The Mena weekly star., 1909-11-18

The creation ot the Natlonal Forests is in accordance with the wise policy of putting to the highest possible use, in the inter- est of all the people. the resources of the states and of the nation.
 In withdrawing large timber areas for forest purposes, how ever, small tracts of agricultural land here and there were unavold- ably included. No provision was at first made under which these isolated tracts could be acquired for farming purpeses--their wis est use-but remedy was soon provided ia the act of June Il, 190h. known as the Forest Home stead Act, winch permits the set tiement and entry ol all lands In National Forests found upon ex animation 10 be chiefly valuab able for agricultural purposes.
 The inclusion of timber IS un. necessary, since the settler may secure from the Forest under a free-us. permit all the timber or dinarlly required for fire wood, fencing and Improvements; thus, all lands chiefly valuable for tim Der purposes are retained for con- servatIve management and use under the supervision of the For est Service. But small areas of timber, which separate tracts of agricultural land, or which should eventually form a part of the tract, applied for, will be listed. The inclusion of land solely vau- able tor grazing is likewise un- necessary, since residents in and very near the Forest may, alter 1909, graze free of charge and without permit 25 cattle or horses or a proportiouate number of hogs and sheep.
 The Forest Homestead Act June II, l906) is law made by Congress, which provides that not every Forest homestead shall em. brace loo acres, but that no such homestead shall exceed this area. Consequently, from the very na- ture ot the conditions with which this law deals, as heretofore out lned, 1t is to be expected that in a great many cases homesteads will be restricted to less than loo acres. However, should an ap- plicant p,rfect ii.le to less than loo acres, under the provisions of the Forest Homestead Act. there is nothing to prevent him, if he is otherwise qualified, from mak- ing homestead entry for an amount of land, which, when added to the area included in his first entry, will not exceed total of l60 acres,
 In determining the action upon homestead application, the For est Service considers only the character of the land applied for.
 Forest officers are directed to assist claimants who have acted iu good faith and compiled with the law in obtaining patent to their claims. 1t is not tue desire of the Forest Service, nor has it authority, to deprive any person of a homestead to which he is justly entitled. No attempt will be made to take advantage of any technicality that might under the law deprive any person of his homestead when he has acted in good faith and cultivated aud im- proved his land substantially.
 The law does not permit home steader to cut any timber from hts claim before fiual certificate is issued, unless he intends with in short time to cultivate the land from which the timber is cut or to use the timber for inl. prove his claim. If, however, in order to clear land for cultivation he has cut timber, he may, after using a sufficient amount tor inn provement, fell what is left. Alt ter he has final certificate, there is nothing to prevent cutting if the claimant has complied with the law in reference to cultivation and improvements.
 National Forest lands can not be taxed, but Congress has passed a law which provides that 25 per cent ot all the money received from each National Forest during any year shall be paid to the state in which the Forest is situated.
 In order to provide for better administration of National For ests as rapidly as the funds are available, roads, trails and tele- phone lines will be built. In many places where tue construc- ton of roads and trails will also be of great advantage to resi- dents, cooperation will he mutu. ally beneficial. By the building of roads. timber on government lands as well as on that owned by individuals, will be more ac cessible and therefore of more use. Telephone lines are con- structed to provide for better