The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-03-30
MAY DOUBLE GRAZING fees
Chief Forester Graves Said to Be
Contemplating Increased Tax
Instead OF Reduction

A Washington dispatch says that not
wi hstandiDg the efforts of Western
stockmeu to secure a reduction in the
grazing fees exscted by the for estry
service for the use of range lands in the
forest reserves. Henry s. Graves, the
chief forester. is contemplating a mater.
Ial increase in grazing fees which ulti.
mately may double the rates now in
Eject IL the plan he has in mind is ap-
proved. Forester Graves explained his
position in letter to Oougressms an Len.
root, in which he said:
"During the past three years a very
careful study has been made of the
prices paid for the use of private lands
for grazing purposes. The prices paid
for the use Of Indian and military reser.
vations have also been taken into con-
siderauon. The result has been to show
that the rates charged for grazing live.
stock on the national forests are only
about one.third as much as those charged
for the use Of private lands, railroad
land grants and lands within military
aud Indian reservations, and also that
the proportionate amount paid for pas.
turing sheep on per capita basis is
about 30 per cent Of the rate paid for
cattle, which is In conformity with the
ratio established by the present regu.
lations. The basis Of this rate for sheep
grazing is: First, that the proportion
ate number OF stock under six months
of age allowed to Craze free under ma
tional forest permits is much greater
with sheep than with cattle, aud the
lambs mature more rapidly than calves.
therefore requiring more feed and re-
duoing the feedlot ration OF eight sheep
TO one COW. where all animals are count
cd to a grange ratio OF sheep to COW
in the amount Of forage required; and,
second, that under the customary meth.
DDS Of handling stock upon the range
sheep are herded in bands, while cattle
are turned loose. For this reason sheep
are more destructive to young forest
growth than cattle, and also DESTROY
q much greater amount of forage by
trampling. Careful investigation has
shown that herded cattle require from
20 to 40 per cent more range than ami.
mails which are turned loose. These
facts justify the present ratio fixed by
the regulations.
From the results obtained in the
study Of grazing rates we now have be.
fore US the problem of whether there
should not be a readjustment of grazing
fees. AS q matter Of policy am not in
favor Of fixing rates paid by competitive
bid, for the reason that the small owner
aud new settler would not be able to
compete with the large owners, and
such system would therefore tend to
place the grazing privileges in the hands
Of the larger outfits and check the wider
distribution of these privileges which is
being brought about under our present
regulations. Therefore believe that
the rates should be fixed by the govern
ment with due consideration Of all fac
tors which bear upon the matter, and
with such deduction on account of the
greater restrictions which are placed up
on grazing within the national forests
than upon the use of other kinds Of
lands as seem justified. We have not
yet completed the study Of the amount
Of damage done by different kinds Of
Of stock and Of other matters which have
q bearing upon the deduction which
should be made on acoount Of necessary
restrictions, but from what has already
been learned 1t Is probable that it
should be somewh here between 25 and 40
per cent or in other words, that the
charge for grazing on the national for
ests should be from go to rs per cent of
what would be o reasonable charge for
the use of similar lands without restric.
tions. II the present rates were in
creased to go per cent of the full value
of the forage it would almost double
the returns from grazing upon the ma
tional forests. We are now studying
the question Of just what changes should
be made, how and when.
ANY read justment of rates which is
deemed advisable should be made gradu-
ally and with due consideration for the
welfare of the livestock industry"