Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-10-24

elect a United States senator-in this
of all years the republican voter should
be vigilant and straight. He should
place an X at the head of the republi-
can column on the ballot and make
room for the next voter to do the
same.
NATIONAL FOREST RESERVES.
The Purpose Of Their Establishment
How They. Have Grown, and the I'm
portant Ends They Will Conserve.
Excluding the two reserves in
Alaska, which cover nearly 100000
acres, there are now in the United
States 81 forest reserves. with COM
bined area Of 1885, 974 acres. These
reserves are divided among 13 states
and territories Of the west. If they
redeem arid land only to the extent of
their own areas. It would mean 373, 1897
new farms Of $50 acres each-for
water is the VESTS greatest need, and
it Is now recognized that water con-
servation Is to be the most important
service rendered by the reserves.
What this would mean in the way OF
increased agricultural wealth it is
easy to see. ~.
The people Of the United States, as
q. whole, have little idea of the enor-
nous magnitude of the interests af-
fectef by the governments forest re-
serve policy. Timber supply. impor-
tant as this is, is q relatively small
part of the whole purpose. The re-
clamation Of millions OF. acres OF arid
land, a sustained or heightened fer
tfiity for other millions of acres Of
farm lands, and, finally, the safeguard
ing for the future Of pasturage for mil
lions Of head Of sheep and cattle are
already certain results of that policy.
It contemplates furnishing the present
and thousands of prospective settlers
wood, water. tillable lands, and pros
porous homes. Roundly stated, the
purpose is to give these forest re-
serves their highest utility to all who
use them now or viii use them here
after. y. = 4s If.
This is clearly work Of stupendous
proportions. Irrigation, which will
prove the salvation of millions OF
acres Of these lands, can not realize
its largest possibilities unless the
watersheds Of the west are under con.
sentative forest management. Great
damage has been done there by over
grazing, reckless numbering, and, most
OF all, by fires. Reserves were es-
tablished to stop this damage and to
give the forests their greatest useful
ness by conserving the water supply
without shutting of the supply of tim
Der. On account of the expense and
natural conditions involved, there is a
limit to the size of impounding reser-
voirs, hence the necessity for prevent
ing their overflow by floods, and for
making their supply regular, that all
the water possible may be saved for
use. Forests are the chief agency in
this work, and to maintain them lie
absolutely essential to the reclamation
of the arid west. s Is :, !. y.
This use of a forest, however, is not
at all inconsistent with Its use for
many purposes. laundering, when
rightly done, is an advantage, not a
detriment. Grazing, when regulated,
does not iniure the forest, and pros
pecting, locating, and developing mines
are not interfered with by reserve
restrictions. Thus the government, in
establishing reserves, in no sense
withdraws the forest from use. On
the contrary, while all their present
uses are continued, their greatest
power for good is kept from injury and
increased in value by the wise and
careful protection afforded by reserve
management. Only under such man
agement can these forests, most effect.
lively aid irrigation in retaining thous-
ands Of square miles Of waste lands,
and in building homes over vast areas
hitherto regarded as impossible of set
tlement. 1S u !
The bureau Of forestry has had dur
ing the past summer Is agents In the
field Investigating actual and proposed
forest reserves n they discover that
agricultural lands, or lands more valu-
able for other purposes, have been In
Guided in reserves, they will recon.
mend their Immediate exclusion. Il
they find land which Will be more nse-
fu1 when reserved than when not re-
served, they will recommend that It
Ebe added to an adjacent reserve or
form ! new one.
Often the hardest task of the bur,
|ean agents Is n reeonciling conflicting
Elocal interests Sheep and cattle men
may be disputing over the same sraz-