The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-03-27
FOREST RESERVES
FOR THE PEOPLE

secretary or agriculture, is TO ald the
people in obtaining the fullest use of
all forest resources which is compati-
BILE with the purposes for which the
forests were created.
Not only the water, wood and forage,
but the land itself is to be devoted to
the most productive use, for the per
manent good of the whole people.
This means that all lands within the
forests, which are chiefly valuable for
agriculture, and which are not needed
FOR administrative purposes, shall be
thrown open to settlement and entry,
SO that citizens may till them, build
homes upon them and finally obtain
title to them, just as on similar lands
outside the forests. In order to make
such action possible congress-, on june
IL, 1906, passed a special act empower
ing the secretary of agriculture to de-
termine what lands should be released
from the forests and given up to home
stead entry. Since that time a corps
VI WCli-4udiiiId v OSSh
employed at all seasons when weather
has permitted the survey and examina-
tions necessary to denne the agricul-
tural areas. 1t is frequently a matter
Of the utmost difficulty for an examin-
er to decide whether lands are or are
not agricultural in nature. Such areas
are usually in a mountain valley, often
at high attitudes, and at som distance
above the highest farms which trial has
proved to be agricultural in nature.
There are droughts in summer, heavy
SHOWS in winter, and frosts, occurring
possibly every month in the year to be
considered. The land may be steep,
stony, with cold or shallow soil, hard
to irrigate, and more or less covered
with brush or stumps on timber.
The applicant is invariably an Opt
mist and his friends will tell of the
crops, grown out of season, on neigh
boring land or similar locations. Often
the water is completely appropriated
by prior settlers. The land may be
fertile and yet subject to a climate
which makes impossible the continuous
residence demanded by the homestead
law. In cases of doubt a liberal policy
is pursued and the benefit of the doubt
gwen to the applicant.
In spite of the benevolent intention
of the special forest homestead law,
and the liberal way in which it has
been interpreted by the forest officers,
there has arisen some dissatisfaction
over the decisions in specific cases.
This is due in part to contrast with the
lax, easy going methods which have
prevailed in past years in parceling out
the public lands under other statutes.
Certain applicants have been greatly
disappointed to find that they could
not obtain title to tracts of valuable
timber under this law. Others applied
for tracts which it was necessary for
the forest service to retain in order to
make homes or pastures for the use of
the rangers. In denying such appli-
cations the forest service acted merely
for self preservation, as any prudent
business man wauld have to do under
similar circumstances. A much larger
force of rangers will be necessary in
the future and these men must have
headquarters in the mountains from
which to do their work. 1t would be
extremely unwise for the government
to give up lands needed for such pur-
poses since it would probably be com
PEELED to buy them back in later years
at enhanced prices.
It is the invariable practice to in
vestigate thoroughly the moral rights
as well as the legal status of claim
ants, if such there be, to tracts recon-
mended for administrative use. When
no legal right to the land exists, but
the occupant has constructed or pur-
chased improvements, an equitable
price is agreed upon for these before
any action is taken toward withdrawal
of the land from entry.
Settlers and homemakers are desired
upon the forests and even when their
claims are invalid every advantage is
given to those who show good faith un-
der the act of June IL, 1905.
In cases where there appears to ex'
list sufficient reason to request a re
examination of lands that have been
reported unfavorably under the terms
of the act, the supervisor is given a
copy of the applicant letter of pro
test and every consideration is shown
the settler or applicant.
Occasionally it occurs that there is
an honest difference of opinion between
the applicant for a homestead and the
examining officer as to the agricultural
possibilities of the land, or the ability
of the applicant to fulfill the require
ments of the homestead law. In such