The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-12-02
HEYRuEN ON FOREST RESERVES
The senator Defines his POaition ON the
Question.

The senator Defines His Position ON tn,
Question.
Senator W. b. Hepburn has given
out the following interview:
My position on the forest reserve
question, in support Of which have
filed protests, bears little resemblance
to the position accredited to me.
am now, and always have been, in
favor of the forest reserves. The
question is as to the character Of the
reserve, the extent and character Of
the exclusion which such forest re-
serve implies.
believe in completing the sur
veys Of the public lands Of the Uuited
States in all Of the states and territor.
les believe in allowing the set
tier to determine his own selection.
l belive that the government should
not take the school lands or other
lands of the states or territories for
the purpose of creating forest reserves
In the absence Of some legal provi :
sion for compensation to the state or
territory.
II believe that no part u the
public domain should be withdrawn
from settlement, except for neces-
sary military or Indian reservations.
and when unusual conditions Justify
the establishment of national parks.
do not believe in establishing ma
tional parks solely for game reserves
or for ornamental purposes. / be-
lieFe in preserving the game by wise
ly enacted and we'll enforced laws. /
have no sympathy with a government
that is maintained in the interest Of
any favored class of people with sup
erabundanee Of leisure for the indnI-
genee of pastimes.
1t is essential to the mainten-
ance Of the fixed charges Of the state.
county and municipal governments
that the taxable property of the state
should be maintained at the maxi
mum. The withdrawal nf large areas
from present aud future coutsibu.
lions, through means of taxation 10
the maintenance of state End county
governments is mauifestly unjust to
the people of the state, who must
bear the increased burden.
In Idaho sections 10 and 36.
awarded to the state for public school
purposes, have heeu included within
forest reserves, amounting to more
than 100000 acres. The minimum
price at which said lands can be sold.
under the constitution of Idaho and
uater the act OF congress admitting
Idaho as state, Is s1O an acre. 1t
will thus be seen that these sections
OF land which have been included
within the forest reserve aggregate.
at the minimum price fixed bv Law.
$"03D, 900. which was Intended to
constitute perpetual fluid for the
edcuation of the children Of Idaho.
This proposition is met BY the
statement that the state may select
otaer lands iu lieu Of those included
within forest reserves. The uufer-
tunate feature Of this excuse i that
there are not sufficient available
lands subject to selection to enable
the state tn make such selections.
l have not made a crusade against
the establishment Of forest reserves
but have been expressing my opin-
ion and endeaToring in my own way
to secure slch q modification of the
rules and reRg> ations governing for
est reserves as would Leave them o.en
70 settieneg, relying uugn the co ]
operation ofFhe settler With thel.tate /
aud the Fffosrument to protect the I
forests trf1s s'aste and destruction. -