Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-08
FORESTRY BILL
IS OPPOSED BY
lDAHOSENATOR
Appropriation for Service
Is Severely Criticised
by Hepburn
WEST WANTS VOICE
Let Fasteners Make Our
Lands Productive
Is Argued
ASSOCIATED PressJ

M ASHINGTON, March 1.-The for
w estry reservation question was
discussed and the forest service
was criticised by Senator Hepburn of
Idaho today during consideration of the
agricultural appropriation bill in the
senate. The measure carries an appro-
priation of $5,703, 700 for the forest ser
vice. or about $4,OOO,00O in excess of
the receipts from the service.
Mr.. Hepburn contended the appro-
priation was increasing from year to
year, whereas assurance had been given
that the service would be self-sus-
tanning.
He said the last administration had
been conducted regardless of the rights
of the settlers of the west, and had
gone upon the theory that where there
WIS no law there should be license. He
expressed confidence. however, that the
country was now entering upon a dlf-
ferent system.
Answering objections that the public
lands were owned by all the people,
those of the east as well as of the
west, Mr.. Hepburn said they were only
owned by the eastern people to the ex-
tent that they utilized them.
IF they own the public lands let
them come west and take possession
of them," he said. I'VE will welcome
right to administer our own affairs and
we want the lands so utilized as to
make them productive.
''If, when the settlement of this coun-
try first began, there had been some
English forester to tell the people that
they could not go on the land or take
the timber, the liLe Of settlement would
not have yet extended more than ten
miles from the Atlantic seaboard."
Private Owners Pay Taxes
AS going to slow the effect of the
withdrawal of the lands in a given
community, Mr.. Hepburn said that
while two-thirds of the land in Bonner
county, Idaho, was in forest reserve
and owned by the government, 1t con-
tributed only $500 a year to the sup
port of public institutions, while the
private owners of the remaining one
third pay $4,000 in taxes.
Quoting from a newspaper a state
ment that a million dollars worth OF
timber soon was to be sold by the for
estry officials in IDAHO Mr.. Hepburn
argued that the timber did not conserve
the snow supply.
While the agricultural bill was un-
der consideration, there was extended
discussion of a provision appropriating
SIS. 900 for the investigation of the
drainage of swamp lands. Senator
Gallinger found in the paragraph the
possibility of entering en- the reclama-
ton of swamp lends, and said if that
was to be done. it would involve an
expenditure of millions of dollars.
He said such policy would swamp
the government" and he warned SEN
ators If they expected to curtail ex-
penditures to the extent of $500, 1000, 900,
as Senator Aldrich had said might be
done, they could not go far In the di-
rection of this provision.
In supporting the amendment, SEN
ator Money said the only fault he
found with Secretary Wilson was that
he was too economical.
The question ultimately was settled
by the adoption of modification re-
curing the secretary of agriculture to
make complete report of operations
under the provision.