Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-04-29

During the last session OF congress
a clause was added to the agricultural
appropriation bill which provided that
no new forest reserves should be made
without the consent of congress.
wv
The president certainly showed what
he thought Of this part of the law by
signing thirty-two proclamations about
new forest reserves before he signed
The appropriation bill.
The cover design of our yearly pro-
5ram indicates the feeling of the Read
ng club in this matter and the fact
hat We set aside day for the study
If forestry indicates our desire to I'M
ierstand the subject.
First let us remember that forest
reserve is out of fashion and ma
ional forests is the term preferredv =
We hear that 1t is the cattle, sheep
md lumber men who caused the pas
age of the new law adverse to for
estry and they certainly represent to
congress that the sentiment in the
vest was against the forestry laws.
have taken it upon myself to talk
10 several men engaged in cattle.
sheep and lumber business and find
hat II is only the very large owner
Who is against these laws; not the
nan with 5000 head or less but the
nan with twenty or thirty thousand
,ead of stock.
Under the old conditions the rule
vas that of might makes right and
he strongest gained all the good pas
IRE. One of the most prominent cat
lie men here in Durango told me that
le was glad to pay the government
rice for pasture and be protected in
is rights. He also added that the
mall cattleman is anxious to have the
eserve extended.
The effect of a strict enforcement
If the laws will be to do away with
he big cattle and sheep and lumber
nen and encourage the smaller owner.
At present we have a body of men
intelligent and well organized forest
'angers and their chiefs who are quiet
y doing much to benefit the country.
Few understand just what is now
leing done and it is the object OF
his paper to bring these things be-
ore us.
The department is building and i'm
1roving trails, putting in telephones,
building bridges and cabins. This
work is directly to help in fighting and
preventing forest fires but incidentally
hese improvements are OF great help
o the settlers.
The forest laws prevent the over
itocking OF the grazing land and es-
ablish an absolute line between the
'heep and cattle territory.
In our county today before the last
erm of court and for the coming term
ire number of criminal cases that.
iave come up just because Of the tros.(
)le always stirring between the sheen
md cattle men.
Under the present laws lumber men
nay buy the timber, they are simply
restricted from cutting below certain
limits and they must gather and burn
the brush. And the temptation to COM
| nit frauds is done away with.
In some places the department is
planting nurseries for young trees;
he streams are being stocked, the
being introduced. AS many as ten
new kinds of antelopes have been
brought from Africa and are being in
troduced into our forests.
Another thing there is nothing in
the law to prevent settler from TAX
ing up homestead on the reserve and
in fact work of the department pre-
vents fraud in filing on land The
governor of our state has called for a
conference of governors and among
the subjects to be considered 1t is
likely that forestry will play an i'm
portant part.
The subject of present conditions of
forestry in our state would not be
complete without considering the work
OF the Federated clubs.
Mrs. Henry F. Brooks of Denver is
chairman of the forestry section of
thefederation and it is largely through
her efforts that the women of the
state are taking an active interest in
forestry.