The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-05-13
MISSOURI MAN
'WANTSTOBE
SHOWN"
.,,etary of Agriculture Da-
id /. Houston Investigate
ING Forest Reserves.

.surNGToN-- Secretary David F.
.,sor head OF the department Of
|0s ,s.,.,,ra and a Missourian. has start
an extended tour of the forest
,ss IN the west to find out. from
I.srvatiou. how the reserves are being
C-,n,.tered. why there is so much
.srlalpt about the forestry administra-
=. vby the reserves are not self-sus-
[s,rg and why the valuable power
=. within the reserves lie idle. Be-
Missourian, the secretary intends
.sbe shown.
|p.fors leaving Washington Secretary
I.a.ton let 1t be known that he was
H. an this mission, but said he had
Itinerary and no definite line of
90, marked out. What reserves he
IN vislt and what reserves he will skip
1 IA not know and he intends to work
Etbmt itinerary until he returns to
s.sb,ngton. He particularly intends
,Eip the big cities. to avoid banquets
! other entertainments and to devote
1 time almost wholly to the study
forestry problems.
Reports Contradictory.
|purIng the past two years. Secretary
huston has gathered his information
$out the forestry administration large
from the forest service and from
IieIal papers. The correspondence that
come before him and the reports
the forest service have shown that
netting is radically wrong and he
nts to find out If possible what it
and how it can be corrected.
gith 10000, 900 acres of public lands
n I'D In forest reserves, and with
HI authority to sell mature timber,
lease the grazing lands, the power
es and other resources, Secretary
uston has notion that the forest
vice, which is now costing the gov
bment about $500, 900 a year, ought
be able to pay its own way. instead
pilIng up an annual deficit in the
asury Of something more than 3d.
Loco. In other words, the cost of
transferring the 5000, 900 acres of
est reserves is more than double the
eipts from the reserves.
Timber Ready For Saw.
mong other things Secretary Hous-
n will endeavor to ascertain why mil
hs Of mature trees in the forest re-
vee are allowed to die and decay.
len they might be marketed, and
BIG revenue into the treasury. These
sves were created to afford a per-
nent lumber supply, and yet while
lions Of trees are rotting away in
reserves each year. privately own
timber is being sold at high prices,
the government timber Is going
waste. How to encourage the sale
timber from forest reserves is one
The prime problems with which Sec
ery Houston will wrestle.
that same connection he will
l. attention to complaints frequently
de In congress that the forest ser
Is holding Its timber at the current
FSet price. thereby playing into the
fds Of private timber-land owners,
enabling them to keep up the price
Their timber The forest service to-
not regulating the price of
Der in the market but is getting
highest possible price for its own
Oer and the consumer is reaping no
efit whatever.
r. How About the settIer7
bother serious complaint to which
secretary will give attention Is
regard to the withholding Of ag-
mural lands in reserves from home
settlers. While there is a law
uniting the homesteading OF such
mat law Is not available to
great extent, because, 1t has been
sed Of the burdensome restrictions
aaliV imposed by the forest SER
secretary Houston will endeayor
~ At the truth about this matter;
ma out whether anything can be
y encourage the development of
u.ural lands that can not we'll be
'Haued from the reserves.
Water Power DeveIopme
matter of water power develop
y also Of prime Importance. To-
snete Is practically no power de-
snt within the forest reserves,
ssA some Of the best power sites
as West lie within the reserves.
- mas not invested in these prop
~ because of the conditions i'm
" the forest service. There Is
localities abundant demand for
pOwer but the only available sites
e reserves and under the reg
Is mat now prevail those power
ioie as does the capital that
invested. Just what can be
encourage thed evelopment OF
pv"er within forest reserves Sec
houston wants to find out.
mns UP the secretary will be
a0S sied by Assistant Forester Pot
oncitor Qaffery of the DEPART
n srlculture. He probably will
Nh, racific coast and probably
M me more important reserves
utnwest, but when he will
rs,n at section and how long he
wa. n no one knows. The score
NJ 20 see the reserves and the
cials under normal condi-
uDc,a mat is one reason he is not
tsva his itinerary In advance
hss conclusions the secretary
d., WIN be communicated to the
baI rsr ana be embodied in his next