The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1907-08-01
GRAZING FEES WILL NOT AD-
VANCE.
This 10 the Report Sent Out From For.
est Reserve Committee.


Washington, D. Cit has been an
nounced by the i6rsst sefViee thRt pc
general increase will be made In tag
fees charged for g.taZ1hg live ''stocR
upon the national forests during TINS
present administration.
Rumors that a general advance was
contemplated had caused some UNI
easness among western stockmen u.s.
Ing the national forest ranges. The
present fee is generally recognized as
moderate. In point of fact, says the
forest service men, it is much lower
than that which private owners OF
grazing lands, similar to those in some
of the forests, are charging. Most
stockmen are willing to accept the
present situation, provided they can
be assured that conditions are not 60
ing to be subjected to radical
change.
The government does not believe in
| charging stockmen what might be
called the full market value of the
grazing privilege-that is, in letting
the use of the range to the highest
bidder and trying TO make as much as
possible out of the land. In other
words, it is not in the position OF a
| landlord who seeks to realize the lars-
est possible returns from his holdings.
| While there is no reason why those
who profit individually by making use
of the national forest should not help
meet the expenses of their protection,
| the forest are run not as revenue pro-
| ducers, but as sources OF public
benefit through rightly regulated use.
| Much misdirected criticism say the
| forest service men, has arisen from
the failure Of many people to under
stand this. Some western papers, for
| instance. have reprinted from the
Congressional Record the estimate OF
the forester of the capitalized value OF
national forests, totaling some 400
,000 and have assumed that each
of the general items meant that the
government proposed to turn these re-
sources to account by system of
charges. 1t can be stated authorita-
lively that no such thing was ever
thought of. In their capacity to supply
water for irrigation for instance the
forests are Immediately valuable, and
the capitalized value of this use should
be considered by the government as
trustee for the public in estimating
how much it is worth while to spend
in order to protect the water conserV-
ing capacity OF the forests. But no
returns from the users of water for
irrigation were contemplated nor
could any charge be made under eX-
listing laws.
Grazing stands half way between IT.
rigation and numbering in the matter
of the propriety of the charge. When
timber from the national forests Is
sold it is sold at the market price.
| NJ rpl,
Denver convention, is a 'transportable
commodity" forage on the range Is
F, not.
To put up at auction the privilege
of grazing would open those who have
settled in a region and those who hove
a permanent interest in a particular
range to what would often be ruin
GUS competition, from nomadic cattle
and sheep men. Stability of the in
dustry and the protection of the small
settler who helps develop the country
along permanent lines is of the first
| Importance. To secure these ends the
| grazing fee is put low, and the choice
of those allowed to use the range is
made along lines which recognize res
| fdents and past users as having the
first right
| Though no general advance in fees
will be made some adjustment in the
interests of fairness will result in GER
tain local changes. On some of the
Few national forests lower rate than
ordinary was fixed for the present sea-
son on account of the crowded condi-
ton and consequent inferiority OF the
range. A slight increase in fee
charge will be made in such cases as
the ranges improve in condition and
better service is given This VIII be
simply to equalize charges on the basis
of the present rate and along the lines
of fairness. No increase will be made
above the standard prices fixed this
year for the different states.
The announcement by the forest ser
vice that stockmen need not fear that
the rate charged will be increased TO
an amount which they coul1 not afford
to pay will be welcomed throughout
the western states.