The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-08

o1ncrcnf to this vast ana rrephr kDie though preventable loss. from forest fres." what Lands Are Needed. Under what plan. Mir. Weeks. does
 the government proposes to ascertain what lands are needed. and how does it acquire them?
 Under the terms of the bill the Secretary of Agriculture Is directed to examine. locate and recommend for purchase such lands as in his 5udg- ment. may be necessary to the regula- ton of stream How of navigable streams. His recommendations are to
 men. consisting Of the Secretary oi
 War. Secretary of the Interior. and Secretary of Agricuiture. with two Senators and two members of the House. These are to pass on such lands and are to fix the prices there- for. no lands being purchased without their approval.
 "This gives . simple plan for as- certatning what lands are necessary and for handling the purchase of such lands. Upon such purchase being made, this area becomes part of the national forest. and would be handled by the Forest Service under the iden- l ticaI lines of management and care as are used in the forest area in the West, where, as you know. the forests are being conserved through wise use.'
 Is there any provision, MT. Weeks. | for reimbursement to the counties or States for the loss of taxes on this forest area7
 Certainly: for. as e government does not pay taxes. my bill provides ] that i've per centum of the net returns | <s@<xx ha fn State, to Nbe expended as the State may prescribe for the benefit of puh- l lie schools and public roads in the counties in which the forest is locat- ] ed. this being the plan followed in the l Western forests. It is estimated that | this amount will at least equal the present taxation on such lands: and when we consider that this will result in a constantly yearly increase. due to | the handling of the forests by the government instead of the yearly di- minishing taxation values of all such lands under present conditions due to destruction Of forests in these mountain regions. 1t can be readily seen that quite apart from the other I benefits to the counties and States due l to better roads and better schools. I the financial returns to the State should be entirely satisfactory" Measure Net Partisan
 l What about the charge by certain Southern Congressmen that the pro-
 posed measure Is partisan and sec. l tional?
 ..Nothing could be further from the facts--the bill is purposely not sec l tional---it is comprehensive enough tc acquire forest reservations wherever l needed--the Commission enlarged tt | seven members, with two Senators and two members of the House. would be bipartisan. Suppose the adminis. l tration does change in the six years l the three Secretaries would be Demo. cratic. Politics had no place in my | mind at any time. and 1t is difficult ts seriously deal with a conception st narrow concerning a measure fol
 | which New England and the South art
 l fighting shoulder to shoulder, for per
 fhaps the first time in the Natton's his l tory"
 I T consider the forest question a
 | one of very great importance. It i
 I clearly government function to pro | tect such areas. Take the Southern
 Appalachian and White Mountain re
 I zion, for example; the whole South fl | concerned. through its streams. in { forest area that lies in eight States
 South Carolina and Georgia stream!
 rise in North Carolina. and acquisition
 of the forest cover in North Carolins
 helps Georgia and South Carolina l even more than it does North Caro-
 lina. This is more strikingly shown perhaps in New England. where al | of the forest area designed to be nc | duired, Is in one State-New Hamp shire, and yet my State. Massachu setts, would get more benefit through
 protection of Massachusetts streams,