The Socorro chieftain., 1907-10-26

A part OF Mr.. BurSum'S adj
dress before the second annual
convention of the New Mexico
Wool Growers association was
given in last weeks issue of The
Chieftain. Following is the
conclusion of the address:
FOREST RESERVES.
Now about our forest re-
serves. There has been more ui
less complaint by stock growers
with reference to the affairs, the
management and the business of
the forest reserves, partly caused
no doubt, by MISUNDERSTANDING
of our people, partly on account
of the lack of proper regulation
to satisfactorily meet the neces-
sites and demands of the stock
growers. ! do not believe that
the government intends to create
any undue hardships but there
certainly have been some mis-
takes and errors committed on
the part of some one. With ref
erence to these forest reserves,
we all believe in conserving the
timber areas of this country.
We believe that the timber
should be handled on a business
basis, to get the greatest possi-
BILE results; that the young tim
Der should be properly cared for
and nothing but matured timber
should be sold; that forest fires
should be prevented and that
timber generally should be pro-
tected in every possible way by
government authority. We do,
however, object and cannot un-
derstand how these forest ex-
perts can classify sage brush and
cactus as pine timber. This
policy simply results in using
the law for the creation of forest
reserves for the purpose of per-
hitting the government to con-
troll the public domain. This
policy has been very detrimental
to the wool growers. 1t has
caused them considerable ex-
pense, and in some instances
considerable grief. We are in
favor of the forest reserves, but
on the other hand, we demand
of the government that they re-
strict themselves to the matter of
forestry in every sense that the
word implies. We object to
what is practically a control of
the public domain and which
operates as a community lease
under the cloak of forestry. The
boundaries of these forest re-
serves should be so curtailed as
to cover actual timber and come
within the spirit and intent of
the authority conferred by con-
gress. If we must have a lease
law or government control OF the
public domain, let it be under
and by authority of congress and
not by virtue of any false prem
ises.
THE VALUE OF DIPPING SHEEP.
There is one branch of the
government to which this terri
tory, and especially the wool
growers, are under deep obliga-
tions, and on behalf of the wool
growers, | desire to extend our
sincere gratitude to the bureau
of animal industry. There has
been no part of the government
tai services which it has been my
pleasure to observe that has Civ
en- more effective service, more
care for the benefit of the sheep
industry than the government
inspectors of the bureau of ami
NAL industry.
Il desire also to say that the
territorial sanitary board has
rendered efficient service. There
is no part of the sheep business
which is of such Importance as
keeping our sheep free from
scab. Occasionally in the past
some of our people have not full.
ly appreciated the importance ol
this proposition. / believe that
every man who is a dealer in or
raiser of sheep should make il
his business and see to it that
his neighbor dips his sheep prop
erly and to that end arrange for
such dipping at such times as
may be designated by the sani.
tary board of the territory, as
well as the government authors