Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23
ON FOREST RESERVES
CORRESPONDENTS ON THE SUB.
JECT OF STOCK GRAZING.

There has been an exchange of letters be-
tween President Roosevelt and the Secre-
tary of Agriculture on the subject of stock
grazing on forest reserves. This matter
was recently brought to the notice of the
President by the stockmen affected, and the
Secretary of Agriculture. in taking up the
subject, makes clear his side of the case
and explains what he has attempted to do
under the new regulations He says In
part:
"A fee for grazing in the national forest
reserves, announced in the regulations OF
July 1, 1906 to take effect January 1, 1905,
has recently been made the subject of
protest by cattlemen from one of the west
ern states Since this protest was carried
directly to you desire to lay before you a
short statement of the regulations as they
now stand"
He then explains in some detail the work.
ing of the law and the basis on which graz
ing permits are issued, with a view to pro-
tecting the interests of the smaller stock
owners. In conclusion, he says:
1T will be evident to you that special
effort has been made, not only to give the
range greater value to the stockmen than
ever before, but also to foster home build
ing and promote the interests of the small
owner at every point. Taken altogether,
believe the grazing fee and the regulations
as amended to be practical, wise and right"
In reply to this letter the President says:
The Presidents Reply.
my Dear Mr.. Secretary: have received
your letter of December 20. l cordially ap-
prove of the policy you are carrying on.
Your effort is to keep the grazing lands in
the forest reserves for the use of the stock.
men, and especially the small stockmen,
who actually live in the neighborhood of
the reserves. To prevent the waste and de-.
stIuction of the reserves and to keep them
go that they can be permanently used by
the stockmen, no less than by the public
you have to spend a certain amount Of
money. Part of this money is to be obtained
by charging a small fee for each head of
stock pastured on the reserve. Less than
a third of the actual value of the grazing
is at present charged, and 1t is, of course,
perfectly obvious that the man who pas
lures his stock should pay something for
the preservation of that pasture. He gets
all the benefit Of the pasture and he pays
for its use but a small fraction of the value
that it is to him, and this money is in reality
returned to him. because it is used in keep
ing the forest reserve permanently avail
able for use. You this year make a special
reduction by which the small ranchmen pay
but half rates. This is in accordance with
the steady policy of your department as re-
CARDS the western lands, which is to favor.
in every way the actual settler, the actual
home maker, the man who himself tills the
soil or himself rears and cares for his small
herd of cattle. In granting grazing permits
you give preference first to the small near
by owners; after that, to all regular occu-
pants of the reserve range, and finally to
the owners of transient stock. This rs ex-
actly as it should be- The small nearby
owners are the honesteaders, the men who
making homes for themselves by the
labor of their hands, the men who have en-
tered to possess the land and to bring up
their children thereon.