The Ordway new era., 1906-12-28
the PUBLIC LAND
NOW II CAN sGsr sGRvG rHG
PEOPLE.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

&xtottn0 SaW0 Noeo UsvsssS
Consolidate Railroad Timber Hold
Inas - Would Have Government
Control Public Range.
In his recent message on the eare
and disposition Of the government
lands, President Roosevelt says:
MANY OF the existing laws affecting
rights Of way and privileges on public
lands and reservations are Illogical and
unfair. Some work injustice by grant
ing valuable rights in perpetuity
without return. Others fail to protect
the grantee in his possession OF perma'
pent improvements made Mt large Ok
pense.
.In fairness to the government, TO
the holders OF rights and privileges on
the public lands, and to the people
whom the latter serve. i urge the re-
vision and re-enactment OF these laws
in one comprehensive act. providins
that the regulations and the charse
now in force in many cases may DC eA
tended to all. to the end that unregu'
lated or monopolistic control OF great
natural resources may not be acquir"h
or misused for private ends.
THE boundaries of the nationai
forest reserves unavoidably inciude
certain valuable timber lands no.
owned by the government. Important
among them are the land grants oil va
rious railroads. For more than TWO
years negotiations with the land grant
railroads have been In progress LOOK
ing toward an arrangement by which
the forests on railroad lands withih ma
tional forest reserves may De pre-
served by the removal OF the presen.
crop OF timber under rules prescrioeu
by the forest service. and its perpetua
tion may be assured by the transfer of
the land to the government without
cost.
.Thc advantage of such an arrange
ment to the government lies in the ac'
ouisitiou of lands whose protection IL
necessary to the general welfare. The
advantage to the railroads Is found IN
the proposal to allow them to consoh
date their holdings OF timber WITHIN
forest reserves by exchange. after
deciding their lands to the government,
and thus to cut within limited time
solid bodies OF timber instead OF after
nate sections. although the amount oil
timber in each case would be the same.
II Ia possible that legislation will be re-
uuired to authorize this or a similar ar
rangement with the railroads ana
other owners. II so, I recommend that
Il be enacted.
The money value OF the national
FORESTS now reserved for the use ana
benefit Of the people exceeds consider
ably the sum OF $l.o00.000. 900. The
stumpage value OF the standing timber
approaches $500 600 900. and. together
with the range and timber lands, the
water for irrigation and power. and the
subsidiary values. reaches an amount
equal to that Of the national property
now under the immediate control OF
the army and navy together. But THIS
vast domain Is withheld from serving
the nation as freely and fully as II
nigh, by the lack Of capital to develop
It. The yearly running expenses are
sufficiently met by the annual appro-
priation and the proceeds OF the for
ests.
The lack Of reasonable working
equipment weakens the protection OF
the national forests and greatly limits
their production. This want cannot be
supplied from the appropriation for
running expenses. The need Is urgent
Accordingly. recommend that the
secretary OF the treasury be authorized
TO advance to the forest service. upon
the security OF the standing timber. an
amount. say 35.000.000. sufiicient to
provide n reasonable working capital
for the national forests, to bear inter
est and TO be repaid In annual INSTALL
ments beginning In the following years.
THE national parks Of the West are
forested and they lie without excep-
tion within or adjacent TO national for
est reserves. Two years ago the latter
were transferred to the care Of the sec.
retary OF agriculture. with the most sat
isfactoy results. The same reasons
which led to this transfer make ad-
visable similar transfer Of the M.
tional parks. now in charge Of the sec
retary OF the interior. and recon.
mend legislation TO that end.
"The control Of grazing in the ma
tional forests is an assured success
The condition Of the range is improv-
ing rapidly. water is being developed,
much feed formerly wasted is now
saved and used, range controversies
are settled. opposition to the grazing
fee Is practically at an end and the
stockmen are earnestly supporting the
forest service and cooperating with II
effectively for the improvement Of the
range.
"The situation on the open govern
ment range is strikingly different. It's
carrying capacity has probably been
reduced one-half by over grazing 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 In.
dustry and Of the government are need
lessly impaired. The present situation
is indefensibie from any point OF view,
and II should be ended.
II recommend that bill be enacted
which will provide for government con.
troll Of the public range through the
department Of agriculture, which alone
is equipped for that work. Such bill
should insure to each locality rules for
grazing specially adapted to It's needs
and should authorize the collection Of a
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