The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-18

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of eastern states antagonizes the far
western idea Of that subject.
In the east, Pmchot conservation
means resistance TO private greed and
! corporate fraud that have sought TO de-
! spoil and waste the public domain. at
! The expense of the pubic.
In the far west. Pinchot conserva +.
tion is held 10 mean obstruction OF
settlement and public progress that comes
! from opening of new lands.
Far western states. Ike Oregon and
| Washington. which contain the largest
| forest areas and the largest water
powers In the United States. prefer state
conservation TO Pinchot or national con-
scrva ton.
In the western mind, purchase of land
from the United States AT Sl.25 OF 81. 90
an acre for settlement is In accord with
the good and lawful policy OF the ma
lion and should continue.
More than one-fourth the land OF
DreEon-lG.32i, 900 aCres-lS locked up
within government forest reserves; also
more than oue-fourth the lana OF Wash
ineton-l2, ,06j.0 acres. The government
holds other large slices I'm withdra walls
reserves ana irrigation projects, which
| latter, especially in oregon, will be car
rIed forward, goodness knows when The
southern Pacific railroad holds i'm Ore
gon. as big reserve of its own. 1000.
600 acres of the finest land in the state.
granted by congress In the early seven
corporate timber land tracts aggregate
many million acres more. Five wagon
road companies in Oregon own immense
areas of congressional grant land.
In brief out of q 900 900 acres OF land
In oregon, fully onc-half If not more.
Is locked up from settlement and much
Of the remaining half is arid. barren and
bleak. Much Of the forest reserve land
could he opened 10 settlement without
wasting timber wealth for a large part
OF II has few or no trees and other
areas. extending down 10 the base Of the
mountains and into the valley. will pro-
duce more wealth with COWS and pota-
toes than with forests Vast mountain
regions are unfit for farming: fit only
the people timber forever Pinchot Off
cials say the law authorizes homestead
settlement on government reserve land
which is suitable for agricultural use,
hut determination of this matter rests
with Pinchot officials and few admis-
sions into forest reserve land are desired
by settlers. under conditions that pre-
vail. and very few are allowed.
These same restrictions exist in other
western states, but the effects are no.
where more glarng than In Oregon
htical community on the Pacific coast In
lS43. Yet IN population and growth
oregon IS last OF the Pacific ocean
states. Its aggregate area barred from
settlement amounts 10 $4,000 square
miles This exceeds the total area of
the state of New York. or Virginia. or
7
areas Of Connecticut. Massa chusetts. YER
mont. New Hampshire, Rhode Island.
Delaware and New Jersey. 1t almost
equals that OF Alabama. Arkansas Illi-
nolS or Iowa, The nation has bestowed
vast parcels OF Oregon on CrabberS and
selfish corporations; and now ''Pinchot-
ISM steps In 10 lock up the rest from
the peoples uses.
The tanning OF land requires patient.
hard work and IS accompanied by prlva-
lons and stress bordering on poverty.
This development Oregon and Washing
ton need and demand Land laws allow
II. but officials have suspended the laws
In answer TO a clamor in the east from
persons who know little and care less
and upbuildiDg. and Imagine conserva-
uon means simply protection OF the pub
lie domain from 'spoilation." Meanwhile
tens Of thousands of the most vigorous
citizens of the nation-of the tyne that
saved Oregon and Washington-are GO
ing TO Canada 10 make homes under the
British flag; on bleak and wind-swept
wastes. This land they obtain by pay
ment OF nominal sum of money-thc
Canadian government virtually gives II
70 them but they pay a higher price
than any gold Is worth. IN frontier toll
and suffering. The laws OF the United
states also virtually give wild land to
settlers and have done so for generations
IN all the states west OF the AleGha-
MES. But settlers paid for il amply In
nardshlps. and so they must still do.
Yet howl goes up In eastern states
against this application OF the old law,
from persons who do not understand
Busy officials think themselves called
upon 10 stop this settlement Of the pub
lie domaiu-this robbery OF Inc peo-
pie, they hear X called
The real robbery was perpe trated by
land grabbing syndicates. working under
stupid laws OF congress. That lawmal-
ing body, and officials in the national
land-fraud scandal The lien land law
was an incubator OF fraud. Now the re-
volt against these abuses has rushed To
The other extreme. TO the detriment OF
tar western states.
Tho people OF Oregon and Washing
ton think they should have something To
say about control Of their forests lands
and streams. Their efforts hnvc given
these resources most OF their value, and
back two or three generations ago. their
patriotism snatched this country from
Britain TO the United States.
Further. they want the resources OF
their state administered in accordance
with local needs. In the office of the
forest service in Portland IS an army of
foreigners ruling over their lands and
forests and streams. In other words the
great resources are I'm the hands OF men
who have no abiding interest in the
growth OF this northwest country They
wish TO hold their jobs and TO do this
they seek to please their supcriorS I'm
Washington by showing how busy they
are preserving the public domain from
spoiation," but they arc men who
keep the stable door locked after the
horse - stolen. Big frauds have taken
vast areas Of the public domain. but on
this account arc settlers To nc barred out
of the remaining land. the Jaws sus-
pended and land system reversed tha
has made other States great and wealthy
for genera atons past2
The people OF the state Of New York
own l.Gil,52@ acres OF forest reserves
In thc' Adirondack and the CatslSill
mountains. according 10 the last message
OF Governor Hughes Tho governor
urges a project for increasing this total
area 10 4 coo. 900 acres. and for develop
ing 2i6.n00 horsepower from waters OF
Hudson river, This work in New York
VIII be state conservation. 1t will bc
carried on FOR lasting benefit OF the
state Of New York. Local desires and
needs will be conserved along with the
resources. Tho people of New York Of
course, would not hand this business
over 10 the Pinchot bureau I'm Washing
ton. they have their own ideas of how
they wigh lhcir resources conserved and
what other things are to he safcguardcd !
along with them. Resources OF Oregon !
and Washington. and other western I
states. however. arc managed ID slIIr |