The Washington herald., 1910-10-05

By the time the President signs the
remaining proclamations changing ma
tionaI forest boundaries. which have al
ready been approved by the Secretary OF
Agriculture and Chief Forester Graves.
it is estimated that an area Of land as
large as the States OF New Jersey and
Delaware combired will have been elm
mated from the forests, and that there
will have been added more than one-half
as much. or tracts exceeding the area Of
Connecticut
The announcements Of small elimina-
tons or additions made by the Presi-
dent during the last six months have
given very little idea of the extent OF
the work which has been done in max
ing the national forest readjustments.
The eliminations viii amount to more
than 6,000,C00 acres, and the additions
will aggregate about 100000 acres. a
little more than one-half OF the changes
planned for have been made.
Little Attention Given.
According 10 department officials. vari-
Gus reports which have been given circu-
.latiOn concerning the changes made have
been misleading TO the extent that many
people have been made TO believe the
national forest policy was not 10 be ad-
vaneed by the present administration
any more than was absolutely neces-
sary. Exaggerated Importance was given
10 the elimination OF land when made,
and little or no attention was given -
the new additions. What appears now
10 have been a wrong impression was
helped along by some enemies Of cOnser-
walton and OF the movement for the bet
terment OF puphe land administration,
who wished 10 make IL appear that the
dismissal Of Pinchot as Chief Forester
was followed by a reversal Of his poll
cies.
President Taft mas eliminated a great
deal Of land from the national forests.
but at the same time he has added con-
siderable new land The chief reason
why the eliminations are nearly twice
the area OF the additions is that the law
fathered by Senator Hepburn, Repre-
sentative Mondell. and others made II
impossible TO create new national forest
additions In the six States Of Idaho,
Wyoming, Montana. Colorado. Oregon,
and Washington
Many In These states.
Many Examinations. however. were made
In these States In his st Paul speech
the President said that ne would seek 1
have this law repealed, so that add :
tons. as we'll as eiiminations. car he
made in the future. and if he succeeds
officials here think that he will haN =
achieved one OF his greatest victories for
conservation.
The land thrown out was considered
by the forest officers 10 be bet.er fitted
for other uses than national forests. and
that added included tracts IN the public
domain chiefly valuable for th9ber con
servation and protection of water sheds
Both the additions and Examinations were
proclaimed after reports and maps had
been made, following a thoroughgoing
examination, conducted in the summer
OF 1909 while PinchOt was in Office, and
al his personal direction
In fact, some Of the maps for the
changes which are row being made bear
Pinchots initials of approval. The read
jusiments which have been brought about
have been in keening with the best con-
servation policy, forest officials say, and
in line with the idecs OF the former
Forester. as well as Of the President, the
Secretary Of Agriculture, and the present
Chief Forester Henry S. Graves.