Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-12-10
PRIVATE RIaaTs IN RESERVES.
Whist They are and How They Were
Affected by the Establishment
of the Reserves.

22-25, adopted resolutions fayoring "ths
conservative use of forest resources. and
in particular the creation and manage
ment of forest reserves under practical
business like rules and regulations.
Early in August the National Live Stock
Association, at its Denver meeting, was
equally earnest for practical control and
Improvement of the forest areas.
The permanent prosperity Of nearly
all the far Western States is threatened
by the destruction of the forests on the
watersheds ofirrigation streams. Waste
ful numbering, excessive grazing, and
fires are increasingly cutting down the
efficiency of the forests as sources OF
water supply. Conditions are rapidly
growing worse and this is evidenced by
the constant demands Of citizens for the
creation OF new forest reserves, The
great difficulty is TO determine bound
aries which will include only lands suit
able for the purpose, and will avoid in
jury to local enterprises. The interests
Of the settler, the cattle or sheep man
the miner, the lumberman. and the irri-
gator, often all dependent upon the
same region, are always more or less
conflicting. Seldom is q reserve created
without opposition from one or more OF
these interests. Commonly the practice
of the Government is to withdraw from
settlement all the land involved until it
can be carefully examined, after which
the suitable portion is included in per
manent reserve and that which proves
to be open, agricultural, or largely
under private ownership, is releas-
ed.
A settler who has entered upon a
claim which is later included in forest
reserve does not thereby lose it. He
may return it to the Government and in
lien thereof select another equal portion
of the public domain. Or, if he elects
to remain on the claim he is protected
In all his rights of oW nership, is allowed
free ingress and egress over reserve
lands. and is also permitted, without
cost, to cut reserve wood for domestic
and farm repair purposes. Residents in
the neighborhood Of reserves are grant
hid similar free use of wood
Omitting actual settlers, four classes
of citizens are directly and specially in
terested in reserves. Lumbermen,
stock grazers, and miners are concerned
with the forest as producer Of timber
and grass. Farmers have their direct
interest in the highest water conserving
power of the forests. 1t is not imposs.
ible so to adjust the claims of these four
classes as to provide for them all. Each
Of the first three can so use the forests
as not to injure the rights OF the others,
and can at the same time so conduct
their several industries that the value
of the forest in regulating stream flow
will not be diminished, Indeed, under
proper management it will actually be
increased.
No authority exists for selling the tim.
Der standing on unresetved public lands.
Its free use being greatly abused, leads
to numerous frauds, and has become an
additional reason for reserve establish
ment for forest protection, as we'll as for
the passage OF law permitting the sale
of such timber. Lumbermen can buy
this timber only by buying the land out.
right, and the law limits to 100 acres
the size OF the tract any one purchaser
may secure. After the establishment OF
a reserve, however the timber can be
bought in large or small quantities. The
cutting, removing, and clearing must be
done under contract with the Govern
ment, according to definite plan, and
with strict regard for the best welfare
of the forest Moreover the land,
which remains in the Government
hands is kept productive instead Of GO
ing to waste after numbering as is too
often the case when it falls to private
ownership.
The vast public domain of the West
has been given up to the stock business
for pastureage in common. The forests,
forming part of this domain, have
been subject to this unrestricted pastur-
age. The result has been disastrous to
the domain both open and forested, but
the forests have suffered the most in
jury. Restricting forest grazing by
means Of reserve regulations and inspec-
tion will eliminate the danger from over.
grazing will ultimately greatly benefit
the business. and viii, most important
of all, enable the forests to perform their
highest function for all of the people. A
few grazers may haye their rights
slightly abridged or more closely regal.
ated, but the business as a whole is con.
Quoted in more orderly way.
Prospecting and mine development
are not at all restricted by reserve es.
tablishment. Miners require in their
work both timber and water. Their de-
mand for timber is comparatively not
great, and they cut it somewhat more
carefully than lumbermen have done.
Their interests do not suffer in the leas.
by forest reserve establishment. On the
contrary, in the long run they will be
greatly benefited by the protection
which assures their future timber sup.
ply.
The greatest industry affected by for
est reserves is farming. In many parts
Of the West 1t depends absolutely on
the water flow from the forest. If i'll
usage impairs its storage capacity, and
the stream flow, in consequence. alter.
mates between food and drought, or ia
permanently lesseued. all the denepden,