The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-10
Bill for Forest Preserva-
ton is in Legislature
CONTINUED from Page y

look to Idaho people to pay their in
surance.
Anybody that ever talked to lum-
herman, connected with the big cor
porations, or little either, say ten
years ago, can remember the froth
that would gather about his mouth
when any mention was made Of con-
servation. Those internal idiots
tell us how to log and what to do
with our own forest, not much" was
an average statement, done. up in
choice verbal blazonry. And they
did their own way, marching thru
their holdings with all possible
speed, relentlessly hacking down all
growths and burning a clean path,
to make operations easier. The most
astonishing thing, lies in the fact
that the big fellows are today asking
the state to impose regulations which
have in mind the next generation and
many after it. Altruism was a COM
modify they didn't have on their
shelves.
This bill is the joint work of the
United States forest service, the state
forest service, the timber protective
associations, representing the private
interests, and has been two years in
careful making. The corporations
were somewhat loath to agree to one
phase Of the matter. That lies in
their share Of the tax, but that is
agreed on now. And at first glance
it looks as if they were carrying con-
siderable of the burden. For Uncle
Sam owns nineteen of the twenty
three million acres of forests, the
state own 725,0O0 acres and the pri-
vate interests cover 1926, 900 acres.
The bill imposes one-quarter of the
tax upon the government and Idaho
alike, and the remainder, one-half,
upon the private owners. They are
not kicking-all they want is to
make the easterner who has con-
sistently refused to pony up his share
to come thru. 1t cost over $4,000
for protection to one single tract held
by an easterner last year, and an
Idaho company paid for it. When
you feel sluggish and want to see
real dazzling pyrotechnics and hear
sizzling sounds corner head of that
large corporation and casually intro
duce the subject of eastern forest
owners.
The closely calculated amount
necessary to properly guard the
forests is $280,0O0. Idaho's share
is therefore $4,000. Not even the
most rabid retrencher will deny that
holdings worth easily 100000, 900 !
and the basis of Idaho school life
need this.
Not only school life, but present
life. Without forests there can be
no irrigation, let alone reclamation.
That is, the forests are essential to
water supply and that means all the
southern and eastern parts of the
states prosperity. Most people are
unaware that two-thirds of the work
ers of Idaho are in the forest in
dustry, that one man in every eight
follows some form of it, that $780,
000,0 is paid thru it to wage earn
ers and farmers and merchants every
year. The government and Moscow
experts did some head scratching and
found that which may surprise those
who think the high cost of lumber |
is altogether an arbitrary fixing. |
Sixteen dollars goes for wages for
every 1000 feet of finished product |
turned out, and 81 goes to the man |
who raises hay, grain etc. Eighty
four per cent of the total value of the |
timber product goes |
down into the pockets of the Idaho |
farmer and laborer and merchant. !
The unbiased experts added up and
found that if the forests are not con-
served and guarded, that if a fire
should sweep them away, the COM
munity loss to Idaho would be $780,
900, 000-this aside from the direct |
property loss of $30,000,000 the
rust fund for the children. Does
$40, 900 loom very large in this light?
Another departure is the institu
ion of the office of state forester, to
oe selected for fitness and not thru
politics and the taking of the whole
supervision from this latter realm.
An advisory board will recommend
md regulate. This board is to be
of a citizen chosen by the
J. S. forest service, another citizen
elected by the timber protective as
ociatjcns, the dean of the school of
orestry at Moscow, the governor,
md the commissioner of reclamation.
This gives a balanced body, the
cientist, the irrigationist, executive,
the national govern
nent and the people of the state,
rivate citizens. If any hostility is
against the measure it is
ue to this provision, which effectu-
lily removes the great forests, the
1ost priceless possession of the peo-
lie, from the area of partisanship
nd possible political jockeying.
The man who reads this paper may
OF feel, but he will some day, the
eriousness of the pulp question. If
Kings keep on and no substitute for
'ood pulp is found the American
itizen of ten years hence will let
owl out beside which this drink re- +:
friction protest is a dangerous MUIR
lur. When the sovereign can no
niger slip into his gown and slip
ers and squat deep before the fire,
he while he smacks his eyes over the |:
lick roll, which makes up the Sun
ay paper, SO to 4S or 60 pages Of
doings and aspirations,
reams and disgraces, loves and |:
'ars, achievements and failures,
!