The Coconino sun., 1916-12-29
SHOULD ST0CKMEN Be COMPELLED
TO PAY ALL EXPENSES Of THE
NATIONAL FORESTS?
Sale of Timber Based on What Profit it Will Bring
Manufacturer Grazing Based on What Stock
men Can Arbitrarily Be Made to Pay
An Experts Statement of Facts

/ there because everyone knows that it
costs money to locate on an unfenced
range and cannot be done without
loss.
| have read with interest the article
Fby T. S. Woolsey, Jr., in the June,
1916, issue of the Forest Quarterly,
National Forest Revenue and Or
ganization." He makes the statement
that grazing fees on National Forests
should be two or four times as much
as at present and to prove this he
cites the following, which / quote:
"For example on the Apache Indian
Reservation, the 1916 year long rates
for cattle were $3.50 and so cents for
sheep. These rates were the result of
competitive bid. Forest Service Tim
Der sale rates are in theory at least
also fixed by competitive bid. On the
Sitgreaves, which joins the Apache
Indian Reservation, the year long rate
for cattle is 4S cents and for sheep
IL cents"
Such an unqualified statement l
believe to be misleading to the public
and should not go unchallenged.
Just what is the comparison be-
tween grazing on National Forest
and an Indian Reservation?
Sheep and cattle are not allotted to
the same range on an Indian Reserva-
ton, nor do they allow on the same
area more than one permittee, which
is of great advantage in the economic
use of the area.
On National Forest they do.
On an Indian Reservation a permit
tee may buy the stock and grazing
privilege of the whole reservation if
he so desires.
On a National Forest he cannot.
On an Indian Reservation you may
construct as many small Enclosures as
you desire without extra charge for
the forest material necessary for it's
construction or the area involved.
On National Forest you cannot.
On an Indian Reservation the per-
mitee is reimbursed for permanent
improvements made on his allotment
by the deduction of that amount from
his grazing tax. On a National For
est he is not.
On an Indian Reservation the lease
and privilege is for a term of five
years, and no advance can be made
during that time, which is Of i'm
mense value to the lessee. On Ma
tional Forest only an annual lease can
be obtained and a raise in fees pos
sible each year.
Do permittees on an Indian Reser-
vation own patented land and water
Commensurate" to their stock? On
National Forest they are compelled
to own land and sufficient water
which, or the Coconino Forest men
toned in M. Woolsey's article, is
more than enough to destroy the use
of this forest for grazing purposes
should the stockmen close their own
water, at least until such time as
more could be developed, which would
be years and then only in uncertain
quantities. The stockmen have made
the full utilization of the COconinO
Forest possible at their own expense
and on the Canyon Division of the
Tusayan Forest, which joins the Co.
conino on the west, there is not a
drop of water except that developed
by the stockmen. This also applies
to the northern portion of the Coco
nino of approximately one-half mil
lion acres. Furthermore as you know
drift fence was completed last sum-
mer at cost to the cowmen alone of
$4,000. Not only that but the con-
tract with the Government was so
drawn that the cowmen must keep
this fence in good repair for ten years
at the end Of which time it becomes
the property Of the United States.
This fence was constructed to prevent
the over stocking Of National Forests
Range and is in the interior of the
forest and entirely on forest land. Mr..
Woolsey also fails to mention the fact
that the Coconino National Forest
pays a net return over and above the
cost of its administration Of from
$65 900 to 100000 annually.
The live stock on the Indian reser-
vation may change hands as often as
desired without reductions, thus per-
mitting the stock man to take every
advantage Of the live stock market.
A grazing permit on a National
Forest must be held at least three
years before it is transferable and is
then subject to a cut Of twenty per
cent.
And so on and on one restriction