East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-01-09
Smythe Declares Grazing Of
Livestock in Reserves is,
Best Protection.
PENDLETON ATTORNEY
WINS MUCH APPLAUSE
Secretary of Wool Growers Warmly
Congratulated Upon Strong Ad-
dress-Stand Approved by Stock
men and Forestry Officials Alike
Says Grazing Should be Encouraged

Says Grazing Should be Encouraged
Attorney Dan P. Smythe, secretary
of the oregon Wool Growers associa--
ton, made a profound impression be-
fore the national wool growers con-
vention in Portland with his address
on Livestock Grazing as Insurance
Against Forest Fires"
At the conclusion of his address the
Pendleton lawyer was cheered to the
echo and he was warmly congratulate
ed upon his mastery effort by Presi-
dent Gooding and other prominent
persons present The stand he takes
was also warmly endorsed by the for
est reserve people present.
His address in part follows:
To establish the major promise or
my argument, I am going to assume
that the act creating forest reserves
means what the popular opinion has
placed upon it and that is, its funda-
mental and paramount object was the
preservation of the forests for future
generations. that anything which
tends to materially injure the forests
the spirit of the law and should be-
restrained. That is the reason, take
it, why grazing has been so greatly re-
duced and in some forests absolutely
prohibited.
The general public concern them
selves very little about the welfare
of the sheep industry as you ladies'
and gentlemen we'll know. It's the
same old question with them of for
est preservation for posterity, regard
less of what becomes of the so-called
sheep and cattle barons of the west,
and this attitude of forest protection
has damaged the Industry beyond
comprehension.
It's a poor rule that won't work
both ways; therefore, if it can be
shown that grazing does not material
ly damage the growing timber, but
on the other hand, is potent factor
in aiding and protecting our forests
from destruction by fire, why should
not the sheep and cattle men be, not
only permitted, but encouraged, to
Craze the national forests to the max
imum capacity where stock can fair
ly exist?
Keep Down Underbrush.
I understand the definition of the
term national forest protection" to be
simply the trees-to be preserved for
posterity-not the grass and under
brush whose life history covers but
very short period Of time. From the
data that I have been able to gather,
I make the emphatic assertion that
live stock grazing during the summer
months on our western forests does
not materially do damage but is the
best protection and safeguard
thrown around them against the raw
ages of destruction and terrific for
est fires; that in order that these
western forests may surely be kept
for posterity sheep grazing should be
encouraged to the full capacity.
My life has been spent in the west
i love it's environments and hold
sacred what it has given me. I hope
to live and die on the west side of the
Rockies cnd no one has a deeper re-
gard or higher interest in its future.
I feel that I love dear old oregon as
profoundly and will fight as honestly
and as earnestly for her present gen.
Grafton and for the legacy of her gem
erations to come. as would the over
fearful citizen of Virginia New York,
Massachusetts, and Vermont. I feel
that the citizens of oregon and the
west are as much interested as they.
in the jealous endeavor to preserve
natures abundance of wealth for our
children and our children's children.
Want Resources Preserved.
with that idea particularly in mind,
I. like thousands of other stockmen
Of this great west, want to see no mis-
guided steps and these natural re-
sources SO enjoved and used at pres
ent that their preservation will be as
sured.
The nation as a whole little realizes
the tremendous and appalling dam
age that could be done to our national
forests by fire until after we had pass
ed through the awful forest confla-
grafton during the summer of 1910.
1t has set the whole country in
state Of fearful anxiety and put them
to devsing some successful means of
preventing a re-occurrence Of the hor-
rors we have just passed through.
Men and Shovels Insufficient.
After several years of unsuccessful
fire-fighting by the forest service and
especially their inability (and that Of
the entire nation for that matter) to
handle or prevent the 1910 fires. II be-