The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-25
ALLOW GRAZING ON
FOREST RESERVES
Government viii Extend Its
Policy of LiberaIity
STUDY LOCAL CONDITIONS
Small Stock Owners Living in Vicinity
of Reserves Will Be Given Such
Preference as to Protect
Their Interests.
STUDY LOCAL CONDITIONS

washington, May Especial Now
that the government grazing policy is
in successful operation on the national
forest reserves, the question has arisen
whether the same or similar policy might
not be applied to the open public range
The policy of the forest service Is not
40 hold the reserves out of use, but TO
secure their fullest and most permanent
use To this end, grazing under proper
restrictions is permitted. Happily these
Restrictions have thus far met with gen
'eral approval
From the first, the Importance of ft-
ting the regulations to local conditions
has been recognized. Rules occasionlng
needless hardship to stockmen have been
modified, and emergencies demanding III
slant action have been promptly met.
When a new reserve has been pro-
claimed all stock grazing upon 1t Is
allowed to remain during the first year;
If, afterward, this number is found to
be too great for the resources of the
range 1t is gradually reduced. Stock
=. men are aided in effecting a satisfactory
distribution of their stock upon the range
and in securing from it the most pront-
able and permanent use. Small STOCK
owners living in the vicinity OF the re-
serves are given such preference in the
allotment of grazing privileges as VIII
protect their interests. First occupants
of the range and farmers owning I'M
proved lands adjacent are also preferred
The rights of large owners based upon
the range custom of the past are recog-
nized, and reductions in the number OF
their stock are required only when neces-
sary to protect the range or the graz
ing rights of bona fide settlers.
Range Divisions.
Necessary range divisions between own
ers of different kinds of stock are made,
and controversy between sheepmen and
cattlemen is promptly ended. Where
necessary, the construction of drift or
division fences is also allowed, provided
the area fenced Is not greater than the
needs of the stock owner.
Outside the forest reserves, however,
IS an area of public land, estimated at
4O0OO0,o00 acres, which has no present
value except for grazing purposes. On
this land grazing is wholly unrestrained
by law Commercial interests, great and
small, have competed for it's use. and
the result has been abuse of the range.
Millions of acres have been recklessly
overgrazed and practically ruined. In his
last annual message the president says:
cit is probable that the present grazing
value of the open public range is scarce
" more than half what II once was or
what 1t might easily be again under care
full regulation" Some stockmen have.
to the exclusion of others. possessed
themselves of the strategic positions
that is, the lands controlling the streams,
springs and other watering places, and
by this means have secured temporary
control of the adjoining grazing lands.
Charges of fraudulent entry have led to
litigation. Great areas have been Illegal
ly fenced. Again. stockowners, notably
sheep and cattlemen, have defended their
conflicting claims by force of arms.
causing serious loss of property and even
of life
Corrected BY Law
Obviously such conditions should be cor
rected by law. The remedy would seem
to be to apply to the open public range
the regulations already governing the
forest reserves. This conclusion is
strengthened not only by the success at
tending the forest reserve policy, but also
by the effect of fencing the public graz
ing lands. Though Illegal this fencing
has in most cases greatly improved the
condition of the area nclosed. Care,
however, must be taken to avoid the APP
plication of sweeping and iron-clad regu-
latons to an area so vast and to cond-
tions so different. The Investigations of
the public lands commission show that
immediate application of any infleXible
rule to all grazing lands alike, regard
less of local conditions or grazing values,
would be disastrous, and that improve
ment must be sought through the gradual
introduction into each locality of such
form of control as is specifically suited to
It,
In his message already referred to, the
president says
THE best use of the public grazing
lands requires the careful examination
and classification of these lands in or
der to give each settler land enough to
support his family and no more While
this work is being done, and until the
lands are settled the government should
take control of the open range. under rea-
sonable regulations suited to local needs
following the general policy already in