Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-01-22
FOREST SETTLEMENT
The Policy is TO Make Available for Set
tlement Lands Chiefly Valuable
for Farming.

The following extracts from the re-
port of the Secretary of Agriculture for
the fiscal year ending June 3Oth, 1915,
indicate the departments policy with
regard to lands in the national forests
which are chiefly valuable for farming
1T is the departments policy to make
available for settlement all lands which
are chiefly valuable for farming. In or
der to open such areas careful cIassiti-
cation is being made. Large tracts
found to be valuable for agriculture or
unsuited for permanent forest purposes
are eliminated. During the last five
years about 100000 acres have been
released. In addition, individual tracts
are classified and opened to entry upon
application of home seekers. Since the
work was begun more than 100000
acres have been made available for the
benefit Of $1,000 settlers.
"In short, lands within the forests
really adapted to agriculture are being
occupied as homesteads under favorable
conditions. While the lands suited to
settlement are classified and opened TO
entry, those which are not chiefly valu-
able for agriculture are retained IN pub
lie ownership. The alienation of tim
berlands undsr conditions that will lead
not to settlement but to speculation and
to increasing the holdings of private
timber owners would defeat the very
purposes for which the forests were es-
tablshed.
THE real agricultural problem within
and near the forests is to make possible
the successful occupancy and develop
ment of the lands that already have
been opened to entry or actually patent
ed. The mere private ownership of
land does not insure successful use of it.
In Oregon and Washington alone there
are about 100000 acres of logged-ofT
land, much of it agricultural in charac-
ter, now lying idle. In this condition
speculative holding of the land for
higher prices plays large part. An
other cause is the lack of transportation
facilities. A settler may clear land and
raise stops upon it, but he is helpless if
he can not market them. There are
great areas of fertile land unused today
on this account In many sections near
the national forests pioneer conditions
still exist. The population is small and
the tasE of road building is beyond the
means of the residents. There is little
or no demand for timber, and the re-
ceipts from the forests which 60 TO the
community are small. The fact that the
public property is not subject to taxation
make such communities feel and very
justly, that the forests are not contribut-
ing enough to local development
This situation should be changed.
Assistance should be given in the build.
ing OF roads to bring into productive use
the resources of such regions There.
fore the suggestion contained in the last
annual report is repeated, that upon a
showing of public necessity, appropria-
tions be made for specific roads and sim
liar improvements, to be charged against
the States future share of receipts from
the forests. such action would promote
the local development of agriculture and
other resources.
TO secure the maximum use of the
lands still remaining in Federal owner
ship further legislation is needed. There
must be constructive program which
will promote development and safe
guard public interests. The aim should
be to make these properties more use
ful, available to greater numbers, and
effectively instrumental in building up
industries"