Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-03

was due both to the forest service and to
the effective assistance OF settlers and
others in and near the reserves. Every
thing the government has ever spent upon
Its forest work is small price to pay for
the knowledge that the streams which
make your prosperity can be and are being
freed from the ever-present threat OF for
est fires.
Former Differences Settled.
The ng-staniing and formerly bitter
differences between the stockmen and the
forest officers are nearly all settled. Those
which remain are in process of settlement.
Hearty cooperation exists almost every
where between the officers of the forest
service and the local associations of stock
men. who are appointing advisory commit
tees, which are Systematically consulted by
the forest service on all questions In which
they are concerned. This most satisfactory
condition of mutual help will be as welcome
to you as 1t Is to the administration and to
the stockmen. To the stoci1men il means
more, and more certain, grass; to you, be-
cause of the better protection and wiser use
OF the range, it means steadier stream flow
and more water.
The sales of forest reserve timber to set.
tiers. miners, lumbermen and other users
are increasing very rapidly, and in that
way also the reserves are successfully
meeting growing need.
Lands in the forest reserves that are more
valuable for agriculture than for forest
purposes are being opened to settlement
and entry as fast as their agricultural char
acter can be aScertained. There is there
fore no longer excuse for saying that the
reserves retard the legitimate settlement
and development Of the country. On the
contrary. they promote and sustain that de-
yelopment and they will do so in no way
more powerfully than through their direct
contributions to the schools and roads. Ten
per cent of all the money received from the
forest reserves goes to the states for the
r. to- lob, tt,A arxrac
lie, to be used for schools and roads. The
amount of this contribution is nearly 1000
for the first year. 1t will grow steadily
larger, and viii form a certain and perma-
nent source Of income. which would not
have been the case with the taxes whose
place 1t takes.
Finally, a body of intelligent. practical.
well-trained men. citizens Of the west. Is
public interests. including your own, are
and will be safe.
A National Policy.
All these results are good: but they have
not been achieved by the forest service
alone. On the contrary. they represent also
the needs and suggestions Of the people OF
the whole west. They embody constant
changes and adjustments to meet these
suggestions and needs.
The forest policy Of the government in
desired 1t to be. 1t Is national policy
wider than the boundaries Of any state
and larger than the interests OF any sim
gle industry. OF course. 1t cannot give
any set of men exactly what they would
choose. Undoubtedly the irrigator would
often like to have less stock on his water
sheds, while the stockman wants more
The lumberman would like to cut more
timber. the settler and the miner would
often like him to cut less. The county au-
thorities want to see more money coming
in for schools and roads, while the lum-
herman and stockman object to the rise
in value Of timber and grass. But the in
terests of the people as a whole are,
repeat safe in the hands of the forest
service.
BY keeping the public forests in the
public hands our forest policy substitutes
the good of the whole people for the prof
its Of the privileged few. With that re-
suit none will quarrel except the men
who are losing the chance of personal
profit at the public expense.
Our western forest policy Is based upon
meeting the wishes of the best public
sentiment of the whole west. 1t prop oscs
to create new reserves wherever forest
lands still vacant are found in the public
domain, and to give the reserves already
made the highest possible usefulness to
all the people. So far our promises to the
people in regard to 1t have all been made
good; and I have faith that this policy
will be carried to successful completion,
because I believe that the people Of the
west are behind it. Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.