East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-09-20


ferred to the department Of agricul-
ture. and the policy Of the greatest
legitimate use of all resources of the
forests have been definitely adopted,
says foresty bulletin. Under the
enlarged powers Of the secretary.
regulations governing the cutting Of
timber have been greatly simplified,
and annoying delays In the transact
tion of business wiped out An es-
pecial effort is made to facilitate ap-
plications for the free use of timber
| and for small purchases.
The effect upon the use of the tim
ber of the national forests was instan-
taneous. Money receipts from the
sale of timber for the fiscal year end
cd June 80. 1905, were $4,000. DUR
ing the present fiscal year (1s0O re-
ceipts from timber sold will probably
exceed half a million dollars. and
| contracts for the sale of timber, ex-
| tending from one to five years, will
| reach a value of over n million dol
| lars.
The money return which the gov
| ernment realizes from these sales is
in striking contrast to that received
from the sale of timber land under
the land laws. Under the timber and
stone act timber land could be bought
for $3.50 per acre, and under the lieu
land law it could be acquired in ex-
change for denuded and worthless
land without money payment.
| Timber from the forests is now
purchased by the thousand board feet
and payment is made upon the actual
scale of the logs when cut The cut
varies from 5000 to 10000 feet per
acre, so that, at the comparatively
low stumpage rate of $2.50 per thou
sand feet, the government receives
from five to 20 times as much for the
timber as 1t received under the tim
ber and stone act and retains the
land.
To cite a single example,: A sale of
100000 feet of timber was recent
ly made on a national forest In Wyo.
ming, at a rate of IS per thousand
feet. The proceeds from the sale of
the timber alone will be 100000. The
timber averages 5000 feet per acre
and covers 1900 acres Had the sale
been made under the timber and
stone law 1t would have yielded but
S2750 for both timber and land.
1t might be argued that the govern
ment is not in the lumber business
and that 1t should dispose of its re-
manning timber lands as rapidly as
possible, leaving it to private enter
prise to exploit them.
But public opinion is emphatically
in favor of a more conservative use
Of what remains of the national for
ests than would be possible were they
turned over to lumber companies,
whose sole soncern would be their
quick conversion into cash. The gov
ernment has been forced into the
lumber business solely that a supply
of forest products may be guaranteed
to future generations.
The ration of the present yield OF
timber cut from the national forests
to that of the whole country or even
to that of the western states, is in
significant. Probably 65 per cent OF
the total stand of merchantable tim.
Der within the forests is located on
the Pacific coast. where for a long
time the enormous supply Of private
ly owned timber will satisfy most OF
the demand. This more accessible
private timber surrounded the forests
as the meat of an apple surrounds the
core.
But this belt of private timber has
been entirely eaten away in many
places, while In others It is locked vi
) for the purpose of speculation. The
thing to remember, then, is that this
immense body of public timber 1.
J there as a great reserve against the
. time when private timber lands will
be depleted, and for use as weapon
against monopoly.
, Already, even on the Pacific cosat
, actual operators, who are not specu
, lating in timber, but who, II they ar,
to meet the demands of commerce
must have logs to supply their mills
are turning to the national forests.
r The advantages in the purchase O
, timber from the national forests (,
the actual operator, and especial,
to the sawmill man of small means
are many. There is no large initia
investment required in acquiring
timber lands and no possibility o
. annoying litigation over defective It'll
!. to lands. The purchases is entirel.
relieved Of taxes and the cost Of pro
lection. The government assume
the entire risk Of loss by fire or othe
. causes.