Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1905-05-13
Wrong view Of the Service.

Wrong View of the Service.
An article was recently contributed to
the Rapid City Journal by ~. b." con-
| cerning the regulations of the United
States forest reserve in the Black Hills,
from reading which it becomes evident
that the writer has not fully investigated
the regulations in force. The article is
as follows:
"To the Editor OF the Journal:
We notice that the department having
in charge the forest reserves has sdver-
tised that q civil service examination
will be held for the purpose of selecting
forest rangers. 1t is given out for the
information of anyone desiring to enter
for this examination that anyone hav-
ing just little common sense need not
be afraid to try, as the department is
greatly in need Of men, and in order to
secure them the examination will be
dead easy. They only need to know
how to read, write and cypher, and be
able to roam through the woods without
getting lost.
Now what is the reason that it is 80
difficult to get forest rangers? 1t is be-
cause the rules and regulations are SO
strict. No one has lawful right to pick
up stick of wood on the reserves, no
matter how worthless, without a permit.
| There are thousands Of cords of wood
going TO waste on these reserves that
should be removed in order to lessen th e
dangers Of fires and to give the young
trees a chance to grow. This Govern
ment had better give twenty-five cents a
cord to have this dead and down tim Der
removed instead ofcharging that amount
| for it.
The forest ranger must be a man OF
| infleXible character, and of adamantine
heart-cold as steel. Such a man rang
ed over the Northern part Of Custer
county. He made two little boys who
had picked up small load Of wood, to
keep fatherless family from freezing,
unload it because they had no permit.
lie only did his sworn duty.
Another ranger, who lived in Key
stone, resigned his position because he
| had not the heart TO enforce the rules
and regulations to the letter. The de-
partment wants men, old residents oi
the Hills, but under the present rules
they can't be had. They are all too full
of the milk of human kindness to en-,
force them and prefer private life.
Plenty of men can be found who will
see that no green timber 10 cut or dis
turbed, but when it comes to arrssting
the needy for taking few sticks of wood
they are scarce"
The Pioneer-Times, commenting on
the above article, says: As matter OF
fact, the citizen whose intentions are en-.
tirely honest can not find in the regula
tions covering the forest reserve any
ground for complaint. The bona fdt
settler upon or about the reserve is not
deprived of any of his rights to the fue
| hCIc1ooig w MS hollci Duh Ou wv OIilel
hand is accorded the free use Of vooc
suitable for fuel, and is encouraged il
removing it as long as he complies with
the requirements, which are exceedingly
reasonable, and enioin upon him only
the full observance Of the rules that hav,
been adopted for precaution against fire
and trespass, either of which would be
come a serious peril to the forest ifgirer
any latitude whatever.
1t does not require forest ranger de
void of the milk of human kindness" tC
enforce the forestry regulations if he haI
intelligence enough to see that thes'
regulations have been compiled afte
much study and with view to the bes
possible protection of the young anC
growing timber, and not, as some may
suppose, for the parpose ofinflicting an,
hardships upon the citizens. There il
nothing CALLING or unreasonable abou
the regulations as far as their spplica
tion to the conscientious citizen is con
cernsd, and if the contributor to the Ra
pid City Journal will take tour over tn,
Black Hills and observe how harmoni
ously the forestry officers and settler
get along together. he will undoubtedl,
form a better opinion of the service.