The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-02-10
MAJOR FEM MAKES
PLEA FOR TIMBER
VETERAN OF FORESTRY SER
VICE AND IDAHO PIONEER,
WANTS TIMBER SAVED.

WANTS TIMBER SAVED.
A strong plea for action to preserve
the timber wealth of the United
States and especially that of Idaho, is
made by Major Fem, of Kooskia, who
advocates the passage of bill 165, to
preserve the timber of this state. In
the following ably written article the
veteran writer and pioneer sums up
the conditions that confront this state
IN the saving Of It's timber wealth.
His article follows:
The long era of waste and warning
interests, OF Indifference and sequent
devastation in the forest industry of
Idaho bids fair to come to a close.
For the divergent, if not bitterly hos
tile interests and factions, have uni
ted in framing measure now il COM
mittee of the legislature, which has
the endorsement of them ALL
Until the last five, possibly two,
years, sure method of arousing the
wrath of any lumber corporation man
was to regale him with the need. of
conservation Members of the Ma
tional forest service seemingly hold
In aversion if, not contempt, such
state measures as were from time to
time advanced or passed, holding as
they set forth in the last national re-.
ports, THAT state measures are per-
meated with politics and influenced
by private interests Naturally the
state forest service considered it's
specific care for local property was
far better than either corporation or
national
More than One-tenth of all the
standing timber Of the United States
lies within the confines of Idaho. The
Government owns nineteen million of
the twenty-three million acres, pri-
vate interests have three million two
hundred and seventy-five thousand
acres and the state is proprietor of or
trustee for seven hundred and twenty
five thousand acres. Two years CO.
operative work has served to convince
all concerned in the framing Of the
bill that $280,000 is necessary for
proper protection to the forest. AS |
formulated the private owners must |
bear a seemingly large proportion OF
this expense inasmuch as they are to
pay one-half, or $4,000. OF this more
than three million acres privately |
owned, one million eight hundred
thousand acres are the properly of
nOn-residents who have never paid a
dollar for protection. Being girded
with state, national and other private
holdings, they cunningly assumed
these would protect the alien holdings
in order to save their own.
The assumption was correct as may
be CLEANED from the fact that an Idaho
corporation last year spent about ten
thousand dollars to prevent fire from
sweeping the holdings of an eastern
er, who has thirty thousand acres held
for speculation and had never con-
tributed cent for conservation.
Through this measure all owners of
timber land will contribute equally
except such farmers or small owners
as have restricted areas within one
mile of their habitations.
A glorious heritage awaits the fu-
ture generations Of Idaho children.
These three quarter million acres of
noble forest are theirs, the fund from
which shall be drawn ample means for +
their education and betterment. Every v
decade witnesses an augmentation of v
value of these lands of at least fifty n
per cent An heritage in this which t
will build and maintain mighty uni P
versity, sustain the common schools
In ample wise and likewise furnish v
means for the ameliorative and reform v
but n
If careless cigarette or tourist F
campfire abandoned or malicious n
match were applied say in the heart of t.
! long severe drought and high wind p
'anned the heavens this heritage n
would be but a bleak and forbidden b
area Of burnt and smoldering stumps.
Then as it takes from sixty to le
seventy years to grow white pine ct
about ninety to get yellow pine, and Il
ar over century for red fir in COM P
nercial growth economy would seem CT
ngly dictate that these lands be o.
urned into the less renumerative but w
producing function of OF
rain and orchard bearers. Is this re
emote? Those who witnessed aught al
f the mighty sweep Of the fire demon tE
cross league after league of the
NEST forest Of America, and saw his IL
cry tongue lick and destroy far into tn
he northern stretches of Canada, te
we're here when for one month an a
rea eight hundred miles one way and ri
hree hundred and fifty another was st
nder a pail of smoke through which pc
ever a ray of sunshine broke; will ar
now; and when it is weighed that en-
here we're 343 fires at one time in gi
daho in 1919 and nothing but the
indness of God in sending rain pre- ou
ented ths destruction of the whole TO
orest, the extlrpation of these school ou
oldings is in no wise remote sit
Aside from this possible direct loss H,
lie commonwealth loss would exceed pi
l6O,O0O,000. Let these facts be con- ou
dered: Two-thirds of the Industrial DO
Opulation Of Idaho is in the forest I'M
ldustry it produces one-half Of the ca
ate's manufactured product; it We
inks second in community depen- tn
,nce on its product; one man in Ch
ght Is on its payroll. Sixteen dol
rs goes for wages for every thous- a
Id feet OF finished product while the col
rmer tucks four dollars away for of
lch Thousand feet in navmant for