New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-16
LAND RESERVATIONS.
c. III. HanfOrd States His Position
on Conservation POlicy.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Your paper of September "a contains an arti-
Gle under the headline unfair Criticism" which
quotes from speech delivered by me at the Alaska
4ukon-Pacinc exposition the following excerpt:
o. In our state tho reservations comprise more than
per cent OF ITS total area into which no home
our mountains and most of il flows idIJ ~ ooMh
NlIhout turning wheel, but to prevent srabberss
that it must Keep on Rowing idly untiI II insist
nerHet,au,? eiH tribute 70 the national Treasury
dictate. - 'Ae government shall
you then assert that this brief paragraph con-
talns two important misstatements Of tbe o1,.o
tOn policy and make the counter Statements 49,
any Would-oe settler who finds land more s1,ita bIa
LOT cultivation than for forestry IN $500 -
erVaCoh Is entitled by law to enter a hon,asta,l7
claim thereon and need find no dif1cuIt,, an -
curing patent when he has complied with the
proper conditions Equally unfair Is the
statement that the conservationists would S,oS
the development OF water power until 1t could ba
haue 10 pay tribute to the national Treasury
allhougn the assertion is literally true Re-
cause the powers OF the federal government o.,
considerably limited. II is proposed 10 uti,vs +ta
taxing power as has been done in many other
methOds OF regulation. and to collect from tbosa
VINO acquire water power a purely nominal rental
not as tribute. but legally to establish the ract
that ultimate title resides in the government
To be really fair and TO give your readers tr,,a
iiiioIHiauOh you should publish accurate state
Iheht Oh the provisions OF the forest reservation
-tOASS'S"U law ton OnlteO states Statutes
ana OF the public declarations of those particular
conservationists whose doctrines were combated in
my speech. You will find that the statute does NOT
give hOmeseekers the right 20 select reservation
land That law was enacted because so much ter
ritory had been withdrawn from use that Congress
deemed II necessary to provide for the segregation
OF lands suitable for cultivation from lands property
included within the boundaries Of reservations and
so the act prescribes that the Secretary Of Agri-
culture may, in his discretion. make examination OF
the reservations and list the lands which NAV be
occupied by settlers without injury 10 the forest
reserves and not needed for public uses. and that
upon his Recommendation the Secretary OF the In
terror shall declare the lands listed Ne opened
TO homestead settlement and entry When that
proceeding shall have been completed. hOmeseekers
may acquire rights TO the lands thus restored to
beneficial use, but II newspaper reports true
the Secretary OF Agriculture has decided 10 recon-
mend that the reservations be kept intact and the
table portions thereof leased TO the highest bid
deTs for cattle ranges instead Of admitting settlers
Whether this be true or not, under present Condi-
lions no person can so upon land within forest
reservation I'm this state and cut log for cabin
burn stick to make his coffee boil without In
curing liability TO prosecution for trespass.
As to the second supposed miSstatement, II il
doubtless true that your paper states the Views OF
those eonservatIOnIsts who are not possessed of a
desire to milk the Western states and Alaska for
public revenue but there are others. The speech
referred TO doctrines affirmed by the irrigation con-
gress held az Spokane and the conservation CON
yress held at Seattle last August. both Of which
adopted set or resolutions similar 20 party plat
forms Illuminated BY political conventions and each
contained the following plank:
We urge on the states the enactment OF COM
prehensiVe water laws. framed In accordance with
the policy pursued in several Western states dur
ing recent years. Incorporating the principle that
the waters belong to the people We hold that
this right OF the people is inherent and indefeasi
bile Recognizing the necessity for administering
tits invaluable possession OF the people. we DENY
the right of state or federal governments to alien
ate convey water by granting franchises for
the use thereof for commercial or power purposes
in perpetuity or without Just compensation in the
interests Of the people
More recently President Taft. in his speech at
spokane. committed himself to continued adher-
enee TO the so-ealled Roosevelt policies and in
sleal OF advocating long term leases he expressed