East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-08-02

A circular just issued by the forest
service calls attention to the various
laws under which more than a third
of all national forest receipts go to
the benefit of the states in which the
forests are situated, for schools and
roads. In 1912 the amount of money
thus made avlilable for state purposes
totaled about $750,000. The report
does not show the amounts due from
the receipts of the fiscal year which
closed June 80, 1913 Including these
the states share of national forest
funds sine the laws were passed has
aggregated over $4,000, ,O0O.s
These facts are set forth according
to the forest service. because a pop
ular impression still exists that all
money received by the government
from timber sales, grazing fees, water
permits, etc, Is permanently taken
out of the states where it IS paid and
goes into the national treasury to meet
the general expenses of the govern
ment. This idea is said to prevail, 10
some extent even among actual forest
users in the national forest states,
where the division of receipts with the
states has been going on for years.
Available Tor schools.
| The circular states that part of the
! gross receipts of the national forests
was first made available for schools
and roads when the agricultural ap-
| preparation act of June 30, 1906. di-
rected the Secretary of the Treasury
! tot itof ~.
| in which any forest reserve was stu
ated ten per cent of all money receiv-
ed during the fiscal year from such
reserve The money was to be ex-
pended by the state or territorial leg
islature for the benefit of public
schools roads in the counties in which
the forest reserve lay This legisla-
tion was recommended by the forest
service because of the recognized bur
den imposed locally where national
forests operate to prevent much land
from becoming taxable.
In August, 1912, the agricultural
appropriation act for the year made
available an additional 10 per cent Of
the money received from national for
ests to build ana maintain roads and
trails within national forests for the
benefit of the public in the states
from which these proceeds are de-
rived. This 10 per cent road item
as It is called, is expended by the Sec
retary of Agriculture, who may ac-
, cording to the act whenever prac.
ticable in the construction and main
tenance of such roads. secure the CO.
operation or aid of the proper state
or territorial authorities in the fur
therance of any system of highways
; of which such roads may be made a
part"
Oregon Gets S17.O23.
The total amount expended under
this provision from the receipts OF
the fiscal year 1912 is $207,295. This
was apportioned among the states as
follows: Alaska $4,675. Arizona. $24,
645, Arkansas s2,2s3, California $24.-
321, Colorado $21,503, Florida 1891
Idaho $23,S09, Kansas s4S9, Michigan
50. Minnesota $500, Montana $685.
926, Nebraska $1.63O. Nevada $6,OS4
. New Mexico $11,S50, North Dakota
S27, Oklahoma 1851. Oregon s17.023
South Dakota $4,226, Utah s13,504
, Washington $12,75S, Wyoming s12,.
254.
The Weeks law of March /. 1911
providing for the acquisition of lands
in the Appalachians, provides tha'
t five per cent of moneys received from
r each national forest into which the
lands acquired are divided, be turned