The Delta independent., 1909-06-04
LIVE STOCK
ON FORESTS
The Interesting Method of
Allotting Privileges to
Stock Owners.
Allowances Of Big Men Often Cut
Down to Make Room for
New Corners with Few
Head of Stock.

There is probably no policy connect
ed with the administration of matters
upon the National Forests that comes
closer home to the stockmen than the
system under which the number of
stock each man may Craze is deter
mined by the Supervisors.
With the rapid increase in population
of most of the western states, the de-
mands for grazing privileges upon the
National Forests, especially from the
men interested in sheep raising, in
crease every year. The new settlers
locating the country adjacent to the
National Forests are nearly all desirous
of entering the stock business either
as cattle raisers or sheep growers.
In order that they may more success
fully handle their stock. they apply to
the Forest Service for permit to en-
ter the nearest Forest, which. very
likely, is already stocked to its fullest
Capacity The question then before
the Supervisor, with whom the appli-
cations are filed. is how to accommo-
date these new settlers without injury
to those who are already occupying the
ranges.
1t has been the consistent policy of
the Service to take care of the new
men just as far as possible without too
greatly restricting those already using
the ranges, and in order to do this it
has been necessary to reduce the num-
ber allowed the larger men on a pro-
rata basis in order to give the new men
m opportunity. These reductions are
only made after full consideration of
the conditions surrounding each merit,
and every effort is made to carry out
the systdm with as little injury to the
individual stockman as is possible.
The result of this system of reducing
the larger owners in order to admit the
new settler is, that many of the owners
of large numbers of stock are continu-
ally appealing to the Forester against
the cutting down process, claiming they
are being injured in their business and
deprived of their rights as citizens to
increase and build up legitimate in
dustry. On the other hand, some of
the little men are equally persistent in
their appeals for further recognition
than that already allowed them. In
handling this matter the forest officers
must act as fair and impartial judges
for both classes.
There is one fixed and immutable
point in this entire proposition which
cannot be changed except through i'm
provement of the ranges. and that is.
the number of stock which a given area
will ordinarily support. When the
forest ranges are carrying the full
number of stock which they safely can.
the only thing that can be done to
meet the demand from new settlers is
to reduce the number which any one
man can range and give the new set
tier the benefit of this reduction.
In order that the larger holders may
not be too seriously reduced from year
to year, they are guaranteed that they
will not be reduced below certain
point and the new owners are restricted
to certain established number to be-
gin with and allowed to gradually in
crease their number from year to year
until they have reached the limit which
is set for any one man or company. In
this manner the reduction is spread
over several years and the larger own
ers are given time to meet 1t. But the
small men are quite as insistent that
they are being Disseminated against,
as are the larger men, because many
of them claim that instead of starting
at the low figure they should be al
lowed to enter the Forest if they wish
with number equal to the full limit,
which would result in making the
annual reductions on the large holders
several times heavier than they are
under the present system.
One of the basic principles in hand
ling grazing matters on the National
Forests is that it is better to help a
small man make living than a big
man profit.
The policy of the Forest Service in
making these reductions and restric-
tions is not to injure any person nor
to allow the new men to enter the
Forest with such u large number as