The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-05-13
LEVERS FOREST RESERVE BILL
New Measure Which II Is Hoped to
Pass at This Session.

Washington. April 30.-Representa-
tive Lever. has just introduced new
bill In the interst Of the Appalachian
and White Mountain reserve. The
important features contained In 1t are
explained by him as follows:
The judiciary committee. in de-
claring the Appalachian White Noun
tain bills to be unconstitutional. struck
the shell. but wholly missed the kerr
mel Of the Appalachian proposal.
Friends Of the measure have care
fully provided a new bill. which in
their Judgment avoids the difficulties
involved in the former bills by the
committee
I'm brief. the new bill which I am
Introducing to-day provides for q
commission to designate and value
the lands to be purchased. and author
lzes the Secretary Of Agriculture to
purchase In his discretion lands
thus designated and valued, and ap-
bropriates $1.5oo. 900. to be immedi-
ately available for such purchases,
and further provides. for a period
beginning July I, 1909. and ending
July I. 1913. all proceeds from ex-
isting national forests, such revenues
to be applied to the purchase of Ap-
palaohian- White Mountain lands.
The commission shall consist of
the forester OF the department of
agriculture: the chief Of the engineers
Of the war lepartment, the director
Of the geological survey. the director
Of the reclamation service. and the
assistant Attorney General for the
department Of the interior. who, un-
der the direction OF the president,
shall investigate. designate, value and
report to him upon Appalachian.
White Mountain Lands to be acquired
and kept In forested condition in or
der to conserve and improve the
navisabhiv Of the rivers. Thi, COM
nj ession shall constlt with such state
onciais as the governor Of, the State
shall designate.
The secretary Of asricultuA may
acquire by gift or purchase such
lands a are shown to have q direct
connection with the conservation snd
the Improvement Of the havigability
OF the rivers OF the United states, that
have their source or tributary streams
IN >the Southern Appaiachian and
white Nountaiks, The owner may
isssrvs the mthsrais and the timber.
No payment shall be made until the
title TO the land shall be satiseactory
20 the Attorney oSnsral. Between
ssnds Of sasal value the lowest bid
shall b accepted, the Secretary retain
ing the right to reject bids. rhe
Ing the right TO- reject bids. The Lexis-
lature In each state concerned must
hrst have consented to the acquiss-
tion Of the lands In question. Small
areas. valuable for agriculture inciu-
ced In the forest reservation may be
offer by the Secretary Of Agriculture
for sale a. homesteads to actual net
tiers In tracts Of eighty acres or less.
II 10 not the Intention Of this Act to
include farm or Improved lands and
r.one shall be acquitted except upon
the consent Of the owner thereof.
The State shall retain its civil and
criwsnal Jurisdiction over lands thus
bought and the Inhabitants shall re.
tain their rights and privileges as cit
isens. and the United States shall
have complete Jurisdiction to admin
lister as forest reservations in aid of
navigation. and Of offences against the
United States.
"Ten per centum Of all the receipts
from these forest reservations shall
be spaid to the States In which the re-
serves are situated and be expended
as the Legislature may prescribe. The
Secretary Of Agriculture may admin
lister private forest lands situated up-
on watersheds whereon lands are per-
manently reserved, on the condition
that the owners shall cut the tim
Der thereon only under Government
rules and regulations.
ITO carry out the provisions of the
Act one and one-haif million dollars
will be made Immediately available
out Of the funds In the treasury and
until expended.
There Is further appropriated, to
be available July I, 1909. and on July
each year thereafter until 1918, out
Of the treasury funds. a sum equal
to the receipts from sales and pro-
ducts OF existing national forests for
a.