Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-27

sighted policy of utilization which would
leave a gap between the end of the pres
ent supply and the oncomng of the seq
ond crop: but it Is, and will continue to
be available first, for the small user
home builder. rancher, or miner-and
then for the needs Of lumber concerns.
large miners and railroads for which
timber supply Is indispensable. and which
In turn are Indispensable to the prospect.
ty of the West.
WOOD FOR THE FUTURE.
The supply Of timber furnished by the
matured CROP now on the ground Is so
vast in proportion to the present demand
that there might seem to be no need for
caution In it's use. Were no more cut
than last year IT would suffice for 100
years As the mature forest production Is
at a standstill, so that from the point Of
view of the largest possible production
of timber numbering under such methods
as will insure a second crop is highly de-
sirable. The demand upon the reserves,
however as Yet Insignificant In pro-
portion to even the present need, most
of which Is met by the supply from pri-
vate holdings. The reserve forms the
heart of the Western timber lands. They
are generally less accessible than the pri-
vate holdings which surround them. and
would naturally form the last resource OF
! the lumberman. They must be main
| tanned as first of all to be ready to meet
the future demands of the regions in
which they lie. With n growing popula-
ton and expanding industries these de-
mands will far exceed those of the pres
ent. The crucial prohlern of management
will be to insure a timber and water sup
ply for the great West, and to conserve
the summer stock ranges. To meet II sue
cessfully will require careful foresight
and the best technical information. Tim
Der sales are now made with strict atten-
ton to the welfare of the forest, and at
stumpage prices often decidedly In ad-
vance of the market
RESERVES SOON sELF-sUSTAINlNG
| The income from the reserves Is as yet
but a small fraction of what may be ex-
pected as they approach full utilization
Yet their administration Is already on a
sound business basis. Not only are they
meeting from their receipts very large
! part of the cost of their maintenance
they are even now beginning 70 show a
decided decrease III net expense 10 tT7
government My estimate Of the appro-
priation necessary to meet the genera
expenses of the forest service Is less by
$4,000 than the appropriation of last
year. Notwithstanding that the total area
of the reserves has been substantially
enlarged by executive action; that in
crea sing use neceSstates greater expense
Of administratio and that in general the
work of the service is growing very rap
idly. Though the administration of the
reserves forms but part of the field ri
work II may confidently he expected thai
within five years from the transfer of the
reserves to this department the fores
service will cot the taxpayer nothing
whatever.
REVENUE FROM PRIVILEGES.
In reaching this result no unjust burden
will have been laid on any interest. A
public property the national forests
should yield to the public reasonable
return for whatever of value private in
d,vlduals secure from them for thei
own profit In accordance with this prn
cple. applicants for special privileges
as rights of way, reservoir Sites power
house sites and similar concessions
, | nave Deen CullcQ upon " pay ioI
privileges on the basis of their CONNER
cial value. For example. in the case .
water powers duly located under tn
State laws, but which cannot be devel
oped without the occupancy of reserve
land besides charge for the land occu
pied. based on its value as forest land,
small charge per unit of power developed
: is made. not for the use of the water 1t
a,.tx
but for the conservation of the suppl.
which the preservation of the forests fur
nishes, and which, were it not for the ex
istence of the reserve, the water-powe
owner could secure only by himself &C
curing great bodies of forest land. Suol
charge is essentially similar to tn
charge for stock grazed upon the re
serves. 1t is a return for actual valu
received and throws upon those VIII
profit by public control of the reserves
share of the cost of maintaining that con
troll
Loss IN TAXES OFFSET.
I BY the wise and just provision of Con
0 gress in enacting at its last session tina
e 10 per cent. of the gross receipts from IN
national reserves shall he made over |
y the several States In which they are sit
t uated, for the benefit of the countie
= which would otherwise receive no rev
S enue from a part OF their area, red
d grievance was redress. Even with IN
i present use of the reserves the benefit
= thus reaped from them by the communitie
;. in their neghborhood are of substantia
e importance AS time goes on the import
. ance of this provision will increase. an
: eventually the counties will find them
g selves far better off than they would hav
o been without the reserves, for privat
= ownership followed by exploitation woul
i have destroyed the sources OF reveni
: by leaving little or nothing of permanen
n taxable value, whereas now every Tt
j. course Is conserved and will be made
pay It's just share OF income. Since tn
fundamental purpose for which reserve
exist Is TO secure the best permanent us
u of all resources. their effect is to add I
property value, and by turning over
per cent. of their gross receipts to loc.
3 use they will contribute far more to tn
" local public needs than the taxes the
would pay If they were private propert.
q PROTECTION FROM FIRE.
n protactiop of the reserVoS from fir