Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-02-07

| liaved thu the national forest admin
lstratlon i not serving the public IN
terest. anc M would gladly discredlt
It through Misrepresentation ana dis-
tortions 4 the truth. Unfortunately.
also, persns of entirely honest inten-
tons do mo- always present an I'M
p%rejudicel story when their own IN
terests arp adversely affected. A pru-
dent mar soon learns In this world
that ii is necessary "a hear two sides
Of almost any case bcfor judgment
can safei, be passed. There VIII al
ways be certain amount Of friction
between the forest service and indiv-
uAls. 50 long AZ human nature re-
mains what IL Is. ! hold il. however,
as my ernest wish ana purpose that
the forest service may stand before
the people as an example OF a benefit
Client governmental policy efficiently
carried INTO effect: and ! welcome as
co-operitors with me all who win
help INF spirit Of honesty and fair
ness tofards the pcrfecting of the ma
tional brcst administration by bring
ing TO light the dcfects inevitable in
! so new a work.
"One word more concerning the
miners and / have done. 1t Is some
times said that the willingness OF a
man /, spend his time ana money In
making the development required by
law slpuld. IL done in good faith. SUI
flee e enable him to establish his
claims since even eminent biologists
have .ften failed to recognize in the
case II property which later proved
highly valuable that a discovery such
AS would establish a right to patent
had been made, and that therefore
fnresl officers are incompetent 10 de-
eide whether o claim is good or not.
If fo'est officers were in point Of fact
called on 10 make any such decision,
| shtuld heartily agree with this CON
tentbn. What the forest officer does.
however. Is simply to appear In de-
fens of the title Of the public when
II appears probable that an individual
is irving to acquire title Illegally.
When title becomes a matter of con
test between two individuals, each APP
peas before the court with his Wit
neFes and the court decides between
them on the law and the evidence. Ex-
acty the same thing happens when
on he report of the forest service. the
casf IS brought to a hearing by the
lana office. IL Is entirely for the in
terror department to decide what
weight attached TO the testimony Of
fertd, ana TO rule on the law. As /
hate already said. the forest service
must not bring citizens into hearings
nefdlessly to establish rights which
ari not matters of reasonable doubt.
Tie point which ] wish to make. how
ever, is hat the man who acquires
title to any part OF the public domain
illegally, wrongs the man who might.
have taken the same land legally lat
e. on, Just rs truly as if that man APP
pared in court to contest the claim
and WAS defeated through a miscar-
rhge OF Justice. That second man
is entitled to his day in court. In
oiher words, when It appears prob
able hat a wrong IS being done. con-
ceiye it as a part Of the business of
the forest service to appear on behalf
a the public, and to bring forward
such evidence as il has. whenever ma
iional forest lands are involved. After
t has done this, everything else rests
With the Officers Of the department
charged by law with the determine
zion Of al such cases. Only, forest
t%fficers must. in this as in all other
matters, show good Judgment and
proper consideration for the interests
bf all involved They must protect
the common interest in the forests.
and ! will support them In doing so
to the last point. they must help the
honest miner all they can. and they
must do their duty without fear or
favor In the ease Of the mar who is
to break the law. And take them
as q body, they are doing a big work
a very fine way.
Very sincerely yours,
(Signcdl CLIFFORD PtNCHOT.
"FOrpster"