The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-08
IDAHO LIKES IT
A Defense Of the Stone and Timber Law
BY an Idaho Lawyer. ..
ro Tho Editor Of Thu Journal,

TO the Editor of Tho Journal. 49,
take pleasure In T h Journa1 and
often receive instruction from Its able
editorials, but feel constrained to differ |
with you as to the editorial stand taken
!on the matter Of the repeal of the stone |
and timber law. If you will allow me the
space will briefly give you my views as
those of one living in the portion OF the |
United States most affected by the opera |
lions of that law, and reasons Why such
repeal. except with conditions which the
forces back Of the agitation for repeal will
not permit, will work directly into the
hands of the big syndicates and corpora
tions operating In timber.
Idaho has the biggest and best body OF
standing white pine now within our Dor
ders. A large part of this has already
passed into the possession of the timber
syndicate but not thru the operation of
the stone and timber act. Instead, their
immense holdings have been largely ac-
quired from the state a public auction I'M
der democratic officials for very made
ouate price. on the mistaken notion that
such disposal Of the states forests would
result in the settlement and building up
of the country. In addition to such state
purchases the syndicates have bought and
are buying private holdings obtained by
individuals under the stone and timber
act. But not 1 per cent of such holdings
of individuals have been obtained In col
fusion with timber companies and the syn
dictates are forced to pay to private hold
ers an average of from twice sto three
times as much as 1t would cost them to
place scrip on the lands.
Hundreds of thousands Of acres Of the
choicest timber of Idaho, Oregon and
Washington have been obtained by the
railway and timber companies by scrip.
Nearly all outstanding scrip is in their
hands and they are using every means to-
day to place as much of the scrip as pos
sible on all unoccupied timber lands as
soon as they are thrown open to entry.
have information that one timber company
has offered squatters on unsurveyed lands
In this state as high as $1,000 per quarter
to refrain from fling when the land comes
into market and permit the company to
use scrip instead. Repeal the stone and
timber law and what will be the result?
There is outstanding to-day in the
acres of scrip. The moment the law is re-
pealed, the individual settler will be elm
mated and the scrip holders will have
clear sailing to lay their scrip on all the
timber at a price to them of about SIS per
acre, while they now have to pay the set
tiers who get the land under the stone and
timber act from $40 to $50 per acre and
the price Is increasing rapidly. Where will
the benefit come In to the individual or the
country at large? The timber will pass all
the more surely into the hands Of the cor
porations. with the exception that they
shan at present. We see the actual work
1ngs of the law out here, and cannot ses-
cape from the logic have, stated.
The railway companies and timber syn
dictates are back of this agitation. They
are using their efforts to delay the filing
Of plats of surveys with the hope OF
getting the law repealed and the squattei
eliminated. For this reason, If the repea
is made. they will see to it that no pro-
vision is inserted doing away with scril
or withdrawing all timber lands from en-.
try. as will have to be done II the Osten.
sible reason for such repeal is to be con.
served. .,.a.'.
The recent irrigation congress at Ogder
voted down proposed resolution in favor
of such repeal. The gathering was 9
distinguished one. of experts in irrigation
problems, Of statesmen and patriotic citi
zens from nearly every state in the union
The action of that congress was the re-
suit Of much discussion and thought, ant
deserves to be given great weight in thu
settlement of the problem under discus
sion.
was a delegate to the recent trans
Mississippi congress at Seattle which re
solved In favor of repeal The basis o
representation to that gathering and tn
actual heavy representation from sucl
states as Texas and Louisiana-states no
confronted by the problems that face u
here-made it possible for the delegation
\. from the south to pass the resolution o.
the plea that the great floods Of the Mis-
sissippi are caused by destruction of for
ests. How the repeal of these laws now
after the forests of Minnesota, Wisconsin
and Michigan have become a mere mem
Dry, will lessen the flood dangers In tn
south is hard to understand. No sue
conditions confront us in the northwest
even should the forests have to go. Tn
immense areas at the headwaters Of til
Columbia, the Snake and other larg
streams are all protected from the lum
bermen by enormous forest reserves sui
fcient to prevent for all time the happen
ing of such contingencies as aff1ict tt,
east and south
Aside from this is the matter of gov
eminent irrigation, little appreciated |
the east but of vital Importance in TIL
semi -arid states. The repeal Of thes
laws will destroy the income out Of whic
such works of reclamation can be estat
lished. That will not affect Minnesota |
Iowa. but it will blast the fairest hope
i OF development of states west Of IL
mountains.
Under the circumstances I believ
therefore, that the repeal Of these Law
will be for the sole benefit of the col