Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1918-12-14
FIVE-YEAR PERMITS
The National Forest Grazing Fees TO be
Increased and Five-Year Permits
Authorized.

Denver, Dec. l2.-Secretary Houston,
believing that further suspension of the
increase in national forest grazing fees
first decided on in 1916 is no longer JUS
tilted, has announced new rates to go in
to effect March ], 1919. Effective at the
same time, he has authorized the grant.
ing of hye-year grazing permits where
the conditions warrant and such permits
are desired by the stockmen.
In accordance ith this decision, for
est service officials at the Denver head
quarters announce that the grazing fees
for the 1919 season on the national for
ests of the Rocky Mountain district will
be as follows
Cattle Yearlong rate, Colorado, Wy
oming, South Dakota, Michigan aud
Minnesota forests, $l.OO EACH except
Big Horn forest, Wyoming, $l2O, and
Nebraska forest, Nebraska, $3.50,
Sheep and goats YearIong rate,
Colorado and Wyoming forests, 25c
each, except Big Horn forest, Wyom-
ing, SOC.
Horses Yearlong rate, 2j per cent.
more than for cattle.
Swine: Yearlong rate, 25 per cent.
less than for cattle.
On this basis, the charge for cattle for
the usual summer grazing season five
months) will be SOC per head, and for
sheep -four months) l0c per head.
The original plan was to advance
grazing fees 335 per cent. year for three
years, beginning 1917; but on account of
the disturbed conditions which confront
ed stockmen that year the advance made
was only 25 per cent. while a year la
ter the emergency situation created by
the war led Secretary Houston to sus-
pend temporarily the further carrying
out of the plan. 81 am not unmindnl
of the difficulties which still exist" he
says, but under the circumstances il
seems unwise to further defer action on
this important problem
Regarding the authorization of the
ive-year permits the Secretary goes on
to say
ION several of the Forests applications
have already been approved for permits
during fiveyear period subject to an
annual reduction of five per cent to pro-
vide for the issuance of permits to new
settlers, in addition to such reduction as
might be necessary to prevent damage
to the forest.
at appears that while the stockmen
are ready to subject themselves to what
ever restrictions are necessary for the
welfare OF the forests from the stand.
point of timber production or other pri.
mary purposes for which the land was
set aside, yet the possibility of the five
per cent annual reduction proves an
embarrassment to them. 1t is appre,
clated that the assurance of continued
use OF the range for a specific number of
animals during term of years would
undoubtedly tend to greater stability of
the induetry and encourage the handling
of business in a way to increase the
quantity and improve the quality of the
livestock and would also enable better
administration Of the range itself
con a considerable portion of the ma.
tiona forests we have reached the point
where permits for period of FIVE years
can be put into effect without difficulty
On certain other forests we are not in a
position to grant fve-year permits for
more than portion of the stock at pres
ent upon them, because there is ser-
Gus question whether there is not now
more stock than can be carried perman-
emily without injury to the forest.
There is also the extra stock which has
been taken care of as war emergency
some of which will not be able to con
tinue, and for that reason should not be
included under ive-year permits.
"The issuance of annual permits will
be continued where reductions are nee
essary to insure against oyerstocking OF
where this may be required for any
other reason. The plan is progressively
to bring about more secure tenure o.
the grazing privileges through the issu
ance of five-year permits as fast as thi:
can be done in consideration of the vari
Gus public interests involved"