Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-02-03


various parts OF the vest and Is con
c~iusiyeiy accepted BY the highest au-
thorities on the subject In the United
States.
But the most serious misapprehen-
sion was the notion that the setting
apart OF reserves. and the scientific
methods Of forestry TO follow. would
end or largely curtail the numbering
industry ON mountain watersheds. To
this objection, the forester made the
following notable response:
Il am not a ~preserver Of trees.
am a cutter.down OF trees. Il Is the
essence OF forestry to have trees hsr-
vested when they are ripe and follow.
cd By successive crops. The human
race Ii not destroyed because the II
diyidual dies. Every individual must
die, hui the race lives on. So every
tree must die, but the forest will BE
extended and multiplied II By ao
means follows that the face 81 me
land shall be ienaded. 80 that WV
character III the watershed shall ba
altered. with the resulting injury ~
streams and ID agricultural lardg df-
pendent upon them
n ii not necessary for the peopie 70
understand the real object OF the new
policy to appreciate the fact that Il
Ia really conservative Of all the true
economic interests of the country Of
agriculture. OF mining. OF grazing and
OF numbering itself. Is well as OF all
the commercial interests which de
pend upon the prosperiY Ct .hese
fundamental industries,
There is Inspiration In the work TO
which Clifford Pinchot has set his
hand. He Is not only aiming to estaD-
llsh d forestry system under which ex.
listing timber belts shall yield their
product forever In regular crops. but
10 make trees spring into life where
Itney have been wantoniy destroyed
and eyen where they have nAvar
grown Within tie memo ~ sivi ig
mar.
There are now ffty-three reserves,
covering the enormous area % s2354,f
965 acres.
AL hill nov pending In congress and
favorable reported fin the house pro
yidea for the transfer Of these reserves
To Mr.. Plnchot's bureau o. forestry IN
which ii to be consolidated all the
forestry work Of the government. now
divided among several bureaus.
But The government. looking % It's
present welfare. as well is to future
generations, should so further even
than this. Il should quit the present
practice. under the Timber aud Stone
law. of selling at 81 50 an acre. timber
lands which are worth in many IN.
stances $50 and even 500 an acre. and
place all the public timber IN the re-
serves. 10 be forever owned by the
government, allowing the government
forester to. of course. sell the timber
thereon. but under regulations which
will insure the representation Of the for,
ests. and prevent the d%enudation of
vast areas and preserve orr water
supplies, ~ selling government tim
Der at its real market value. The gov
eminent will obtain 4 million dollars
where II nov receives 4 thousand dol.
lars, unaef the operation III the Tim:
htr aud stone law.
The first duty of congress. then, II
The repeal q this act. along With the
Desert Lani act and Communication
clause OF the Homestead act under
which m equal sauandering ~ the
great land resources OF the govern
ment Is occurring month BY month.
The Official statement Of the com
missioner 81 the general land Office