The Ordway new era., 1907-11-29

n.
"Fourth-The mining Interest. ~,
lnis section are important and large.
ihe forest reserves take In many lhou,
sahus Oh acres OF valuable mineral
iahds. including vast areas that are
apoVe TIMBER line. where no tree has
ever grown and for obvious and scien.
tiHc reasons can not be made to grow
even py forest experts. The forest re-
serve administration, acting under an.
thority OF rules and regulations alone
assumes to prevent the issuance of
patents to mining claims dntil n forest
ranger has first made an examination
and passed upon the validity of the
claim. The forest officer assumes other
mining operations and are seriously in
terfering with the development of our
mineral wealth.
F1fth-Because of the rapid fall of
or mountain streams they dcyelop
valuable water power. Later local on.
terprise has attempted to take advnn.
tagc of this natural condition to ntil-
lie this power for developing electric
ity for use by our citizens. They have
been confronted by a demand from ne
forest reserve administration for Day
for the use of this water in amounts 70
large as to practically put stop to the
proposed development. The waters of
the state have always belonged to the
people OF the state and we deny the
right OF the government to interfere
with their legitimate use.
SiXth-The fundamental policy of
the forest reserve administration Is to
make the forest reserves return avery
cent of revenue possible. The vast
areas OF public land that have been
withdrawn from settlement and placed
in these reserves are being exploited
for revenue only and the citizens of
these counties are being asked TO pay
this burdensOme tax for which we get
no return and which Is collected by
authority Of rules and regulations made
by department officials and without
any authority of law As n sort of con.
science fund they return ten per cent.
of the money thus forced from the pro-
pie, to the state to be applied to cur
road and school funds. We already tax
ourselves to maintain our schools and
roads and this Is in effect double TAXA
tion.
"Seventh-Tt Is the ambition OF cur
citizens to make prosperous homes and
"a prosperous community. II Is appar-
emily the policy Of the forest reserve
administration to prevent settlement
and occupation OF this section AS lar
as possible and maintain a wilderness.
The very objects of our statehood. TO
gain In population and wealth. is being
most successfully defeated by this
monstrous infictiOn Of government I'M.
der the Guise OF beneiiccnt intention.
These are only Il few of the many
objections to the present forest Ie-
serve policy. We ask assistance from
Congress to provide us relief from
these conditions and urge upon cur
members in Congress that they do ell
In their power to have the laws so
amended that our prosperity and
growth may not be permanently may
not be permanently injured. We sGE-
gcst the following necessary amend
ments TO the present forest reserve
policy to be enforced by statute:
"First-That the forest reserves he
restricted TO the actual forest lands
and that all interested lands be lmmc
diately eliminated from the reserves.
"Second-That the policy Of conduct
ing the reserves for revenue. TO be col
lected from the citizens within or adia-
cent to the reserves, be abandoned.
and as the reserves are for the bon-
eft of all the people. that Congress
make such appropriations as may lie
necessary for their administration.
"Third-That the forest reserve OH
GERS be divestei of any authority TO in
terfere with the rights of mineral 'oca'
tors or mining claims or to interfere
with the use of the water from our
streams in any manner whatsoever.
"Fourth-that the sale OF timber
from the reserves be restricted 10 Inc
actual necessities OF the forest ana
that no timber be removed from the
locality where grown II there Is a local
demand sufficient to consume 1t. and
that all timber sold be sold at hXed
valuation and not by competitive oids
to the highest bidder.
"Fifth-That settlers have the same
rights to enter upon agricultural ANA
for homestead when found within n
forest reserve as they have on unre'
served lands.
"Sixth-That no fees for grazing
within forest reserves be permitted.
"Seventh-That revenue to be de-
rived from forest reserves be restricted
to the sale of merchantable timber tor
the use of settlers be free as hereto
fore under such general restrictions us
to methods of taking the same rs VIII
be reasonable and fair
"Eighth-That rights OF way ior
roads, bitches. pipelines or other pun.
lie or private improvements be granted
without cost or delay and be refused
only on the ground of injury to the
public"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS