The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-24
ST0CKMEN WILL
BE FORCED TO PAY
Small Fee Charged for Grazing on
Forest Reserves.
PRESIDENT FAv0RS PLAN
LETTER TO SECRETARY OF AcRI.
CULTURE.

Washington, Dec 23-President
Roosevelt. in a latter addressed TO Sec
rotary Wilson of the department of ag-
riculture on the subject of fees for
grazing horses and cattle in the ma
tional forest reserves upholds the sec
rotary in the regulations, formulated
by him and which viii become effec-
tive Jan. /. 1906, whereby certain rules
are laid down for the granting of graz
ing permits.
The communication is the result of
a protest sent to the president by cat
tlemen from one of the western states,
wilson, 10 whom the protest was re-
ferred. The letter of the president fol-
lows:
RooseVeIt's Letter.
The White House. Washington, D.
c. Dec. ~ l905.-My Dear Mr.. Sec
rotary: ! have received your letter
Of Dec. 20. I cordially approve of the
policy you are carrying on Our et-
fort 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 destruction OF the reserves and
10 keep them SO that they can be per-
manently used by the stOckmen no less
than by the public you have to spend
a certain amount of money.
Should Pay Something.
Part of This money is to be obtained
by charging small fee for each head
OF stock pastured on the reserve. Less
than third o. the actual value of the
grazing Is at present charged and ii
is, of course, perfectly obvious that
the man who pastures 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 small fraction of the value that
IT is 10 him, and this money is I'm re
ality returned to him because il is
used in keeping the forest reserve per-
manently available for us You this
year make special reduction by
which the ranchmen pay but half
rates. This is in accordance with the
steady policy Of your department as
regards the western lands which is
TO favor in every way the actual set
tier, the actual home maker the man
who himself tills the soil or himself
rears and cares for his small herd of
cattle.
Small Owners Preferred.
In granting grazing permits you
give preference. first 10 the small near
by ownersi after that to all regular
occupants OF the reserve range, and
finally 10 the owners Of transient
stock. This Is exactly as il should be.
The small nearby owners are the
homesteaders. the men who are max
ing homes for themselves by the Ia
Dor of their hands, the men who have
entered to possess the land and to
bring up their children thereon. The
other regular occupants of the reserve
range, that is, the larger ranch own
ers. are only entitled TO come after
the smaller men. II, after these have
been admitted there stili remains an
ample pasturage then the owners of
transient stock, the men who drive
the tramp herds or tramp flocks
hither and thither should be admitted.
These men have no permanent abode,
do bat very little 10 build I'D the
land, and are not 10 be favored at the
expense of the regular occupants, large
or small
Prevents Waste.
This system prevents the grass from
being eaten out by other herds or
flocks OF nOn-Tesidents, for only enough
cattle and sheep are admitted upon
the reserves TO fatten upon the pas
turage without damaging il. In other
words, under the policy you have
adopted. the forest reserves are TO be
used as among the most potent in
ruences in favor of the actual home
maker, OF the man with & few dozen
or few score head of cattle which
he has gathered by his own Industry
and is himself caring for. This is the
Kind of men upon whom the founda-
ton of our citizenship rests and it is
eminently proper TO favor him in every
way Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of
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