The La Jara chronicle., 1905-12-22

ucn5S llat C&ktutEA SHOW 90 OLi
Secretary of the Interior should be nu-
thorlzed, In his discretion, to accept the
relinqulshment to the United States of any
tract OF land within forest reserve COW
cred by an unprotected bona hde claim
lawfully Initiated or by a patent, and to
grant to the owner In lieu thereof tract
of unapprOpriated, vacant, surveyed, non
mineral public land In the same State or
Territory and OF approximately equal area
and value determined by an examina-
tlon report and specific description by
public surveys OF both tracts to be made
on the ground by officials of the Govern
Ipent. When exchange under these condi-
tous cannot be affected, lands privately
owed within forest reserves should be paid
10 rim cases where the public interest re-
public ownership. The Secretary of the ln-
terior should be authorized to take the nee
essary proceedings as rapidly as the neces-
sary funds are provided.
Timber and Stone Act.
The recommendations made FOR the re-
peal OF the timber and stone act In the
previous reports are renewed and empha-
sized Additional facts showing the de-
structlve effect of this law have strength
encd the belief OF your Commission that on
the whole Its operation Is decidedly harm
fu This law has been made the vehicle
ment has lost and is stlll losing yearly vast
sums Of money through the sale of yalu-
able timber lands TO spectators, and nence
Indirectly to large corporations, at a price
far below their actual value. From the
passage OF the act, June 3. ls!s, TO June
30 1901, 55,3I2 claims for 1,596OiS acres
of timber land We're patented under It's
provisions, and on last date T,Gii claims
for / Jos. $50 acres were pending. Many
transfers of laud patented under this law
are made Immediately upon completion or
title. often on the same day. 10 lhdlyiinals
the timber supplies of the public-iand
States Is being created by systematic col
fusion. Under the existing rules, rules and & prae,
this COLLISION, except in cases of open
fraud and 1t Is therefore practically I'M
possible TO secure conviction. Furthermore.
udp COmDlilUce with actual
provisions OF the law the effect Is almost
equally bad. The law Itself is seriously de-
IL has been urged In behalf of this act
that 1t enables poor men to enjoy the
bounty Of the Government by obtaining
tracts Of timber which they can afterwards
sell with advantage. A careful study
seems to show. on the contrary, that the
original entrymen rarely realize more than
ordinary wages for the, time spent In max
lug the entry and completing the transfer
The corporations which ultimately secure
title usually absorb by far the greater part
In addition to the direct loss to the
Government from the sale OF the lands far
below their real value, timber lands which
should have been preserved for the use OF
the people are withdrawn from such use
and the development OF the country is re-
tarded until the corporations which own
the timber see fit to cut 1t. The bona tde
settler who comes Into country, the tim
bcr resources Of which have thus been alb
sorbed, may be very seriously hnmpered by
his inability to secure timber except from
n foreign corporation. All of the timber
land has often passed beyond his reach.
and the development of his farm may he
retarded and his expenses greatly Increased
because he can no longer obtain the nee
essnry supplies Of fuel, rails, posts, and
lumber,
AS In the case of other laws. instances
of the beneficial operation of this act may
be cited, but when 1t Is considered from
the point Of view of the general Interest OF
the public II becomes obvious that this law
should be repealed.
Sale of Timber on the Public Lands
Necessity for the enactment of law
authorizing the sale of timber on nonre
serve public land is becoming more eyi
dent and the recommendations made In
the preceding report OF this Commission
are reiterated. For the best use of the
public lands 1t is absolutely essential e
hold public timber for sale when needed
and In quantities Decesslnted by the con
tinuous growth of prevailing industries
Provision should be made for limited
free-use right by miners and actual set
tiers.
A virgin Is n maid: when verging OF
~ is called an old maid.