The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-01-20
REMEDY PROPOSED BY coNANI
Commissioner of Corporations
Urges Increase in Forests
ADVOCATES FORFEITURE SUITS

washington, Jan. @O.-The COncen-
tration into the hands of a few power
ful interests of an enormous percent
age Of the timberlands of the United
states has created problem so grave
for the nation, in the judgment of
Luther Conant, Jr., commissioner OF
mended TO Pres. Taft that the exist
ing national forests not only be re
tanned by the federal government, but
Increased as far as practicable.
This note Of warning was sounded
by the commissioner IN forwarding 70
the president the full text of Part
Of the Bureau OF Corporations iuyesti-
cation of the lumber industry made
by direction of Congress. a summary
of this report, showing the extent OF
concentrated control Of timberlands
was sent to the president and publish
ed nearly two years ago.
To increase government ownership
Of forest lands the commissioner urged
that the forests of Alaska be included
in resrvc as well as all timbered lands
recovered in forfeiture suits He AL
ViseS further searching inquiry into
land grants Of the past with the view
Of instituting additional forfeiture suits
IL the facts Justify the procedure.
lnsinecre Settlement Pleas.
Mr.. Conait warns that attempts are
still being made to secure the transfer
of public timberlandS 10 private own
ers under the same pleas cf settlement
which In the past often proved wholly
gpecious and insincere"
Much of the timberland still re-
naming in public ownership" Contin
ucs the commissioners. "is adopted only
for timber purposes. All that could be
properly asked by a bona iidc settler
is the surface of arabic land after the
timber has been removed, but too fire.
quently back of the argument made in
the name of the settler is the desire
to acquire the timber or other natural
resources rather than the soil itself.
II CttltlS utSlIbblNs tlOits ~
public attention to the Fundamental,
difference between disposng of agri-
cultural lands to actual settlers,
whose industry contributes directly To
the material and social upbuilding of
the community, and the alienation of
qure, and, indeed. hardly permit of,
Improvement by private owners. and
the value of which is rapidly rising
because Of reduction in the supply and
the increase in population. The public
service involved in the mere Specula
tive holding Of this timber tor an ad-
vance in price, under present con
ditions of settlement of the country.
is practically negligible. When, more
over. such lands become concentrated
in comparatively few hands, there
ic instead of a. public service. SER
ious public danger.
Increasing Government Reserves.
Without entering into discussion
of possible solution of certain grave
problems involved i'm the present con-
centration of timber ownership. it may
be pointed out that the government
today still owns. exclusive of the for
ests Of Alaska, about one fifth of the
countrys total supply of merclIantable
standing timber. II is the agency best
adapted to practicing reforestation on
a large scale Recently important
suits for forfeiture of extensive tim
berlsnds have been brought by the
government on the ground Of non-ful.
hllment OF conditions imposed in the
grants by which these lands were al
ienated from the public domain. For
these reasons, IL would appear. there.
fore. that the government may later
be able TO materially strengthen its
relative position as a timber owner.
"The facts set forth in this report
clearly point To the desirability OF
the integrity of the ma
tlonal forests and of extending to other
publicly owned timber, including for
ests in Alaska and tiinberlands that
may be recovered In forfeiture suits
now pending or subsequently institut.
ed by the government. the cardinal
of the national forest policy,
the retention of the fee To
such lands at least until the timber
Is removed. Decision will then have
10 be made between retaining such
lands for reforestation and disposius
of the surface for agricultural pur-
poses. II seems clear. however. that
the fundamental principle to be fol-
lowed In the sale of the timber itself
Is that the terms of sale should bs
such as TO insure To the public treas
ury substantially the full stumpage
value at the time that such timber
shall be actually cut"