The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-17
TIMBER SUPPLY
NOT TO Be WASTED
Forester Pinchot Tells Colorado Leg
islature object is to Benefit,
Not Retard, the West.
By Associated Press.


the heart of the country which has
been opposed to the policy of the gov
; ernment's forestry service, Clifford
Jinchot. government forester, in an
address today before the legislature
of Colorado, vigorously defended his
administration from the assaults made
against it, After declaring that he
had no apologies to make for the
policy of the forest service, Mr.. Pin
chot stated that no backward step
would be taken in any salutary policy
adopted
Mr.. Pinchot's address was in re-
sponse to an invitation from the joint
assembly. His opening statement was
replied to by State Senator Elias NJ.
Ammons, an opponent of the policy.
of the forest service. Mr. Pinchot
made a rejonder to Senator Ammons
address.
In his opening declaration, Mr.. Pin
chot said that the forest service is an
xious for cooperation with every in
terest not antagonistic to the public
welfare which uses or can use the
national forests. He had come out
mere, he stated. not only to declare
mis- principles but to state also that
ne proposed to stand by them. lie
said that he would treat every COM
plant made with a view to avoiding
MISUNDERSTANDING prevent injustice,
promote development and carry for
ward in cooperation with the people
of Colorado a policy which means so
much to them and future generations.
If the regulations are found to work
badly he pointed out. they should
be changed, and if the law is unjust
it should be amended, but until it is
amended the forest service is bound
tn execute it in the best way it can
Mr.. Pinchot declared that he was
authorized by the new administration
to say that the general policy of Great
ing and maintaining national forests
may be regarded as definitely and
finally fixed and that the general lines
OF policy for which the forest service
stands are endorsed and will be sup
ported by President Taft.
What l have come here to do is
to establish such relations with the
people of Colorado who use the ma
tional forests and are affected by
them, as will be for the best inter
ests of the state and nation
The forest service exists not only
to protect the national forests, It ex-
lists just as much to develop the ma
tional forests and the states in which
they lie, and it has no stronger de-
sire than to promote and foster the
development OF Colorado and every
other western state. No more com
pete mistake about the national for
ests has ever been spread abroad than
that they are shut against develop
ment and use. During the last fiscal
year. 2.5O4 mining claims and 3,7S9
agricultural and miscellaneous claims
we're investigated; S92,7S9 NJ. B. F.
,of timber was cut; 3S6,3S4 NJ o. F..
of timber was sold; 24.l27 grazing
permits. 3.l4l special use permits,
and 30,377 free use permits were is
sued The total number of permits
issued to June 30, sos, was l63,O6S
OF the total amount received from
those who received direct benefits
from the use of the varied resources
of the national forests of Colorado
last year 20 per cent, or S59.761.2 .2S.
was turned over to the state to be
used in the development and main
tenance of roads and the public school
system
The amount which Colorado re-
ceives each year for this purpose
will increase as the forests reach a
higher and higher state of develop
ment and the best possible use is
made of every resource. During the
last fiscal year the total amount Of
business transacted by the forest ser
vice increased more than 46 per cent
over that of the previous year and it
was handled with but 20 per cent in
crease in money available A know
ledge of such facts as these should
set at rest once and forever, the claim
sometimes and so mistakenly made.
that the national forests are closed
against development
In the immense amount of busi-
ness transacted over SO large an area.
it was inevitable that mistakes should
be made do not doubt that in iso-
lated cases injustice has been done.
and wherever such injustice has been
Brought to my attention, it has been
corrected. The mistakes made are in
significant in amount and Importance
compared to the good accomplished.
II must be remembered that injustice
must be avoided as much to the gov
ernment as to the users of the nation
al forests. and that if there were no
attempt on the part of dishonest men