The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-08

national nal,Do1 forests BY any line of conduct
reference 10 like privileges on their
property Hut ~ithout regard to the gem
trrai tSrai nscal policy Of the government, It
ms for more than half century hccr
oeerned tY al statesmen as a mistake 10
trf 10 EXPLOIT the public lands with a
We" % make them revenue producing,
~ ls -put talr 10 say that tho discussions
or former DAYS had no reference 10 thc
problem OF grazing on the public lands.
SIMPLY ,p because in taose .days II never en-
INC most pronounced sticSler for a reve-
nuc policy; and the pioneer might be
e"ploited along that line.
40 the same time. Il Is equally proper
20 remark that IL was upon idcnttcaliy
INC same considerations OF public policy
IN o9so congress e%tcnded TO All tho. privilege
or or, erazing the public lands. How nSed
this policy had necornc how ancient tho
custom which induced il. the supreme
it, " opino IN rhe IN CP,ted MT states ai;csled by
Iloutz, decided IN the wear 1890 in tbe
course 81 which il ssio: I'VE are os oplr-
ing out OF The custom OF nearly . hun
dred lears. that the public lands OF tho
nitcd states. especially those in WHEN
sro,,,h sl-o Ts'iNe "a grasses arc adapted to rho
mails shall be free 10 the people who seek
to use them. where they are lsft open
,nm,,, nmn nn,nGiosed. e and no act Of tho govern
past Very large proportion OF the bsef
which has been used b,- the people Of
| the United States is tho racat of cattle
opt charge. without let or hindraricc or
9Gstrucuon, The government OF the
known of this use and has never corbid-
dcn IL nor taken any steps TO arrcs. IT,
No doubt It mas be safely stated that
| ms has been done with the consent OF
al branches OF tho government. and. a.
We shall attempt 10 show. with iis direct
encouragement. The whole system of tho
control Of the public lands OF the United
states. As II has been conducted by tho
government under acts of congress, shows
n libcraity in regard 10 their usa which
has been Uniform and remarkable
Private Owner Comparison
Some mlsapprehcnsion might. possibly,
ARISE from the statement quoted from the
! sccrctarys report 10 The effect that "prl-
Natc owners OF grazing lands In the
nsigDborhood OF national forests, ''ask
qnc ana ,T receive very much higher return
lands than does the forest service"
Che largest private owner Of grazing
,anns in the state Of Montana Is the
II asks nothing for the privilege OF graz
ing over its lands. The Icxt largest own
er Is the state itself, end It's unoccupicd
some OF its lands. and the lessee MAJ
fence, II ne sees flt. and devote the land
not only 10 grazing. but 10 any otber
purpose. But so long as the lands re-
for grazing over them Is. or under our
Law. can be cHacted, nor can any damages
hoen graSed by the stock Of any one.
And all lands held In private ownership
are subject 70 the same law-It being
Inc public policy OF the state. considering
the importance of the stock Industry that
1T be not hanpored by a liability to OWL
crs of unfenced lands on account Of the
herbase consumed By cattle on the open
range.
it seems exceedingly remarkable that
the forestry service should find cause
for congratulatIon IN tho fact that ir
was held in United States Vs. Shsnnon
that the, government il not subject like
every other owner OF lsnSs within a state
10 this rule, but MAY at least maintain
| injunction against owners of stock rs-
curing them, as the decision Is under
stood by the forestry officers. To see that
their cattle do not stray within the un-
fenced reserves, one would naturally
think that the nation would choose Will
mgly TO abide hy the established public
rolicy OF the state in which il holds
property and ir IL was unfortunately re-
ests and its OWN policy, 10 ineist upon
freedom from the rule that birds all
other owners of lapds. il would Hnd in
the fact matter for regret rather than
conora tulatiop.
Additional Reason
An additional reason why the principle
Of .'sll the traffic will bear ought not
20 he applied 10 forest reserve grazing
rates is that IL would tend 10 give a
monopoly OF the privileges TO the large
and wealthy sheep aHS cattle companies.
That the graZinS rights are not awarded
10 the highest bidder is evidence that
lions orher than the production Of reve-
nue. are TO have weight in the matter OF
rates II is because OF this that ] have
instituted the comparison between the
contributions made by the stock inter
ests toward forest preservation and Cor
other public purposes. The forest Ir-
l, is recognized a such. 1t has its advo-
Gates in every seCtiun Of this great ma
ton. The magazines TEEN with articles
S@mmTenqpg 90 ,T the prIse a. and 5Ge ns M9s
are read With, eager approval. Tho press
generally lends itS cordial encourage
ment Such opposition as the extension
of the reserves has encountered and. gen
orally speaking, such criticisms OF The
system by which the law OF their exist
epcc is admiristered; as have heen made.
would do infinite injustice 70 most Of
those who have thus sr1entlv supported
the policy Of forest preservation 10 saE
that their enthusiasts WAS heightened
by the fact that under the prevailing
system the expense OF its maintenarce
had been shifted to. shoulders Other than
their own
None Of the receipts from tllc forests
are any longer available for administra
tive purposes: but are turned into tne
treasury. the bureau being dependent en-
tirely upon the general Appropriation \
substantial reduction in the present. rates
could nc na9a without importing IN the
least the efficiency Of the service or tha
prospect Of its Endorsement in conTinO
Ing ardor b. congress. II is quite sis-
niiicani OF the character Of the rule with
which he is Invested that at his word
the stock interests Of The vest will pay
into the federal treasury this Year 81
Uo6. ooo. a. they would n tho revenue idea
were TO be naSteriVl. Instead Of Il 600
00n this years contribution, or they VIII
pay nothing. just as the people Of Iowa
and Kansas snd Illinois never paid any
thing FOR grazing their cattle on the pub
iiC lands within those States. So vast
are the powers locked mp in the simple
words of the act Of 1891 The secretary
Of The interior may make such |
rules and regulations and establish sNrh |
service a. will insure The objects ol Such !
roSerYa tions. namely. to regulate their !
and use and 10 preserve the !
forests thereon from destruction"
II is not difficult "a prefer this or any |
petitions to Mr rinchot. Nature flttea |
him 90 make = despotisn tooSab bic. Eut ,
have learned much apIss If all political /
worthy OF the nam" does not /
cry ont against sNstem which places !
such unlimited aud unrHs strained discre- !
tion i'm tho hands OF any administrative
officer.