Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-11-21
The Appaclahlan Forest Reserve.

90 hiuCh W diSNeT tle TeCellU dC-
tack by the gentleman from Elk
Park, but to give some extracts
from the Forest Reserve Bill and
other literature sent out by the
Secretary ofAgriculture, with the
hope that these may be read and
give some of the people a better
idea of this important matter.
The writer from Elk Park evil
IDENTIFY means and wants to work
upon the uninformed people of
this fair land OF ours, in as much
as the people generally do not
know what the bill is or what it's
intents are as to our forests etc.
He says in the beginning that
he does not know what the Gov
ernment wants or what it propo-
ses to do, and then proceeds to
figure out all except 200 settlers
OF the 100000 people living
within the proposed boundaries,
as he sees them. Again he says
there will be no teaching of the
pcrpetuation of forests for we
will have none perpetuate, un-
less we want to work free of
Charge, as provided in Sec. 2 of
the bill l will give Sec. 2 in full
and let's see what that says:
'That the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall advertise in the sew.
eral states named in the act for
lands to be purchased under the
provisions hereof, and as between
lands of equal value, for the pur-
pose of this act, the lowest bids
shall be accepted. Provided, that
the Secretary of ofAgriculture shall
have right toireject,all bids. Provi
ded farther, That the Secretary of
Agriculture is hereby authorized
and empowered. in his discre-
ton, to contract for the pur-
chase of lands, exclusive OF tim
Der thereon, of kinds and sizes to
be specified in the contract. Said
timber to be cut and removed in
accordance with the rules and
regulations to be prescribed by
him for that purpose. And, Pro-
vided farther, that the Secretary
Of Agriculture is hereby author
lied and empowered in his discre-
tion to contract for the purchase
OF said lands, exclusive of the
mineral rights therein, and on
such lands mineral deposits may
be mined under such rules a n d
regulations as provided in this
section, for cutting and remov
ing timber and mining materials
shall be embodied in the con-
tract for purchase end convey
ance of title" This is section 2of
the bill as passed by the United
States Senate, June %, 1906.
Dear reader, is there any word
IN this of working for the Gov
Ierument free or anv other way?
The writer is sadly mistaken or
he purposely intends to deceive
the people. Consistency thou
art a jewel"
He also says that the Govern
ment intends to reforest all the
cleared lands. Here are extracts
from a statement sent out by
the Secretary of Agriculture,
which l now have before me and
will gladly show them to any
one:
lit will be as necessary to buy
cut-over lands and abandoned
faIms where they lie on impor-
tant water sheds, as lands which
are heavily clad with forest. OF
lands of equal value for reserve
purposes, those which can be
bought cheapest should be bout
first. In no case can -exorbltant
prices be paid.
''If they are entirely denuded,
then as soon as possible t h ey,
should be planted"
AS to taking away our farming
lands, listen again to one OF au-
thority, who says;
"No agricultural lands shall be
included W E h in the reserves