The Glenwood post., 1909-02-13
present generation or OF any to come.


Much, if not most, of what has been
said in print and at the conventions,
by the anti i-Pinehotites, has been dis
tinguished chiefly by the frugality with
which the truth has been used. 1t is,
for example, not true that homesteads
may noc be taken on the reserves. Nor
is it true that prospectors and miners
are barred out. The use of timber, 50
far from being curtailed, Is encouraged;
the stumpage charges are not e1horblt-
ant, and in some cases they are remit
ted altogeth~.
1t is perhaps idle TO say anything
like this, but the Use Book, containing
the rules governing the reserves, is
apparently a sealed one to some of
those who have had the most to say.
It is. not meant to reflect on the
motives of all the people living in or
near the reserves. OF the total, those
who oppose the reserves are vastly in
the minority, and among this minority
there are few indeed who believe they
are being oppressed. Nearly all the op-
position comes from those who know
batter.
The fact is, as Senator Doliver Of
Iowa not long ago described it, in q
speech delivered IN the United States
senate, on his return from a tour Of
investigation he had made, as a mem.
be. Of the committee on agriculture,
through a number Of the reserves. In
speaking Of what he called "this petu-
Ian. atmosphere of complaint and hos
tility, arising from one source and an
other" he declared that he "found it
was attributable to the disappointment
Of gcu.lemen-good people, no doubt
who had enjoyed for many years an
undisturbed range for sheep and cattle
ON these public domains, and in many
cases an undisturbed opportunity to
steal from the public forests whatever
they needed for the comfort of their
families, or for the prosperity of their
business
"Now, then," said Do)liver, "the
government owns that land; it has &
right to take care of j. to say tho
least" He asserted that the destruc-
tion of tho American forests in the
k;as. had been crime against mankind,
and 81 for one," he went on, "do not
want to see that crime repeated in the
Rocky Mountain region. 1t Is proposed
TO lease this pasturage land in the for
est regions for two reasons: First, in
order that they may not be overgrazed,
and in the next place tina. little reve-
nue. may be derived from them to main
tain the forest policy upon which we
have entered.''
This debate occurred in May, 1908,
over the bill making the appropriations
for the year ending June 30, 1909. In
that bill Mr.. Pinchot asked for $780,,
900 and as a result of this debate, and
| against the opposition Of almost every
Rocky Mountain senator, the senate
without regard to party lines, voted to
give him u 100000, Just twice what he
had asked for. Within the past few
days it has become evident that this
years appropriation will be over 81
| 100000.
"To maintain the policy upon which
We have entered" Congress is as fully
committed to this policy as it is to the
maintenance of the gold standard. The
disturbances which this policy has oc
casioned are confined almost wholly tc
Colorado and Idaho, and will produc.
about as many tangible gains as if un
dertaken in behalf Of l6 to l. This
cantankerousness Is not only waste
of energy, but it is causing the state
to appear in a light not calculated to
be of value in any respect imaginable
". B. 8.
Fort Collins, Colo, Feb. 6, 1909.