Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-17
Forest Bureau of Government
Handles 100000 Acres
of Lands
New Policy Adopted by Department
Proves Satisfactory - Large Sums
Collected for Trespass-Grazins Re-
ceipts Amount to Many Thousands
New Fight in Congress.

Washington, Aug. 1.-THE forestry
bureau. which now administers more
acres of land than any other institu-
ton in the world, and Is the landlord
branch of the federal government, has
just compiled its report covering sta
tistics of grazing on the public lands
of the great west. The figures Will
give some idea of the scale on which
Uncle Sam has gone into the land bus
mess, and are very comforting be-
cause of their very size, for, If the ex-
areas of forest and mountain now en-
braced in reserves, will for all time
be administered in the interest of the
entire people.
There are now more than 156,000.000
acres of land In the national forests.
Grazing is permitted, but under strict
regulations, made in order that the
grass may not be destroyed by over
feeding. This, by the way, is what has
caused most of the friction in the west.
Owners of focks and herds in that sec
ton of the country for years have
been accustomed to grazing without
restrictions of any kind. Many of them
in time came to look upon the public
domain as their very own, in an i'm
portant sense, and they We're quick to
resent any effort on the part of the
government to conserve either forest
or grazing land. But this friction Is
rapidly disappearing as the western
people see that without such conserv-
alton the range and forest in time will
be destroyed.
A glance at the regulations govern
ing grazing on the government forests
will give Journal readers very good
idea OF the government forest policy
and how it is being administered.
Stockmen who desire to make use OF
the range apply for permits, stating
the kind of stock they have, the guam
tity of it and the location of the range
they want The forest officers then
proceed to make allotments appor-
tioning the available pasture among
the applicants on as equitable basis
as practicable.
During the year just closed the re-
port shows that 23.662 applications FOR
pasture were approved. OF the appli-
cants, 21,7SS paid the fees and were
granted permits. That was 81 per cent
During the year before the last one,
there were 1900 applications, and TO-
593 permits; also % per cent, which
seems to show that the method OF
the business is systematic.
and that great fluctuations need not be
expected Year before last the totals
were: Sheep and goats. 1883. 1855;
horses and cattle, 1,o25,14S. For last
year the totals We're: Sheep and
goats, $3.50 horses and cattle.
1,20O15S The increases are explained
by increases in the size of the forests.
Many stockmen living on the borders
of reserves have range of their own,
but to reach it with stock it is fire.
quently necessary or convenient to
drive across portions of the forests. To
do this a permit is necessary. but no
charge is made for 1t. The last year
S33 such permits were granted, cover
ing 36,S07 horses and cattle and 2,Ool,-
$50 sheep.
Sometimes stockmen who live near
forests or have stock near them allow
that stock to drift across the lines. II
this is done carelessly or willfully 1t
is considered trespass and the offender
is subject to fine and may also be
sued for damages. The number of tres
pass cases last year was 1873, of which
1853, were settled out of court. The sum
collected for these trespasses aggre-
gated $5,576. These trespass cases
have been another source Of friction
between the government and the graz
ers. 1t is difficult for the west to rea-
lie that the country now being thickly
it is no longer possible to
maintain the old-time free range with
out destroying that range. The entire
system of permits and fees is for the
purpose of enabling the government to
know that the range within the re-
serves is not being overfed..
Another kind of permit is Issued in
land inside a government forest or
partly surrounded by it and rather
than fence it to keep his stock in he
signs an agreement that if his stock
is allowed to Craze in the forest other
stock may Craze on his land. Last
year 615 such permits We're issued.
The total receipts for grazing per-
mits during the year were SS57,856.S3
and for the year before they were
s514,692.S7.
The policy of the Burkett bill, intro
duced during the last session of con-
gress, was to apply to the 00000,000
acres of the public range the same reg
ulations which now apply to the 1885,
O00 900 acres of government forests,
above referred to, and it was this bill
which called forth the Denver conven-
ton of June this year. Should Presi-
dent Roosevelt adhere to his original
opinion that the Burkett bill is right
and recommend it in his annual mes
sage in December the fight of last ses-
sion, will be renewed with increased
bitterness 1t is a safe statement that
that bill cannot be enacted into law
at this time owing to the fourteen or
fifteen votes in the senate Of western
who represent states which
will retire any man who at this time
would support the bill In time
it is believed that the bill can be made
a law, but strong pressure will be
brought to bear on the president by
certain of his chief advisers to have
him abandon that feature of his land
policy for the time being.
Eczenoa