Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-08-07
HERNANDEZ IN
SPEECH DEFENDS
FOREST ROADS
New Mexico Representative
Makes a Plea in the House
for Good Highways Through
National Timber Reserves,

tsprcilL ooBPEsFoHoEHcE TO Horr'tHS JouSHhLl
Santa Fc, Aug. 6.-The following
spcpch Of Congressman y. G.. Her
nandez on the Shackleford road bin,
which has become law, was today
mailed ont to New Mexico citizens.
Mr.. Speaker, we Of the western
states are now cndcayoring to do all
that poor struggling community
can for the development of our re-
sources, within our sparseN settled
commonwealth.
"Withln The state of New Mexico
there IL now. an area. Of 1886. 146 acres
in the national forests, very little, il
any, of this immense area having
been developed by actual settlers or
by the department of agriculture;
none of it is taxable. and it Is costing
The government twice as much to ad-
minister as the revenues derived
therelrom therefore, as a business
proposition the national forests at
the present time are not paying more
than half Of the cost of administra-
ton.
Vow, the idea of calling this APP
preparation pork is absurd. II is
nothing more nor less than clean
to improve and develop its own prop
erty,
New Mexico and other western
states can not afford to 80 down into
their pockets to survey, construct, and
maintain all the roads within these
national forests, but these Commun-
tiles are perfectly willing to meet the
federal government half way, and do
90, e 4
the federal government, as PROPOSED
by this bill
Timber Is Inaccessible.
These immense tracts of land con-
tain millions of feet of merchandise
timber some coal, and perhaps in
some Instances oil and gas
In order to make the national for
osJs self-sustainng, and not only self
sustaining but "A paying proposition
me mature timber thereon should be
sold at the earliest possible date. In
most cases this timber is inaccessible,
and how are you going to handle It
unless YOU make 1t accessible by
building roads; how are YOU going to
protect the timber unless YOU can
get to where the fire is destroying
the timber in case of a forest fire,
now are you going to encourage set
TIERS TO take up land within the ma
uonal forests unless they are assisted
by good road construction 50 that they
can get their produce out Of Their
farms?
IT costs the American farmer be
tween 40 and Z 3. per cent more to
larry his products from the farm to
lIe market than the ordinary farmer
ID Europe, the reason being simply
mat the European farmer traverscs
5000 roads and splendid highways
constructed and maintained by the
government.
An these questions should be an
S"ered before any criticism is made
vi inns legislation by gentlemen OPP
poSeq really to all legislation tendnE
W heIp these seventeen western
states for federal roads.
Cost Exceeds Receipts.
, some of these gentlemen complain
ul"l 1t is costing the government
about $3,0OO,OOO in excess of the re-
,eIplS 10 administer these lands: very
wen, These western states are willing
10 Take these lands, build all the
roads. reimburse the government the
amount of money spent on them to
Dole, ana they will administer th-
ioIesIs much cheaper than il is done
ol present by the department of ag-
rculture.
"A fair illustration Of the attitude
VI some Of these gentlemen may be
.n1ue by comparing the stand that
ytl Jake M behalf of the government
W. real estate Spectator, either
s u open Iand or city lots who neither
- nor improves his property, but
,,,,,pl hoids 1t, awaiting for the more
r' ',tgI pilsln& man to improve the
,bl5"OorInE property so as to enhance
r,,, N'Iue Of the land or lots of his
Piogressiye neighbOr.
1...,ti know that the congress of the
bias, states wants to be fair and the
minded members mean to act
ti i.r toward all of the states, but some
~. ,''S 'hey viii follow the wrong path
sr while, and then coming back
o,. meeting their colleagues nalf-
49, ana this is as it should be among
''',l minded men.
,.,r, i"iicy Used Advantagcously.
'He western states receive hut %
cent Of the revenues derived
a. ~, me national forests. Section S
m ,''S hlli provides for an additional
g4ii cent as q refundiup flnd from
ip,, pl"etedS TO go toward reimburs-
066 ~, government for the 10000
ter WNch will be spent in tho next
of n 'dIS within and in the vicinity
a. rse national forests
rp,,r't. ''H ih way helps these com
roa5 70 meet their expenses in
ehiIdr uuilulng and educating their
az ana every cent af this money