The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-03-03

Congressman Hernandez D. uNht-
Ing a provision IN the new aEricul-
mrc bill that wouid increase the fees
on rrazing land In federal forest dis
tricts. a speech delivered by him
IN congress on feh. ~ ON the sub
jet follows;
"Nr. Chairman. ] move "a strike
out the last word. ! desire to make
La few observations in connection
with the national forests. There has
been good deal OF discussion IN
connection with the forest service.
when the federal government In
stalled It's syatem OF national forests
out in the pubsic-iand states. Il was
done In accordance with a law pass
cd by congress. not NJ the hehest OF
the people ~ the states whore these
forests were located hut on the rec
ommendation OF a certain gentleman
who wanted to install a system OF
conservation. I am in sympathy
with the spirit OF conservation OF
our national source believe.
our timber should - conserved. I
believe u should be saved TO a GER
tain degree; but Mr.. Chairman and
gentlemen, we have gone conserya-
ton mad IN this proposition. Like
other businesses In which the gov
eminent has embarked this service
il toy heavy. They are spending
more one than they ought to spend
Ia conserving these national resour-
cea. They employ more people than
they ought 10 employ. tApplausel
Tbs idri Of conserving our timber
and all these things u right. II Is
a good idea. but whenever you 20 10
leasing these lands. then you drive
the settlers away from those states.
When This system ~ issuing permits
Tor rrnzinE purposes ln the national
forests was Installed. u was said hat
IL was going 90 be in the interest Of
the small stockmcn. What has been
the restlt2 The result has been that
the large cattle owrsrs and sheep
owners are the ones who are asking
for these additions 20 the national
forests. u dOeH not encourage the
settling OF those lands In any way.
The homestead forest act Of 1905 II
almost "a dead letter today. ] know
that by experience ! live within the
Carson national forest in New Meyico.
/ own several hundred acres OF land
within hat forest and outside Of H.
They talk about the expense. No
body out there asks that those eA-
pensoa be incurred. We are perfect
~ williug to take the public domain
aud manage a. ourselves without
running in debt.
II you want TO get rid of that ex-
pensc. you can do 10 very easily n
these public lands are n liability to
the government. and they ave been
a liability so far. turn them over 10
the respective states and We Will
handle them.
"Gentiemen talk about conservation
Of this. that. and the other hut
those OF us that live within these for
eHts feel that we are paying n rea-
| s0nahle Zee FOR the T.,Nilege that we
get for grazing row.. ana 60 arhitrar-
iIy raise those fees az this time
would be an injustice. ], in behalf
Of my constituents, feel constrained
To enter my earnest protest against
b.. Furthermore. Mr. Chairman, we
are trying TO deViFe ways. ana means
20 lower the high cost OF living an
along the line and have beer trying
To curb p%rufiteering by enactirg such
legislation as will serve that purpose.
and here tho committee ON aRricul-
ture and the forestry bureau are en-
pnRing in the very thing we are Try
ing to stop. The proposition 10 raise
arbitrarily the grazing fees al this
lime. regardless Of the agreements
or Understandings that exist between
The bureau and the national forest.
strikes me like q clear cane Of an
} enort to profitcer on the uart uf the
government. alleging that commercial
rites for rrnzlng ON private lands
are higher than those by the bureau.
n We want to tighten the burdens OF
those thai raise beef add mutton and
~by-products OF the industry ~ The
stock raising. we certainly do not
want To make the charges FOR the
privileges OF grazing treble of what
they now are. These people have 90
meet federal state. and other taxes.
The expenses Of running ana man
nniuE their business have doubled tht
last three years. ana while prices for
their products havc increase that IN
GREASE certainly does not Justify an
unreasonable charge for grazing. \
leasing system OF the unenturcd and
-unoccupicd public lands az this Time
would. in ms Judgment. have O.
tendency 90 rcturd inc growth 81 sew
eral OF he public-iund states! Il
would have "a tendency To create q
system Of lnndiordship under oui
government whereby the snail stock
men would be- compelled 10 go ont oil
buainess aud those that are able o.
nay would -monopolizc tho industry
"If We wnnt 20 assist iu develop
ing ana settling uuentered phhll'
domain We certainly must not EN-
barb on uny such q system a. mn
lime. Whilst "a good deal ~ me
land is arid in character, experiences
. In other sections Of he country dem.
bnstrate that there are a good man,