The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-29
FOR
A SQUARE
DEAL
HE is NOT OPPOSED TO MINING
INTERESTS.
His Only, Aim is to Protect the Real
Miner and Discourage Fraud
uIent Entries.

al Washington, D. C., recently sent
to President Stone of the Colorado
State Forestry association at Denver.
The letter expresses Mr.. Pinchot's re-
gret at not being able to attend the
annual meeting of the Colorado asso-
citation on account OF the commission
which he is now bearing to the Mex
lean government at the direction OF
President Roosevelt.
The letter touches repeatedly upon
the subject of the necessity Tor CO.
operation between the Forest Service
officials and the mining fraternity in
an effort to come to mutual under
standing in regard to the intents and
purposes of the former In the matter
of regulating applications for mining
claims within the national forests.
No more comprehensive, sensible and
withal friendly statement has ever
been issued from the office OF Mr.. Pin
ohot than this letter proves to be, and
the entire subject is OF such vital
import to the west and It's mining
population, that the communication
is herewith reproduced through the
courtesy Of the district officials.
Mr.. w. G. NJ Stone. president. Col
orado State Forestry Association, Den
ger, Colorado. My dear Mr.. Stone
| keenly regret that, because OF the
commission which i am now bearing
to the Republic OF Mexico at the d.
rection of the President. l am prevent
ed from accepting your invitation TO
attend the annual meeting of the Colo
a.
is nowhere that | would rather go
now, were | free to follow my own
choice. than to Colorado. where the
friends of forestry have given such
proof of intelligent loyalty TO high
conception of citizenship, but where
misunderstanding of the work which
the National government Is actually
doing, and misrepresentation of Its
purposes and of the facts. has unhap-
PLY been so much in evidence OF late.
| am no less anxious TO meet and con-
fer with those who are sincere oppon-
ents of the National Forest admins
tration. to the end that misUnder-
standings may be cleared away and
the best course may be pursued. than
/ am to greet my good friends OF your
association, who have been outspoken
in the defense of the Forest Ser
vice,
"One of the chief causes Of friction
and misunderstanding is. l hope and
believe, In fair way to be removed
through conference between represen-
tives Of the mining interest and my
self On October 10, 1908, addressed
letter to the Hon. ], H. Richards.
president Of the American Mining Con-
gress After reciting that complaints
concerning mining claims In the Ma
tional Forests in recent months have
shown that many mining men believe
justice is not being done their indus
try, my letter continued:
More than rs per cent of the
claims examined last year were re-
ported favorably, and we have endeav-
ored TO carry out the law and our or
ders intelligently and fairly. But
doubtless, improvements can be made
If the mining men will help. The For
est Service Is anxious for 1ustifiable
complaint 1t desires the cooperation
and friendship of the mining men, not
their opposition: and 1t is anxious To
assist in every legitimate way IN the
development of the inning industry.
Accordingly. / write TO ask wheth
er the American Mining Congress.
through you as its president, or by the
action of the executive committee, will
appoint in the immediate future com
mittee of three or five representatives,
as you may deem best, to cooperate
with the Forest Service in an effort to
reach a mutual agreement, both as to
the rules which should govern the
Forest Service under the law in deal
ing with mineral questions in National
Forests. and as to the definition and
Interpretation of these rules, so that
there shall be no misunderstanding
whatever as to what Is just and right
for both parties in the promises
"On October &c, Judge Richard
wrote me as follows:
81 have received from the eXecu-
tive committee of The American Min
ing Congress the suggestion that l ap-
point the following names on the com
| mittee In compliance with your sug-
| gestion contained In your letter OF
the 10th inst: Col A. G. Brownlee.
Judge E. A Colburn. George ]. Ban
croft. VIM P Daniels, and W. F. f.
Mills.
In selecting these men | took into
consideration the necessity of having
these men so situated as to residence
that a meeting could be secured with
out too much inconvenience
Is i am notified this morning by the
! secretary, that the next session OF the
congress will be held in Pittsburg on
the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th days OF
| December, next.
Trusting that you Will find this
committee of service to you and that |
may have the pleasure of meeting you
at Pittsburg. | remain, very sincerely
yours, (Signed) ]. H RICHARDS,'
| Il have since been informed by MIR.
Smith Riley, district forester of the
| Forest Service stationed at Denver.
that it Is the plan of this committee,
as he is informed by Mr. Brownlee. to
acquaint itself with the facts in ali
specific cases of complaint which may
be brought TO its attention. In order
that, through discussion of the Forest
| Service OF concrete examples, the
/ rights and wrongs of methods now In
| use may be established / await the
convenience of the committee to take
up at the earliest possible moment
with these officially designated repre-.
sentatiyeS Of the miners themselves
all points which may be at Issue be
tween prospectors and miners and the
Forest Service,
while | regret that any points OF
conflict should have arisen, / must
point out that the Forest Service has