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


forest service was partly as follows:
GROWTH OF RESERVE BUSINESS.
In area the reserves we're increased
during the fiscal year 1866 from So, $685.
422 to 1O6 .13s acres. In revenue they
brought in s761 2l9.96, as against $50, 1912
for the previous year. In timber sales
there were disposed of for immediate or
early removal nearly 100000 900 board feet
of lumber at stumpage prices ranging up
to 81 per thousand (besdes other materi-
al to large value). as against 96. &C., 2JS
board feet. with q maximum price of 81. 80
per thousand in ls0i-5. ana So PSI. 10 board
feet 1904 The number of free-use per-
units granted In the same years also
showed progressive increase. In the year
l904-5 the reserves were under forest SER
vice control only after February 1.
ono fiscal year of full control has estab-
lished two important facts-that the re-
serves advance the present interests Of
the people of the West and that they will
speedily pay the cost of administering
them.
BENEFITS TO INDUSTRY.
These national forests are being made
useful now. The benefits which they are
to secure are not deferred benefits
Through government control the interests
of the future are safeguarded, but not by
sacrificing those of the present Far from
handicappng the development of the
States In which they lie the reserves will
work counter to the prosecution of no
industry, and retard the beneficial use
of no resource.
The wealth Of the West lies and will
long lie in what the soil will produce and
in what the earth hides. Labor and cap
ital will here find employment mainly III
turning to use the farm land, grazing
land. timber land, and mineral lands of
the region, and in the commerce to which
these great productive Industries will
give rise That the reserves beneiicially
affect all of these industries is becoming
clearer to the people of the West every
day. and in consequence the policy of
public administration of our unappropra-
ted timber lands becon,ts more and more
firmly established in the approval of a
united public sentiment Local sentiment
has sometimes been uufavorable to the
creation of reserves before their effect
upon the public welfare was understood;
but opposition has alwavs dissolved un-
der the test of actual experience.
PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE.
The reserves do not withhold land from
agricultural use, but greatly increase the
amount Of available farm land. Though
| they were made from the most rugged
and mountainous parts Of the West and
were intonued to include only land insult
ed for agriculture, by the act of June II
1906. the right IS given settlers to home.
stead within the reserves wherever strips
and patches of tillahle land can be found
| AT the same time, through their water
conserving power, these forests fix r
regions of scanty rainfall the amount OF
! land which can be brought under the
pillow, since at best much otherwise fer.
| tile land must go unCultivated for wan
much of the land now under irrigation
would have 10 be abandoned again to tn,
desert. Thus the promotion of agricul
ture Is one of the main ends of the fores
reserve policy.
| SUPPLIES FOR MINING.
| Mining in the West is mainly in -
serves surrounded by reserves or includ
|
impede the development Of mineral .'e
sources. On the contrary. by guarantee
ing future supplies of timber they ar,
Indispensable to tho future development
of these resources. as the great mining
interests we'll know. They do not inter
fere with the prospector, who has thu
same right to prospect and locate In for
est reserves that he has on any othe
part of the public domain.
PROTECTION OF GRAZING.
| Administrative control of the fores
reserves is beneficial to the grazing in
dustry. The sentiment OF stockmei
| throughout the West is unitedly in favo
Of such control, because of the gain 4
them now nhat the reserve ranges ar
safe from overcrowding and deteriora
ton. Thus the rights of the individual
user are respected and the permanenc
of this great resource is assured. | wis
to commend particularly In this connec
ton the heartness and good spirit wit
| which the associations of western stock
men have co-operated in our efforts I
enforce fair and just measures for tn
regulation of grazing In the interest o
all users of the forests, and in the in
terest of the public, 10 whom these for
ests belong. The charge OF a grazing fec
made for the first time duping the pas
year though reasonable in view of III
advantages of gazing regulation 10 tn
stockmen and the cost OF reserve admin
istraton to the government, and justl
due in the interest of the public. mign
have been expected to cause dissatisfaC
ton and friction. On the contrary, a
soon as the reasons for the charge an
the method in which it would be apple
had been explained, 1t was generally az
proved and paid willingly and prompt,
1t was followed by no falling off in tn
number of stock grazed in the reserves
In some cases the association of stock
men have voluntarily aided the servic
in settling local difficulties, Their Who'll
conduct has shown remarkable moderl
ton, farsightedness, and readiness to rec
ognze and accept what Is in the perma
nent interest OF their Industry eve
though 1t involves the sacrifice of immt
diate personal advantages.
LUMBER FOR USE
Finally. forest service administratio
of the reserves ~ beneficial alike to tn
lumber industry and to the timber cor
suming public There is now standin
on the reserves not less than 3OO.0O0, 900. O
board feet of merchantable timber Tn
is not locked up from present use as
boarded supply against future needs; 1t
ready for the immediate demands of