The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-17
RESISTANCE TO PINcHoTIsM.

We are glad to see that the west
ern interests, which have been op'
pressed bv the Iawless assumptions and
restrictive regulations of the Plnchot
policy, are bringing on the consum-
nation OF their resistance for their
own protection II seems that Colo
RADIO cattle man, Mr.. Light, has been
sued because he allowed his cattle to
trespass on Il forest reserve, and the
stock interests are coming TO his sup
port. The State of Colorado, also has
ioned the fight, and will support Mr..
Light s cause: and so the whole ques-
tion Will be raised The argument in
the case has been fixed for next Mon
dav. January 23rd, before the Supreme
Court of the United States.
The Pinchot assumptions of control
over the forest reserves have been in
large degree wholly wanting IN sup
port from the law. And mt times, as
in the Colorado mining case three years
ago, when complaint was made that
the forest rangers were interfering
with prospcctors in their right to pros
poet in the forest reserves. Mr., PInchot
boldly denied the interference, and
quoted the law which forbade 1t. And
yet, the interference kept right along,
with the result that prospectors were
not only discouraged from prospecting
on the forest reserves, but were nrac-
ticaly prevented from doing so. al
~. L., 81, ,,nInnhtcH ribhT
under the law TO prospect for mineral
on any part of the public domain,
This Colorado ease however, which
is in litigation, is a cattle case, and
will raise the whole grazing question.
The National shcepmen s convention.
the present month, went on record as
absolutely opposed to the restrictive
policies of the forest reserve service.
And doubtless, although the cattlcmen
and sbccpmcn do not get on well to
gether on the public grazing lands,
The shcepmcn VIII be quite willing to
loin with the cattIcmen in breaking up
The lawlcss assumptions and usurpa-
tions of the forestry service
| There is matter connected with the
forestry service that is coming into
prominence by reason of the awful and
destructive fires OF last summer. That
is the question of thinning out the un-
dcrbrush, so as 10 stop the spread of
such fires But the fact is that where
ever any sort of forestry growth tends
to the retention of the SHOWS and the
| hindering of floods in the spring, it is
the underbrush that is the most valu-
! able in this respect. lf the under
brush is cleared away, the so-callcd
forests themselves arc but little pro
! lection TO the snow. If TO retain the
underbrush is 30 imperiI the forests,
and if the forest reserves are to be de
clarcd for tho purpose of preventing
| floods and conserving the SHOWS, there
J is here Il manifest contradiction that
must ne reconciled or the forestry serv-
ice entirely rcmodelcd, 1t is a fact
it is the underbrush that preserves the
snow. The underbrush certainly should
bc preserved, il the retardation of the
melting Of the snow is the object. On
the other hand, such forest fires as we
had last summer were chiefly strength
ened by the underbrush They do more
damage TO extensive areas than the
timber IN them is worth II would in
fact. be "A matter of economy to cut
off all OF the trees in these regions
ITsther than to suffer such fires as pre-,
vailed, with their narrowing loss of life
and their tremendous destruction OF
property.
IL is evident that we have not far
" begun on d scientific forestry scrv
ice, But when we do begin, we should
begin Oh proper economic lines. We
should ascertain exactly what it is We
want TO do, and why we want To do il
We should do the things that work
best for the object aimed at, and above
all, forcstation should be the chief end
and not the letting out Of grazing priv
IIegcs, whereby the grass is eaten of
and underbrush destroyed year by year
a policy which is directly opposed tC
!, forest otlon