The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-12

terror, giving them information which
can be. obtained cheaper by h forest
service thar by the land office. An
attempa is made to secure only the
facts in each case showing the com-
pliance with the law. Mining claims
taken up presumably for a mineral
value. but in reality for the. timber
value, or for some other purpose aside
from mining, are reported on unfavor-
ably by the forest service. In other
words, If the facts indicate that the
mining claim is not a bona fide n
these facts are reported to the general
land office for such action as they see
fit to take. The work of the forest
service in reporting on claims is a real
hindrance, as it should be. to fraudu-
lent locators, but is a real help to the
honest locator. During the last year
las mining claims were reported on
favorably against 63 unfavorable. Dur
ing the year ending Oct. 81. 1912, only
II IL per cent of the mining claims
reported were unfavorable.
In the administration of the grazing
business settlers and residents and es-
pecially the small owners of stock are
always given preference over large
oNltiS anu llltst lNltlS dl greater AIS
tances from the forests. The general
approval of the grazing policy of the
forest service among the men most af-
fected is the best indication Of it's just
ness. The majority of the stock per
mitted on the national forests ara
owned by settlers whose entire de-
pend.nce for range is that afforded in
the national forests. BY exercising
-,.,N. ,a.an IA, - 49, tax-1tt--A -
stock by opening up new grazing.
country. by studying the needs of tho
people as well as of the range, tho
forest service has been gradually in
%creasing the capacity of the national
forest ranges. AS fast as funds will
permit an intensive examination of ma
tional forest ranges is being UNDER
taken in order to administer the BUSH
ness In better shape, to allot the graz
ing privileges intelligont1y, n in
crease the carrying capacity of tho
ranges.
Last year in district No. 1. 2,1S6 APP
plications for cattle and horses were
approved for a total of 1894 head;
4i1 permits were approved for 74T.Sf6
sheep and goats. or the permits for
cattle and horscs 1,262. or 60 per cent
We're for not more than 40 head each.
Five hundred and eleven permits, or 20
per cent, were for numbers between
40 10 100 head, The balance, or II
per cent, were for more than 100 head
each. OF the permits for sheep 144
We're for less than 1000 head. or 80
per cent of the total. One hundred
and eightN-three permits were for
numbers between 1000 and $500 head
each, or 40 per cent of the total. The
total number of permits for numbers
less than $500 head zach made up ~
per cent Of the total. The sheep busi-
ness is such that only a comparatively
few applications are received for a
small number of head. It very rarely
pays under the present conditions to
run less than 1000 sheep.
At the request of congress n com-
plete report has been prepared show
ing the receipts and disburseme nts of
the forest service since its organiza-
ton. This report is published as
House Document No. 6S1. It involved
the close scrutiny OF 165 900 vouchers.
The report shows that congress has
appropriated a total of SIS. 900 900 for
the forest service and that the net cost
to the government for administration
and protection of the national forests
after deducting receipts and value OF
improvements and property on hand.
was only $4,000 per year. The people
of Maine n Alabama, and every
other state, help pay this bin. Is It
worth the price to the people of Nom
tana? Montana's share of the ex-
penses are less than the returns to
the state for roads and trails. Are
there n other benefits to MontanaY