The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-04-09
INTERESTING BUDGET
FROM THE CAPITAL

An echo of the Pinchot policy that
tied up in forest reserves several hun
dred thousand acres of lands granted
the state of Idaho under the admis-
sion act was heard the other day
when the State Land Board directed
Governor Alexander and Land Com
missioner Day to visit Washington
and urge the Federal government to
clear list to the state 100000 acres of
valuable timber land belonging to the
state Of Idaho.
When vast areas of the state were
grabbed by Pinchot for forest reserves
sections 10 and l8 within the bound
aries of these reserves were lost to
the state unti& such time as the gov
eminent saw TT to relinquish them
and the State Of Idaho is still waiting.
Nor would the mere REIMBURSEMENT
of these lands from forest reserves re-
lieve the situation, because the state
could not realize on lands isolated in
forest reserves.
The above was the situation that
was laid before President Taft. in
1912, and so impressed was the Presi-
dent that he assured Governor Haw-
ley, Attorney General McDougall and
Land Commissioner Day that the
government will not play Injun with
the state of Idaho" The state of Ida
no in that year took its complaint
over the heads Of all department and
bureau chiefs, straight to the Presi-
dent of the United States, with the re-
suit that President Taft ordered Ida
hos claims adjusted forthwith. Mr.
Potter, Assistant Chief Forester. was
sent to Idaho as the direct represen-
tative of the president, and a contract
was entered into between the State
Land Board and the Federal Govern
ment whereby the state was to relin-
quish all its isolated sections and
tracts in forest reserves, and accept
in lieu thereof blocks of lands in COM
pact areas of from $4,000 to 100000
acres to which patent would immedi-
ately pass. The state made the nee
eSsary relinqu ishuents, and the state
and forestry officials cruised the lands
the states share of the expense be-
ing $4,000 The details of the ex-
change were agreed upon, including
the particular lands that Idaho was to
receive. In the mean time, President
Taft was defeated for reelection and
his administration came to a close
before the selections could be pressed
to patent. Under the Wilson ad-
ministration. these applications have
been held up under one pretext or
another, or to recall the words of
President Taft, they have been play
ing lnjun" with us back in Washing
ton.
"The seriousness of the situation
will be better understood" remarked
Attorney General Peterson. when it
is considered that we have on file
applications for the purchase of tim
Der from these lands to the value of
| 81 100000, but we can not sell sin
gle log because the lands are not clear
listed to the state. yet the state must
stand the expense of protecting this
timber from fire, and run the risk of
its being destroyed Much of the tim
Der is mature and ought to be market
ed. The proceeds would go into the
endowment funds and go far towards
helping to sustain our district schools
and public institutions and thus ma
terially reduce the burden of taxation.
| am advised that the lands for which
we seek title is worth close to $4,000,
10000 OF course we would not ex-
pect to sell all this timber now. but
we could dispose of from one to sew
eral million dollars worth each year. >