The Colorado statesman., 1907-07-27
GRAZING FEES WILL NOT Ap.
VANCE.
This Is the Report Sent Out From For.
est Reserve Committee.

est Reserve Committee.
Washington, D. Cit has been an
uounced By the forest sefviea thai no
fees charged for 'gfaZYhg live istock
upon the national forests during teHk
present administration.
Rumors that a general advance was
contemplated had caused some un-
easlness 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
tnah 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 GO
ing to be subjected to a 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, 1t is not in the position of
landlord who seeks to realize the larg-
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-
duoers, but as sources of public
benefit through rightly regulated use.
Much misdirected criticism say the
hos a,.fe
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 s1,400,-
100000, and have assumed that each
OF the general items meant that the
government proposed to turn these re-
sources to account by a 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 ir
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.
Timber, as Mr. Pinchot said at the
Denver convention, is 'transportable
commodity" forage on the range is
not
To put up at auction the privilege
of grazing would open those who have
settled in a region and those who have
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
idents 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
new national forests lower rate than
ordinary was fixed for the present sea
son on account of the crowded condi-
tion 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 will 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