of Idaho has
introduced bill to amend the act Gre
ating forest reserves. 1t provides that
| lands taken outside of reservations in
| lieu of timber on other lands within a
| reservation, shall be Of character sim
liar to the original selections. 1t fur
ther provides that where timber lands
are taken they shall be for similar lands
within forest reservations, and that
when lands in reservations have been
denuded of timber no timber lands can
be taken in lieu thereof. Another provi-
sion of the bill is that claimants them
selves must make the location Of lieu
lands, and such location cannot be made
! by power Of attorney. The object Of the
bill Is to prevent the railroad companies
from relinquishing their lands after
| they have been denuded of timber, anC
| getting valuable lands elsewhere in.
| stead.
| Another bill of interest to the terrific.
ries was introduced by Delegate Wilson
of Arizona. 1t amends the act prohibit
ing the passage of local or special law.
in the territories to limit the territoria
Indebtedness, etc. The bill so amends
the act as to- authorize the legal issu
ance of bonds by any chartered corpora
tions having q population of not les
than 1000. It provides, however, that is
suance shall only be made after two
thirds of the qualified voters Of sucl
corporation shall have voted affirma
lively on the question at an election
which is provided for in the bill. Sena
tor Heitfeld's bill to the same effect wa
reported favorably to the senate.