The Mena weekly star., 1908-01-23

uoulcSeChCis tuS hiuSit thS iSh bermen and others, and how they may be used by the public are questions which are of peculiar interest in Arkansas at present in view of the recent creation in this state of national forests, embrac- ing hundreds of thousands of acres of government lands. These questions are answered in book prepared by Clifford Pinchot, the government forester.
 Objections to Questions Answered.
 Iu answer to objections which have been made to the creation of the national forests, Mir. Pin chot shows just what effect their establishment has on various classes of persons who are inter- ested. He contends that when a national forest is created the homeseeker is not iuterfered with in the least. Before the forest is created, the agricultural lands are excluded except where small tracts may be so located as to make this impossible. Such agricultural lands as are included in. the forests are open to settle, ment. The government desires to encourage rather than dis courage settlement.
 The prospector is not injured, as he is absolutely free to travel over the forest without asking anybody's permission. He can stake out, locate, and develop as many claims as he thinks are worth while, just as he would on the public domain. Claims can be developed and turned into pay ing mines just as they can any where else.
 The timber aud wood in the forests, it is declared, are not locked up, but ou the other hand it is intended that they shall be used now and in the future. The settler or the miner is given free of charge what timber he needs for his own use. When 1t is wanted for commercial purposes the timber is sold. A man may buy as much as he pleases, whether 1t be a few thousand feet or many million feet, provided the secretary of agriculture is of the opinion that such sale is a good thing for all the people. The sale of the timber and the price charged for 1t are matters entirely in the hands of the secre- tary of agriculture. It is declared that the local demand is always considered first and that under the system followed the small purchaser is protected, as the government holds the timber with a special view to its use by the small user. In 1906 the govern ment gave away 75,000, 900 board feet and sold 100000. 900 board feet.
 Use of the Land.
 As to the use of the land itself, MT. Pinchot declares that it may be used for stores, hotels, power plants, mills and various other things. The sole object of the government, he declares, is tc see that the land, as we'll as what grows on it, is used for the pur. pose for which 1t is most useful. Railaoads, wagon roads, trails, canals, reservoirs and telephone and power lines may be constrrct- ed whenever and wherever they are needed, as long as they do not unnecessarily damage the forest.
 As to the objection that these forests work hardship on the counties by withdrawing much land from taxation, Mir. Pinchot stated that the government pays those counties in which the for. ests are located 10 per cent of the receipts from the sale of timber, the use of the range and various other rses. Congress showed that it expected these money re- turns to be large by providing that the amount paid should not exceed 40 per cent of the county. tax receipts from other sources In 1900 the national forests paid the county school aud road fund,