Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-29


Each citizen of the United States
owns an equal undivided interest in
about Z 5,OOO,O 900 acres of public lands,
exclusive of Alaska and the insular
possessions. Besides this, there are
about 235, OO0, 900 acres of national for
ests, national parks and other lands
devoted to public use.
Good business sense demands that a
definite land policy be formulated
The national conservation commission
believes that the following will serve
as q basis therefor:
First.-Every part of the public lands
should be devoted to the use which
will best subserve the interests of the
whole people.
Second.-The classification of all
public lands is necessary for their ad-
ministration In the interests of the
people.
Third.-The timber. the minerals and
the surface of the public lands should
be disposed of separately.
Fourth.-Public lands more valuable
for conserving water supply, timber
and natural beauties or wonders than
1Ol agriculture onOuld OC az " IL
use of the people from all except min
eral entry.
Fifth.-Tule to the surface of the
remaining nonmineral public lands
should be granted only to actual home
makers.
Sixth.-Pending the transfer OF title
to the remaining public lands they
should be administered by the govern
ment, and their use should be allowed
in a way to prevent or control waste
and monopoly.
The present public land laws az q
whole do not subserve the best inter
ests of the nation.
Forests.
Next to our need of food and water
comes our need of timber.
Our industries which subsist wholly
or mainly upon wood pay the wages
OF more than 100000 men and wo-
men.
Forests not only grow timber, but
they hold the soil and they conserve
the streams. They abate the wind
and give protection from excessive
heat and cold. Woodlands make for
the fiber, health and happiness of the
citizen and the nation.
Our forests now cover 550,000,000
acres. or about one-fourth of the Unit
ed States. The original forests cover-
ed not less than $50, 100000 acres.
Forests publicly owned cover one
fourth of the total forest area and con
tain one-ffth Of all our standing tim
Der. Forests privately owned cover
three-fourths of the area and contain
f~our-hfths of the standing timber. The
timber privately owned is not only
four times that publicly owned, but is
generally more valuable.
Forestry is now practiced on 70 per
cent of the forests publicly owned and
on less than 1 per cent Of the forests
privately owned, or on only 1S per cent
Of the total area of forests.
The yearly growth of wood in our
forests does not average more than
twelve cubic feet per acre. This gives
a total yearly growth of less than
7.000.000.000 cubic feet.
We have 2o0,00O.O 900 acres of mature
forests, in which yearly growth is bal
anced by decay; 100000 900 acres part
ly cut over or burned over, but re-
stocking naturally with enough young
growth to produce a merchantable crop.
and 10O.0 00.0 1000 acres cut over and
burned over upon which young growth
is lacking or too scanty to maxi mer-
charitable timber.
We take from our forests yearly, in
Guiding waste in logging and In manu-
f~acture. 1900, 100000 cubic feet of
wood.
Since 1870 forest fires have destroyed
a yearly average of fifty lives and $780,
100000 worth Of timber. Not less than
100000 900 acres of forest is burned
owe yearly. The young growth de-
stroyed by fire is worth far more than
the merchantable timber burned.
One-fourth of the standing timber Is
lost in logging. The boxing of long
leaf pine for t%urpentine has destroyed
one-fifth of the forests worked. The
loss In the mill is from one-third to
two-thirds of the timber sawed. The
loss of mill product in seasoning and
fitting for use is from one-seventh to
o~ne-fourth.
We take from our forests each year,
not counting the loss by fire. three and
a half times their yearly growth; we
take forty cubic feet per acre for each
twelve cubic feet grown; w take 260
cubic feet per capita. while Germany
uses ~thirty-seven and France twenty
five cubic feet.
We tax our forests under the general
property tax. a method abandoned long
ago by every other great nation. Pres
ent tax laws prevent reforestation of
cut over land and the perpetuation of
existing forests by use.
Great damage is lone to standing
timber by injurious forest insects.
Much of this damage can be prevented