, 1908-02-01

ny ShOAbS lOMdlu INC upbNlluAh5 III
protection of the sheep and wool in
dustry, in the course | pursued for so
many years before l held office, with
out the accusation that my interest is
only that of wishing to continue in of.
nee.
Reluctant to Accept Presidency.
So you see, my dear Walker, there
can be no regret on my part over my
separation from the office of president
of the National Wool Growers asso.
citation. When elected president at
Salt Lake City some years since, it
was in my absence, n every one in
terested knew (%perhaps you did then
Know that | was most reluctant to
accept the presidency, and have new
er solicited continuance. | questioned
then the propriety of my holding the
Llace while a member of the United
States senate, and now, when the asso.
e large and enthusiastic membership
and plenty of funds, l am only too
glad to step aside without mourning in.
situations either that | refused to do
my part in carrying the burden or that
l peremptorily withdrew myself from
consideration.
Walkers Personal Conduct.
As to your personal conduct, l want
to say hat it has been well known to
me during the past two years, as l
have had the benefit of abundant tes-
timony, oral, and by phone, wire AMI
letter.
My fealty to the cause and interest
of sheepmen has been such that 1 have
submitted to silent partnership with
you-even to being the "bogyman'
with whom sheepmen have been fright,
ened and separated from their funds
to prevent alleged determination
through forestry and proposed grazing.
control dangers. l have remained sfl.
ent while being enormously quoted by
you in your contributions, oral and
written, TO persons and newspapers. in
Guiding those pursuing me personally
-democratic and independent-all foI
the good of the cause. You have right
fully assumed that the easiest way to
raise money is to frighten an interest
into contributing for its protection
Money has been freely contributed to
fight forestry and grazing legislation
when there has at no time been the
slightest danger of oppressive range
control legislation, or any chance what
ever to repeal forestry control by the
government as a general principle.
Misrepresentation May Stop Now.
Now, after obtaining a liberal mem,
bership, an overlooking treasury, an
earnest and aggressive attitude of the
association, obtaining your own ambi
ton in the change of president, and
consequent personal benefits to your
self, it-will be unnecessary, | trust, 10
make further misrepresentation
The initiative in federal forestry
control was the desire to protect for.
ests on government lands from the de
%yastating fires that were rapidly de
nuding the mountains and leaving the
country destitute of timber and settlers
would be Inconvenience and impover,
lshed if such devastation continued
After entering upon forest protection,
allegations were made, and, uhfortu.
nately, generally believed by eastern
people, their senators and representa-.
tvs, that live stock in forests destroy
the growth of young trees, and that
forest fires were largely caused by
sheep camps, hunters, ct al, and the
danger was imminent of the govern.
ment adopting a policy of excluding
all live stock from the forests.
The Senator's Position.
| took the ground in the beginning,
and have never swerved from it:
First, that there should be nothing
included within the forest reserves ex.
cept forests proper, or such land as
had indubitable evidence of young for.
est growth.
Second, that sheepmen should be al.
lowed to Craze their focks therein as
they were the last ones to cause or
permit fires in the forests; that while
accidents might occasionally happen
through the carelessness or perverse-
ness of a herder, yet, as a rule, no bet
ter protection could be had against
fires than that afforded by the sheep,
men in being permitted to protect the
grasses and weeds, and later to Craze
their fiocks upon them, thus preventing
fires running over the grassy n open
PORTIONS.
The One True Friend.
The imposition of grazing fees in
forest reserves resulted from the prop,
O~sitions of cattlemen and sheepmen
themselves to pay moderate fee in or.
der to have rights in these reserves as
against those who did not pay fees.
Mr.. Pinchot and those with him ar
vanced a scale Of prices which | could