The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-02-19
OUR COMMON
INTERESTS
UNITED STATES, MEXICO AND
CANADA TO JOIN IN CON-
FERENCE THIS WEEK.
THE USE OF NATIONAL FOREST
RESOURCES is ON THE
INCREASE.

Washington, Feb. 13.-Keen in
terest is manifest as to what will be
the program of subjects of the North
American Conservation Conference
between representatives of Canada,
Mexico and the United States, in
this city, February Is. In his letter
to President Diaz, of Mexico, and
Lord Grey, of Canada, President
Roosevelt outlined as the purpose
of the conference the consideration
of mutual interests involved in
the conservation of natural re-
sources" and the preparation of "a
general plan adapted to promote the
welfare of the nations concerned.
There is pretty we'll defined feel
ing, however, that definite topics
will have to be discussed. That the
Canadians take this view is indicated
by the fact that they have sent to
sion compilations of specific regula-
tions governing the disposal of their
natural resources.
Last summers forest fires on both
sides of the line between the United
States are so recent in the minds of
possibility of some cooperative
scheme of fire protection is likely
to be touched on. There are other
important international questions
concerning natural resources which
can hardly fail of consideration.
The Canadian and Mexican dele
gates to the conference are coming
prepared to contribute suggestions
as we'll as to receive them. Their
representatives at the international
meeting will be prominent specialists
on the various phases of the subject
to be discussed. Conservation has
not been limited to the United States.
Early last year, for instance, every
acre of the public timberlands in
British Columbia, except what has
been leased, was placed in forest
reserves. This action was taken to
check waste by bringing the care and
cutting of timber resources more
effectually under government con-
troll. This action affected 10000
900 acres-as much land as was put
into all national forests of this coun-
try up to 1907. In the Yukon all
water power rights are granted for
only twenty years and at the eXpira-
tion of that time their control re-
verts to the public. The water
power question is now one of the
most important and far-reaching be-
fore the United States today. Presi-
dent Diaz, of Mexico, has compre-
hensive knowledge of forestry and
understands fully the benefits to be
gained by it's application. He is
also deeply interested in the i'm
provement of agricultural methods
and the farmers of the country are
rapidly adopting scientific methods.
Mexico has few large waterways but
the nation has provided for the ex-
penditure of several million dollars
for the improvement of internal
navigation.
Recent discussion in the Canadian
parliament of President Roosevelt's
proposal for cooperation for the
conservation of the natural resources
of the whole continent indicates that
the support of the conservation
movement in the dominion will be
as thoroughly non-partisan as it is
in the United States. R. L. Bor
den, leader of the opposition, was
!, 60 ~,$ i,
Wilfrid Laurier, the premier, who
expressed his deepest approval of
the movement.
The actual use of the varied re-
sources of the government 16S,-
O0v,O0O acres of national forest land
is on the increase, according to the
report of the work for the fiscal year
1908. The report says that from
an administrative standpoint the
most striking fact of the year was
the remarkable increase which took
place in the volume of business
transacted.
This growth in business done by
the United States Forest Service last
year over the previous year is partly
brought out in the following state
ment showing percentages of in
crease: In the number of timber
sales, 236 per cent; in the amount
of timber cut under sales, 102 per
cent; in the number of free timber
permits, 76 per cent; in the number
of grazing permits, 1 per cent, and
in the number of special use per-
mits, 67 per cent. That the addl-
tions to existing national forests and
new creations caused this increase
only to a small extent is Shown by
the fact that the area increased Is
only II per cent. In speaking ci
this feature of the work OF the iuI
est service in mis- annual .epcr., III.
secretary of agriculture says III 4a.l
"The growth in the yolume ci
business arising from use Of the toi-
ests has created very serious ad-
ministrative problem. Last year q
per cent OF tie time OF the admins,
tratiye and protective force va,
taken up by the demands of nat1ona
forest business. The average for'
est area to each officer supposedly
available for patrol duty was about
10000 acres; but with more thar
thfee-fourths OF the time of thest