Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-23

velopment of the national forests.
Otherwise, either the increasing use
of these forests by the people must
be checked or their protection
against fire must be dangerously
weakened. If we compare the actual
fire damage on similar areas on pri-
vate and national forest lands dur
ing the past year, the government
fire patrol saved commercial timber
worth as much as the total cost OF
caring for all national forests at the
present rate for about ten years.
especially commend to the con-
gress the facts presented by the COM
mission as to the relation between
forests and stream flow in it's bear
Ing upon the Importance of the for
est lands in national ownership.
Without an understanding of this in
innate relation the conservation OF
both these natural resources must
largely fail.
The report of the national con-
servation commission says
Forests in private ownership can
not be conserved unless they are pro-
tected from fire. We need good fire
laws, well enforced. Fire control is
impossible without an adequate force
OF men whose sole duty is fire patrol
during the dangerous season.
| hold as first among the tasks be-
fore the states and the nation in
their respective shares in forest con-
servation the organization of efficient
fire patrols and the enactment of
good fire laws on the part of the
states.
The report says further:
Present tax laws prevent reforesta.
ton of cut-over land and the per.
petuation of existing forests by use.
An annual tax upon the land itself
exclusive of the timber, and a tax
upon the timber when cut is well
adapted to actual conditions of for.
est investment and is practicable and
certain. 1t is far better that forest
land should pay a moderate tax ner.
manently than that it should pay an
excessive revenue temporarily and
then cease to yield at all.
Second only in Importance to good
lire laws well enforced is the enact.
ment OF tax laws which will permit
the perpetuation of existing forests
by use.
LANDS.
With our increasing population the
time is not far distant when the prob.
lem OF supplying our people with
food will become pressing. The nos.
sible additions to our arabic area arc
not great. and it will become neces.
sary to obtain much larger crop,
from the land as is now done II
more densely settled countries. To
do this, we need better farm practice
and better strains of wheat corn
and other crop plants, with a reduc
ton In losses from soil erosion anf
from insects. animals. and other enc
mics of agriculture. The United
States department of agriculture /,
doing excellent work in these direc
tons and 1t should be literally sup
ported.
The remaining public lands Shout,
be classified and the arabic lands dis
posed OF to home makers. In thei
interest the timber and stone act an,
the Communication clause OF the home
stead act should be repealed. and tn,
desert-land law should be modified Ii
accordance With the recommends
lions Of the public lands commission
The use OF the public graslnl
lands should be regulated In snel
ways ~ to Improve and eoRserv
their value.
Rights TO the surface OF the. pabu
laad should be separated FROM right
to forests apoa Il and 20 mineral be
nsath u. aud these should BE- sub