The Breckenridge news., 1905-12-13

CLIFFORD PINCHOT
u. S. Forester and Member of the Public Lands
Commission.
Representatives, the opinion of the
majority of the members Of that COM
mittee being, apparently, that the
timber grabbing should be allowed tc
continue. The structures of the Presi-
dents Public Lands Commission.
quoted below, on the coils of the law
are a 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 valueless
are now producing large crops, either with
or without irrigation. This has been
brought about in part by the introduction
of new grains and other plants and new
methods Of farming and in part by denseI
population and improved systems Of trans
portatiOn. 1t Is obvious that the first es
ssential for putting the remaining public
lands to their best use Is TO ascertain what
that best use is by preliminary study and
classification Of them, and to determine
their probable future and development by
agriculture.
Until it can be definitely ascertained that
any given area Of the public lands is and
in all probability forever will remain un-
suited to agricultural development, the IT,
tie to that land should remain n the Gen.
eral Government in trust for the future
settler
For example: The passage Of the recla-
nation act dune II, 1902 made certain
the disposition to actual settlers OF large
areas OF land which up to that time had
been considered as valueess. Other areas
which are too high and barren to have
notable value even for grazing, are now
known to have Importance In the future
development Of the country through tneir
capacity to produce forest growth. The
making OF wells will give an added value
to vast tracts Of range lands for which
the water supply is now scanty. In short,
because Of possible development, through
irrigation, through the Introduction OF new
plants and new methods of farming,
control, the remaining public lands have
an Importance hitherto but dimly forseen
In view Of these facts it is OF the first
Importance to save the remaining public
domain for actual home builders TO the ut
most limit OF future possibilities and not
o mortgage the future by any disposition
OF the public lands under which home max
Ing will not keep step with disposal. To
that end your Commission recommends
tsee p. l2) method Of range control under
which present resources may be used to the
full without endangering future settle
ment.
After the agricultural possibilities Of the
public lands have been ascertained with
reasonable certainty, provision should be
made for dividing them into areas sufri-
clently large to support family, and no
larger, and to permit settlement on such
areas. IT Is obvious that any attempt to
accomplish this end without a careful clas-
slfcation Of the public lands must neces-
sarily fail Attempts OF this kind are be-
Ing made from time to time, and legisla-
tlon OF this character is now pending,
modelled on the Nebraska 640-acre home
stead law, which was passed as an expert
ment to meet a certain restricted local con-
dition. This act (33 Stat, $40 permits
the entry OF 640-acre homesteads In the
sand-hill region of that State Whether In
practice the operation of this law will re-
suit in putting any considerable number of
settlers on the land is not yet determined.
Your commission is of opinion, after care.
full consideration, that general provisions
fthis kind should not be extended until
after thorough study Of the public lands