Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-12-08

every possible means. But these re-
sources must be used In such way
as TO make them permanent
The forest policy of the Government
is Just now subject OF vivid public
| interest throughout the West and to
the people of the United States In gen
oral The forest reserves themselves
are OF extreme value to the present
MS well as to the future welfare of all
the western puhlic-land States They
powerfully afrect the use and disposal
of the public lands. They are OF spec
| ial Importance because they preserve
the water supply and the supply OF
timber for domestic purposes. and so
| promote settlement under the recla-
| nation act Indeed they are essen
tlnl to The welfare Of every one of
he great interests of the West.
Forest reserves are created for two
principal purposes. The first Is to
| preserve the water supply This is
their most important use The prin-
cipal users of the water thus preserv.
cd are irrigation ranchers and set
Tiers. cities and towns to whom their
municipal water supplies are of the
very first Importance. users and fur
nishers of water power. and the users
OF water for domestic manufacturing.
mining and other purposes. All these
are directly dependent upon the for.
est reserves
The second reason for which forest
reserves are created liz to preserve
the timber supply for various classes
Of wood users. Among the more i'm
portant of these are settlers under
he reclamation act and other acts,
for whom cheap and accessible sup
ply of timber for domestic uses is alb
solutely necessary; miners and pros.
pectors who are In serious danger of
losing their timber supply by fire or
through export by lumber companies
Fhen timber lands adjacent to their
mines pass into private ownership;
imbermen transportation compan-
Is. builders and commercial interests
n general.
Although the wisdom of creating
lorest reserves is nearly everywhere
heartily recognized yet in few To-
alties there has been misunder-
't"huhiS hh'i 'bHlDitlHls me fpllDW-
ng statement is therefore desirable:
The forest reserve policy can be
successful only when It has the full
support of the people of the West. 1t
annot safely. and should not in any
ase. be imposed upon them against
heir will. But neither can we ac-
'ept the views of those whose only
interest in the forest is temporary.
Who are anxious to reap what they
ave not sown and then move away.
eaving desolation behind them. On
he contrary, It is everywhere and al
nays the interest of the permanent
iettler and the permanent business
nan. the man with stake In the
'ountry. which must be considered
nd which must decide.
The making of forest reserves with
n railroad and wagon-road land
and grant limits will hereafter, as
or the past three years. be so man.
ged as to prevent the Issue. under
he act OF June T. 1897, OF base for
xchange or lieu selection (usually
allied scrip. In all cases where for
ST reserves within acres covered by
thh hpp'hi W bf tSStullhl W
he prosperity of settlers, miners or
'thers, the government lands within
'nch proposed forest reserves will
. in the recent past, be withdrawn
rom sale or entry pending the com
'letion of such negotiations with the
wners of land grants as will prevent
he creation of so-called SCRIP.
1t was formerly the custom to
make forest reserves without first
citing definite and detailed informa-
ion as to the character of land and
imber within their boundaries. This
nethod of action often resulted In
Iadly chosen boundaries and conse-
luent injustice TO settlers and others.
Therefore this administration adopt
ID the present method OF first with
rawing the land from disposal, fol
owed by careful examination on the
round and the preparation Of detail
d maps and descriptions, before any
crest reserve Is created
| have repeatedly called attention
o the confusion which exists in gov
'rnment forest matters because the
work Is scattered among three indie
| ltHutHl DTsunlLdllOHHs lns unlttn
states is the only one OF the great ma.
ions in which the forest work of the
l government IL not concentrated I'M
Ter one department, In consonance
| With the plainest dictates OF good ad-
ninistration and common sense. The
| present arrangement IL bad from ev-
Try point of view Merely TO mention
| Is to prove that II should be termi-
,ated at once. As | have repeatedly
'ecommer ded. all The forest work OF
he government should be concentra-
ed in the department OF agriculture.
Shere the larger part Of that work is
ilready done, where practically all OF
he trained foresters Of the govern
nent are employed. where chiefly in
Washington there Is comprehensive
first-hand knowledge OF the problems
Of the reserves acquired on the
ground where all problems relating
o growth from the soil are already
gathered. and where all the sciences