Gunnison news-champion., 1908-08-28
na1 o. ~ - &soGls
To kanch aud Rang.

!" kanch aud Rab9";
The Forest Service Is still busy
insisting through inspired ARTICLES
that the settler has right TO home
stead agricultural land IN the forest
reservations Following is the law,
passed by the 59th congress and
found on pages 2.33 and 23i IN 34th
statutes at large.
That the secretary Of agriculture
may, in his discretion. and lie is
hereby authorized, upon sppli alton
or otherwise TO examine and a-ter-
tain a. to the location. and exients
OF lands within permanent OF tenn
porary forest Reserves, which are
chiefly valuable for agriculture, and
which in his opinion, may be oc-
CAPPED for agricultural purposes
without inl urv To the forest reserves,
and which are not needed for public
purposes and NAV list and describe
the same by metes aud bounds, or
otherwise and file the lists and de-
scri ptlon with the secretary of the
interior, with the request that the
said lands he opened to entry in ac-
cordance with the provision Of the
homestead laws and this act
4" Sec. 5. That nothing herein con-
tanned shall be held 10 authorize any
future settlement ON anv lands with
In forest reserves until such lands
have been opened To settlement as
provided in this act
There is lot to make it more
difficult, if possible, for the settler
to locate, but that quoted is sutli-
cient. Notice the reading, The SOC
retary may" not shall" open agri-
cultural lands to settlement. 1t is
all left entirely within his discre-
ton" The settler has no right
which he can enforce. lie is abso-
lntely at the mercy of the depart
ment A tract of land might De
ever 50 valuable for agricultural
purposes, yet it could not be home
steaded except by special permission
of the forest service under the secre-
tary Of agriculture. There is no ap-
{ peal; 1T is all matter of discretion
with the department. Such is the
language fixing the pretense of a
right for the settler. How different
the language when it comes to limit
ing the right of settlement as express
sed in section ). 1t is not a matter of
may" or within his discretion.
but the homesteader shall not be
authorized" to locate agricultural
land, no matter how good, except at
/ the pleasure of the department.
With a bureau in charge of these
reservations strenuously clamoring
For more power and for similar au-
thoritv over the balance of the pub
lie domain, reluctant to give up a
single acre OF the empire it has ac-
qulred from the government. with
every possible restriction of red tape,
what hope is there for the ordinary
settler without pull? ! am re-
minded of a lot of things that have
been published by the departmental
press agency, largely il not altogeth-
er at our expense to create senti-
ment over the country in favor of
the forest service and against the
people who are struggling to build
up the west. For instance, ! find
on page l. of bea auilful. red illus
trated book entitled. Use of the
National Forests" which has been
sent broadcast over the land. the fol
lowing, in relation to the sale of tim
Der:
There is no chance of monoDolv
because the secretary of agriculture
must by law sell as much OF as little
as he thinks best. to whom and at
whatever price he thinks will best
serve the interest Of all the peonie !"
Ana this is only one sentence
from whole book full: and there
are many books. 1t is the same old
story government by discretion
not law: special privileges to the
favored and no punishment: for the