The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-18

Service will be entirely self-supporting.
In the meantime there In the most urgent
need for trails, fences, cabins for the rangers
bridges, telephone lines and the other
items OF equipment without which the re-
serves cannot be handled TO advantage.
cannot be protected properly and cannot
contribute as they should to Jhe general
welfare. Expenditures for such permanent
improvements are properly c~hargeable 20
capital account. The lack OF reasonable
working equipment weakens the profession
of the national forests and greatly limits
their production. This want cannot be
supplied from the appropriation for running
expenses. The need ia urgent. Accord
ingly i recommendation the Secretary OF the
Treasury be authorized to dvanc to the
Forest Service. upon the security of the
standing timber. an amount, say x5,COOINOO,
sufficient to provide n reasonable working
CAPITAL for the national forests, TO bear IN
teTSst and to be repaid in annual install
ments beginning in ten years.
TRANSFER OF THE NATIONAL PARKS.
The national parks of the West are for
ested and they lie without exception within
Or adjacent to national forest reserves;
Two years ago the latter were transferred
to the care OF the Secretary OF Agriculture
with the most satisfactory results. The
same reasons which led to this transfer
make advisable a similar transfer OF the
nations parks, now in charge OF the Secre-
tary OF the Interior, and l recommend
legislation to that end.
INDIAN LANDS.
Within or adjoining national forests are
considerable areas OF indian lands OF more
value under forest than for any other pur-
pose. II would aid greatly in putting these
lands TO their best use II the power to create
national forests by proclamation were ex-
tended to cover them. The Indians should
be paid the full value OF any land thus taken
for public purposes from the proceeds OF the
lands themselves. but such land should re-
vert to the Indians il il is excluded from
national forest use before full payment has
been made.
GOVERNMENT CoNrRoL OF oRAzrNo.
The control Of grazing in the national
forests il an assured success. The condi-
ton OF the range is improving rapidly,
water Is being developed, much food for
merly wasted ia now saved and used, range
controversies are settled, opposition to the
grazing fee is practically at an end, and the
stockmea are earnestly supporting the For
est Service and cooperating. with it effec-
lively for the improvement Of the range.
Ths situation on the open Government
range Ia strikingly different. Its carrying
capacity has probably been reduced one
half by overgrazing, and is still falling
Range controversies in many places are
active and bitter, and life and property are
often In danger. The interests both OF the
livestock industry and Of the Government
are neeuleSSly lmpalreu. Inc preeeHI STU
alton Is indefensible from any point Of
view, and IL should be ended.
/ recommend that a bill be enacted which
will provide for Government control OF
the public range through the Department
Of Agriculture, which alone is equipped
for that work. Such a bill should insure
to each locality rules for grazing specially
adapted to its needs and should authorize
the collection of a reasonable grazing fee.
Abovea all, the rights of the settler and home
maker should be absolutely guaranteed,
Much of the public land can only be used
to advantage for grazing when fenced
Much fencing has been done for that reason
and also to prevent other stock owners
from using land TO which they have an
equal right under the law. Reasonable
fencing which promotes the use of the
range and yet interferes neither with settle
ment nor with other range rights, would b'
thoroughly desirable il it we're legal. Ye
the law forbids it, and the law must and vii
be enforced. / will see TO it that the illega
fences are re moved unless Congress a
the present session takes steps to legaliz,
proper fencing by Government control oil
the range THFODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, Dec. II, 1905.