The daily tribune., 1905-12-22

olrrORD 1lNtHOT
U. 3. Forester and Member of the Public Lands
Commission.
Representatives, the orinion of the
majority of the members of that Cold
mittee being. apparently. that the
timber grabbing should be allowed tc
continue. The structures OF the Presl-
dents Public Lands Commission,
quoted below, on the coils OF the law
are n sufficient condemnation of Its
maleficient provisions.
The second instalment of the Com
missions report follows.
The agricultural possibilities of the re-
naming public lands are as yet almost un-
known. Lands which a generation or even
decade ago were supposed to be yalueess
or without irrigation, This has been
Of new grain. and other plants and new
methods OF farming and In part by denser
population and improved systems OF trans
portation. 1t Is obvious that the first es
sentiai ,sntL ! fos putting the remaining public
iahds to their best use is to ascertain what
that best use IL by 4 preliminary study and
classification Of them. and to determine
the,r he'll probable future and development Dy
Until 1t can be definitely ascertained that
any given area OF the public lands In and
In az probability forever win remain IN
suited to agricultural development, the u
tie to that land should remain T. the Gen.
eral Government In trust for the future
settler.
For example The passage of the recia.
maticn act June II. 1902 made certain
the disposition to actual settlers Of large
scen srens OF Snd which up to that time had
which are too high and barren to have
notable value even for grazing. are now
tnos,n, tnown to have Importance IN he future
deveiopment or the country through their
capacity to produce forest growth. The
making OF wells will give. nm added value
70 vast tracts of range lands for which
because OF possible development, through
lrrigntion, through the Introduction Of new
Plant, Rtants and INC, new methods Of farming.
control. the remaining public lands have
an Importance hitherto but dImly forsecn.
In view Of these facts II is Of the nr.t
domain for actual home builders to the ut
most limit Of future possibilities and not
q ts tRseE15s nn the future BY AK d.position
inE Will not keep step with disposal. To
that end your Commission recommends
(see P. l2) q method Of range control under
whlch present resources may be used to the
foil without sndangering future settle
After. the agricultural possibilities of tn.
reasonable certainty, provision should be
made for dividing them Into areas sum.
Gfient,y large to support = family. and no
arens. II ID obvious that my attempt to
accomplish this end without a careful elias
sincntion Of the public lands must neces
sarily fall Attempts Of this kind are be-
Ing made from time to time. and legfsia.
tton OF this character 10 now pending
modelled on the Nebraska 640-ncre home
stead law, which wns passed ns an expert
ment to meet 4 certain restricted local con.
dition. This act t33 Stat, b4D permits
the entry Of S40-acre bomesteads In the
practice the operation OF this law will re-
suit In putting any considerable number Of
settlers on the land IL not yet determined.
full consideration, that general provisions
o fthis kind should not be extended until
lfter thorough study Of the public lands