The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1907-02-14
THE RESERVE
DIFFICULTIES
Nules Arbitrarily En-
forced and Misin-
terpreted.
Spirit Of Department One of
Fairness but Unfortunate
In Selection of Men.

SO4OSk1O1 Ol VA0Hs
Next in importance to the disposition
Of the public grazing land is the system
atixing and equal division of the grazing
land on the forest reserves, and it is safe
to predict that upon the final success or
failure Of the system now being perfect
ed with regard to the forest land, will
depend, t. certain extent, the disposi-
ton Of thepublic grazing land.
In the making Of rules and regulations
governing forest reserves in this country
the department Of forestry are up again
st . problem, the solution Of which they
are professedly ignorant, and in their
efforts to arrive at q correct solution
nearly as is compatible with good gov
ernment, to the sentiment Of each sec
ton Of the country.
In their efforts to justly handle the
forest reserve business. and work as lit
tie hardship As possible in comparison
with the benefits derived by the gener
al public. the department has, in all in
stances shown disposition to be fair,
~ considerable latitude has been al
lowed the rangers and men in charge of
local territory in enforcing the rules.
This has placed considerable responsi
bility ON local officers and 1t is in this
connection that in some instance indi
viduals have been unfairly and unjust
y dealt with.
This paper is not in the habit of criti
cising but in the case of the Government
vs. Andrew Norrell there seems to exist
much misunderstanding. as well as a
tendency to misconstrue many of the
facts in the case.
The happenings subsequent to the
placing Of Forest Ranger Hogan in
charge of the Park Reserve, comprising
the range OH the western side of the
Park. extending over into Rostt county
and the Middle Park country. would
leave room to doubt Mr.. Hogans sinceri-
ty in his protsstations Of fairness, at
least in the case of Mr.. Norrell.
The trouble seemed to have its start
last spring, when Mr.. Norrell with others,
was notified to take out before the 3lst
Of March. grazing permits on the Park
Reserve for the coming summer. This,
owing to neglect. and absence from the
Park, Mr.. Norrell failed to do. Although
he did take out permit for seventy five
head Of stock OF the Medicine Bow re-
serve And right here is where the first
hitch was promulgated Mr.. Norrell,
~ several other North Park men. has
1900 acres Of land leased in the south
ern end of the Park, the leased land
practically adjoining both the Park and
Medicine Bow reserves.
The stock owned by Mr.. Norrell, and
the others. who are interested in the
leased h.nd, were turned upon this land
in the spring and were allowed the free
run Of both the leased land and that sec
ton Of the Medicine Bow reserve adja
cent to the land, although Mr.. Norrell
was the only one Of the partnership who
had . permit to run cattle on that re-
serve.
Along in the latter part of June. MIR.
Hogan again requested Mr.. Norrell to
take out grazing permit. Mr.. Norrell
appeared before Mr.. Hogan at Kremm-
ling and explained the situation as full
ly ~ possible, and expressed his willing
ness to take out permit for rs head of
cattle, although lie thought this was in
excess Of the actual pro rate of his cat
tie on the Park reserve in comparison
with others Mr.. Hogan refused per-
nit for rs head stating that Mr. Norrell
must take out permit for 175 head, or
none at all, also that although unFsr-
mited stock had ranged with Norrelrs
stock on the Bow reserve this would
have no bearing on the Park reserve.
Now it would seem to fair minded
people that Mr. Hogan exceeded his
authority in ordering Mr.. Norrell to
take out permit for 175 head of cattle
or pone at all, when q permit for but 10
Id was asked. Even though Mr.. Ho-
gan considered permit for rs head in
sufficient, 1t was nevertheless his duty to