Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-14

0IllU. EGM UNpDAt thAotHAOAA lllt
country. especially the east, know any.
thing OF this law, yet its workings
have been perhaps the most iniquit-
Gus of any land law eyer admins
tered by any government in any age.
Il has resulted in millions and tens
OF millions of dollars worth OF the
most magnificent mercnantable tim
bered lands in the world passing from
the government into the hands of lum.
Ter sy~ndIcates and spectators, for
which little and in some aSes absO-
lutely no value has been received
by the government.
On its face the forest lieu land law
was a beneicent measure. and so
The majority of congressman thought
when they enacted II. II provided
that where the government created
a forest reserve and settlers already
had their homes In tnat reserve. they
could exchange their lands Tor n
public lands which they might select,
the idea being that the forest rcser.
walton. by stopping further settlement.
would condemn them TO isolation.
Then the law was made to apply
broadly 10 all people or corporations
who might hold or have filed on any
land in forest reserves created or to
re created.
The land grant railroads in some
instances and large land dealers aud
spectators held enormous tracts of
land, good and bad, in the forest
reserves.
Thereupon it was Immediately ex-
changed for good timber lands, where
upon the owners, or the companies to
whom they sold ii, proceeded TO d.
vest 1t of every foot OF timber, and
then turned it into the government
and located in lieu Of It. acre for
acre. tracts in the painless forests OF
Washington, Oregon, Northern Cail-
Iornia and Idaho, forests mentioned
by the secretary of the interior as
worth $50 and even 500 an acre.
The people of the west--those who
are not interested in timber steals oi
various sorts-are outraged at The
magnitude OF the t~inibermen's opera
ions. not at the great legitimate lum-
herring industry of the west. but al
the evasion of the timber laws. the
absolute downright fraud, stealing
and perjury which is occurring In ev-
cry timDered section and most OF all
Mt the wreckless methods OF numbering
by which entire watersheds are de-
ruded and destroyed. thus dry ing up
the water for irrigation up
on which the fertile western valleys
l-.---I fa. tI,ztr rnrxs life
The difficulty which the iriigator
and the forest preseryer will meet Is
This: Neither are organized. The
great mass of the people would favor
the aDrogation OF this abominable law,
and tie recent national irrigation con-
gress It Ell Paso passed a strong res
olution TO that effect; nevertheless,
what is everybody business is no
body's in particular, and the forest
lieu land scrip law is likely to IN
tinue On the statute looks uricss al
overwhelming public sentiment SWEEPS
II away. And, indeed, SO well are
sle tinbermen organized that any
effort at LEGISLATION will Immediately
arouse a great western outroar. IL
will be but the protest OF men VINO
are making enormous fortunes through
the s%auandering of the nations great
est resource.
An instance OF this rs seen In inc
following imitation typewriter letter,
which is Icing sent broadcast among
all timber land dealers:
Dear sir: am advised that I'M
mediately upon the assembling OF con-
G, ess IN December, either the Mondeii
bill restricting the purchasing pow
or of forest reserve scrip VIII be pa
eI upon its passage. or a new bill sun
more disastrous will be introduced,
providing that all patented and with
in forest reservations which nave
been relinquished and lieu selections
made against them, are TO be con-
demncd, and owners will be forced to
sell 10 the government at the govern
,nent ice. presumably $l.25 per acre
n this latter pill is enacted into law,
forest reserve scrip will be a thing
q: the past.
at occurs to me that all scrip deal
ers should unite and resist these
measures vigorously. Able uns
should be retained to defeat thesa
measures. | would be glad to ha."
YOU offer suggestions, naming SUITABLE
counsel You nay depend upon me
TO cooperate in any movement which
seems best. | am ready to contribute
r proportion OF tie necessary n
TO pu.,'i this matter vigo, ously very
rrompt action is necessary. May ]
have ,,our immediate reply! yours
very truly
This letter says that forest re-
serve GRIP will be a thing OF th2
,.;st. Il should be a thing oil the past
nd This about to convene
choulj promptly make II a thing Oh
the past. The wner or these amos
Included in forest reserves should Dc
forced to sell them to the government
at not necessarily sll5 per acre but
at the appraised value. a. Is adVocat
ed By the national irrigation
and by the national irrigation asso-
cation. Many OF these lands have al
ready been denuded Of their last SILICA
IF timber and are not worth fifty cents
IN acre.
With this forest lieu land law upon
the statute books ii Is a question
whether the creation OF additional fot.
est reserves does not become more OF
n menace to forestry and Irrigation
than a good.
The most eminent forest authorities
tell us that at the present rate oil lor-
est destruction there will be no Tor
csts in the United States within forly
years. There is no more certain way
TO bring this condition about man 10
continue the operation OF the forest
reserve scrip law and the timber ana
stone law.
With a wise forest policy by which
the title TO the remaining public LOT
est land shall remain in the govern
ment, allowing the sale oil the stump
age, as recommended to congress by