The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-10-06
IDAHO PAPER ON HEYBURN.
Boise Statesman. J

| Auo WedkHeS5 VI Ino pOSlClOu as
sumed by Senator Hebyurn toward the
forest-reserve policy is SO apparent
that it needs little if any further at
tention. However, as the record of the
controversy between him and the
president is just now being placed be-
fore the public in the form of a pub
lication covering the entire matter
voluminously, it is worth while to
call attention to some features of the
| matter.
Everyone who has followed the sub
ject as it has developed must have been
impressed by the fact that the sena-
tor acted hastily, and this record
proves that point conclusively.
The reserve against which the sena-
tor made the most strenuous contest is
that known as the Shoshone reserve.
With respect to that conference was
held at the White House on March 20,
| between the president, the senator and
forestry officials. At that time the
senator objected particularly to the
inclusion of four particular townships
in the proposed reserve. He stated
that there were more than 100 bona
fide settlers who had gone on the pro-
posed reserve and taken up homesteads
upon which to make themselves
| homes.
The difficulty with the senator is
that he has acted hastily and without
reliable information, either as to the
facts on the ground or as to the inten-
tion OF the government. He assumed,
from such crudities as he had OBJ
served in the earlier rules and regula-
tions, that it was the purpose of the
government to establish system that
would prove permanently oppressive,
whereas, as has been fully shown, ex-
actly the reverse is the case. Instead
Of endeavoring to get into close touch
with the service and assist it in
amending the rules, he adopted
policy of pugnacious opposition and
that led him into series of blunders
and has allenated him from the ad-
ministration.
In his letter to the president, under
date of July 10, about which there
has been some discussion, the senator
said he was satisfied the president was
sincere in endeavoring to do what was
best for the state, but he could not
agree "that this will be accomplished
by the withdrawal from bona fide set
Element of such large areas" He
further referred to the school sections
embraced in reserves, saying the state
could not make selections in lieu
thereof. Continuing, he said:
However,, you have announced as
fixed policy the line Of action indi-
Gated by your recent Withdrawals,
and have only the suggestion to make
at this time that the existing rules
shall be modified so as 10 make the
burden on the settlers within the in
fiuence of the forest reserve as light
as possible.
If he had approached the president
and the departn ent at first in the
spirit of desiring to secure modifica-
tion of the rules so as to benefit set
tiers, he would have found that such
work of modification was in progress.
1t would have been discovered by him
that the public lands commission, at
the head of which is the chief forest
er, had recommended change in the
law under which agricultural lands
within reserves could be homesteaded;
he would have discovered that the
regulations respecting the cutting of
timber were being changed so as to
avoid delay or annoyance. and he
would have found, with respect to
the school sections. that the govern
ment was ready to give the state
ample protection in some feasible
manner.
In other words. unless the senator
was determined to overturn the prin-
ciple of reserving the forest lands, it
was entirely unnecessary to get into
squabble with the administration on
the subject.
The senator has indicated his pur
pose of fighting the forest service in
the senate. The Statesman hopes he
will reconsider. It would be most
unwise to pursue such course; it
would be in opposition to the senti-
ment of large majority of the people
of the state; it would be entirely
futile, and such opposition would
tend to deprive the people of this state
Of the benefit of the cooperative ad-
vice which senator from the state
should be in benefit and in state
of mind to offer from time to time the
government with respect to any ques-
tion in connection with the service
especially affecting Idaho.