Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-01-23
COMMISSIONER OF CORPORA
TIONS MAKES REPORT TO
PRESIDENT TAFT.
PROBLEM A GRAVE ONE TO SOLVE
More Reserves Recommended and
Searching Inquiries to Be Made
Southern Pacific Owns 1867
600 0Oo,0 900 Feet Timber.

into the hands of a few powerful inter-
ests Of an enormous percentage OF the
timber lands of the United States mas
created a problem so grave for the
nation. in the judgment of Luther Co
nant. Jr., commissioner OF corpora
lions, that he has recommended 10
President Taft that the existing ma
tional forests not only be retained Dy
the federal government, but increased
as far as practicable.
This note of warning was sounded
by the commissioner in forwarding to
the president the full text of part OF
the bureau of corporations lnvestga'
ton of the lumber industry made by
direction of congress. summary OF
this report, showing the extent OF con-
centrated control of timber lands, was
sent to the president and pubnshed
nearly two years ago.
To increase government ownership
of forest lands the commissioner urges
that the forests of Alaska be included
in reserves as well as all timbered
lands recovered in forfeiture suits. He
advises further searching inquiry
into land grants of the past with the
view of instituting additional forfeiture
suits if the facts justify the procedure.
Attempts Still Being Made.
Mr.. Conant warns that attempts are
still being made to Secure the trans
fer of public timber lands to private
owners under the same pleas OF settle
ment which in the past often proved
wholly specious and insincere."
Much of the timber land still re-
naming" continues the commissioner,
"is adapted only for timber purposes.
All that could be properly asked by a
bona fide settler is the surface OF ara
BILE land after the timber has been re-
moved, but too frequently back OF the
argument made in the name OF set
tier is the desire to acquire the timber
or other natural resources rather than
the soil itself 1t seems desirable,
therefore, to direct public attention to
the fundamental difference between
disposing of agricultural lands to act
ual settlers, whose industry contrib
utes directly to the material and social
upbuilding of the community, and the
alienation of virgin timber lands,
which do not require, and. indeed,
hardly permit of, improvement by pri-
vate owners, and the value OF which is
rapidly rising because OF reduction in
the supply and the increase in popula-
ton. The public service involved in
the more speculative holding of this
timber for an advance in price, under
present conditions of settlement of the
country, is practically negligible.
When, moreover, such lands become
concentrated in a comparatively few
hands, there is, instead of public
service, a serious public danger.
Nation Owns One-Fifth.
without entering into discussion
of possible solutions of cetrain grave
problems involved in 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 merchanta-
BILE standing timber 1t is the agency
best adapted to practicing reforesta-
ton on large scale. Recently impor-
tant suits for forfeiture of extensive
timber lands have been brought by the
government on the ground of nonfulfil-
ment of conditions imposed in the
grants by which these lands were
alienated from the public domain. For
these reasons 1t would appear, there
fore, that the government may later
be able materially to strengthen it's
relative position as timber owner.
Should Extend Policy.
"rhe facts set forth in this report
clearly point to the desirability Of
maintaining the integrity of the ma
tional forests and of extending to other
publicly owned timber, including for
ests in Alaska and timber lands that
may be recovered in forfeiture suits
now pending, or subsequently institute
ed by the government, the cardinal
principle of the national forest policy.
namely. the retention of the fee to such
lands at least until the timber is re-
moved. Decision will then have to be
made between retaining such lands for
reforestation and disposing of the sur
face for agricultural purposes"
Southern Pacific Greatest Holder
In the summary OF the seport pre-
viously published the then commits
sioner Of corporations, Herbert Knox
Smith. set forth that the Southern Pa