, 1905-12-26
PRESIDENT ENDORSES SECRE-
TARY'S PLAN FOR COLLECT.
ING GRAZING FEES ON
FOREST RESERVES.
Says the Effort of Secretary Wilson is
to Keep Grazing Lands in the Re-
serves for Benefit of Stockmen,
Especially Small Stockmen, Who
Actually Live in the Neighborhood
of the Reserves-He Favors Idea.

Washington, Dec. 26.-President
Roosevelt, in a letter to Secretary Will
son of the department of agriculture,
on the subject of fees for grazing
horses and cattle in the national for
est reserves, gives his reasons for up
holding the secretary in the regula-
lions formulated by him and which
will become effective January 1, 1906,
whereby certain rules are laid down
for the granting of grazing permits.
The communication is the result of
a protest sen to the president by cat
tlemen from Colorado. The letter fol-
lows:
"The White House, Washington,
Dec. 81, 1905.-My Dear Mr.. Secre-
tary: l have received your letter of
December 20. l cordially approve of
the policy you are carrying on. Your
effort is to keep the grazing lands in
the forest reserves for the use of the
'stockmen, and especially the small
stockmen who actually live in the
~neighborhood Of the reserves. To pre-
vent the waste and destruction of the
reserves and to keep them so that they
can be permanently used by the stock
men, no less than by the public, you
have to spend a certain amount of
money. Part of this money is to be
obtained by charging a small fee for
each head of stock pastured on the
reserve.
LESS than a third of the actual val
lie Of the grazing Is at present charg-
vious 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 no
pays for its use but a small traction
of the value that it is to him; and this
money is in reality returned to him,
because it is used in keeping the forest
permanently available for use.
"You this year make a Special re
duction, by which the ranchmen pay
but half rates. This is in accordance
with the steady policy of your depart
ment as regards the western lands,
which is to favor in every way the act
ual settler, the actual ~home-maker, the
man who himself tills the soil or him
self rears and cares for his snail herd
of cattle. In granting grazing permits
you give preference first to the small
nearby owners; after that to all regu-
lar occupants OF the reserve range,
and finally to the me of transient
stock. This is exactly as it SHOULD be.
the small nearby owners are the home
s~teaders, the men who are making
homes for themselves by the labor of
their hands, the men who have enter
ed to possess the land and to bring up
their children thereon.
1.-THE other regular occupants of the
reserve range, that is, the larger ranch
owners, are only entitled to come after
the smaller men. If, after these have
been admitted, there still remains an
ample p~asturage, then the owners or
transient stock, the men who drive
from the tramp herds of tramp fiocks
hither and thither, should be admitted.
These men have no permanent abode,
do but little to build up the land and
are not to be favored at the expense
of the regular occupants, large or
small. This system prevents the grass
from being eaten out by other herds
or focks of non-residents. for only
enough cattle and sheep are admitted
upon the reserve to fatten upon the
pasturage without damaging it.
I'm other words, under the policy
you have adopted, the forest reserves
are to be used as among the most po-
tent influences in favor of the actual
home-maker, of the man with a few
dozen or few score head of cattle
which he has gathered by his own in
dustry and is himself caring for. This
is the kind of men upon whom the
foundation of our citizenship rest and
it is eminently proper to favor him in
every way. Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"