The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-06
(3) FOREST LANDS.

Nothing can be more important IN the
matter of conservation than the treat
ment OF our forest lands. IL was prob
ably the ruthless destruction of forests
in the older states that first called atten-
ton TO halt in the waste OF our re-
sources. This was recognized by con-
gress by an act authorizing the executive
10 reserve from entry and set aside pub
lie timber lands as national forests.
Speaking generally, there has been re-
served OF the existing forests about 70
per cent of all the timber lands of the
government Within these forests On
Guiding 26.000 900 acres in two forests in
Alaska) are 1872 .0oO. 900 OF acres. OF which
l66, ,000,0 900 of acres are In the United
states proper and include within their
boundaries something like 22,ooo,00o OF
acres that belong to the state or to pri
vate individuals. We have then, exclud
ing Alaska forests, a total OF about l4i,-
100000 acres OF forests belonging to tho
cord with the principles OF scientific for
estry. The law now prohibits the res
ervation OF any more forest lands in Ore
gon, Washington. Idaho. Montana. Colo.
congress. am Informed by the depart
ment OF agriculture that the government
owns other tracts of timber land in these
states which should be included in the
to congress that the Limitation herein i'm
posed shall be repealed, In the present
forest reserves there are lands which are
not properly forest land and which ought
to be subject to homestead entry. This
has caused some local irritation. We arc
carefully eliminating such lands from
forest reserves or where their elimination
is not practicable. listing them for entry
under the forest homestead act Congress
ought to trust the executive TO use the
power OF reservation only with respect TO
land covered by timber or which Will be
useful in the plan of reforestation. Dur
ing the present administration $3.50. 900
acres of land. largely nontimbered. have
been excluded from forest reserves, and
$500 600 acres of land principally valu-
able for forest purposes have been includ-
ed In forest reserves. making reduction
In forest reserves OF nontimbered land
amounting to 2,750. 900 acres.
Work of Reforestation.
The bureau OF forestry since its crea-
ton has initiated reforestation on $500
acres. y great deal of the forest land is
available Tor grazing. During the past
year the grazing lessees numbered 25, 400,
and they pastured upon the forest re-
serves 100000 cattle, Si,450 horses. and
1850. 400 sheep. for which the government
received $685., ,no-a decrease from the
preceding year OF S45,4T0 due 10 the fact
that no money was collected or received
for grazing on the nontimbered lands
eliminated from the forest reserve. An
other source OF profit in the forestry is
the receipts for timber sold This year
they amounted to Sl.043. 900, an Increase
Of s307, 600 over the receipts of last year,
This increase Is due TO the improvement
In transportation TO market and TO the
greater facility with which the timber
can be reached.
The government timber in this country
amounts TO only one-fourth of all the
timber. the rest being in private owner
ship. Only per cent of that which Is
In private ownership is looked after prop
erly and treated according to modern
rules OF forestry. The usual destructive
waste and neglect continues I'm the re-
mainder OF the forests owned by private
persons and corporations 1t Is estimated
that fire alone destroys fifty million dol
lars worth Of timber a year. The man
agement of forests not on public land is
beyond the jurisdiction of the federal
government. II anything can be done by
law IT must be done by the state legisla-
lures, / believe that 1t Is within their
constitutional power to require the en-
forcement OF regulations In the general
public interest, as 10 fire and other causes
OF waste In the management of forests
owned by private individuals and corpo-
rations. Exactly how far these regula-
tions can &c. and remain consistent with
the rights OF private ownership, IL is not
necessary TO discuss; but ! call attention
TO the fact that n very important part
OF conservation must always fall upon the
state legislatures. and that they would
better be up and doing " they would
save the waste and denudation and de-
struction through private greed or accl-
dental fires that have made barren many
square miles of the older states.
1 have shown sufficiently the conditions
as to federal forestry to indicate that no
further legislation is needed at the mo-
ment except an Increase in the fire pro-
lection 10 national forests and an act
vesting the executive with full power TO
make forest reservations In every state
where government land is timber covered
OF where the land Is needed for forestry
purposes
Other Land Withdrawals.
When President Roosevelt became fully
| advised OF the necessity for the change in
our disposition OF public lands especially
those containing coal: OIL, gas phos-
pilates, or water-power sites. he began
the exercise OF the power Of withdra wal
by executive order. OF lands subject by
law TO homestead and the other methods