Weekly journal-miner., 1922-07-05
WANT. NJ RAISE 1T TIE FEES FORGRAZING

The first step in organizing stock grower opposition to an upward re-
 vision Of grazing fees on national forest ranges was taken at the initial
 meeting of the National Forest Per
 mittees' association here Monday
 night when cattle and sheep growers from the entire state met to formu-
 late policies tentatively outlined in
 organization of the association dur
 ing the past two months.
 It was explained by number of speakers, among whom were Fen s. Hildreth, temporary secretary and director of the association, that ef-
 forts of the national forest service
 Ito raise grazing fees would be strongly opposed by the services permittees. Fees already are exor- bitant in many cases, it was declared, and increases ranging from $1 to s at time when stockmen are unable to sell their cattle and sheep at a profit would drive many of them out of business.
 "TIe cattle industry" declared Mir Hildreth, 'has always been the leasr protected and the easiest one to milk. Things no others would or could stand have been done to the cattle growers"
 Organization of the National For est Permittees' association and form ulation of their stand against upward revision of grazing fees came late this spring following the carrying ! out of a program of reappraisaIs by the national forest service, Of ranges leased to stoclmen on the forests. The plan of the forest service has been to carry out thorough reap Draisal of all ranges, with regard to the qualities of each range, and with he end in view of substituting for a Hat rental or grazing fee for all -anges, a sliding scale of fees adapt d to different classes of grazing ands. Thus lower or higher fees would obtain, according to the for st services announcements, for poorer or richer ranges. Availability # water, quantity of browse and the listance of ranges from shipping joints are among the items the for , st service program is taking into ccount in appraising the ranges.
 Appraisals were begun about ear and a half ago, and the work .Ill require another year or two be- ore all ranges are appraised and lassified 1t is stated by forest serv- e officials.
 This program of range appraisals ill affect forests of the western Inited States more than those in the lst, since t is in the west and par ~ cularly in the southwest that stock u len depend upon forest lands for raging. The forest services ap- Y -aisal program has met with de- rmined opposition from the cattle cn of this state and New Mexico. l Arizona a temporary working or has been formed, not only
 voice this opposition and give it oper direction, but to permanently re for the interests of stockmen " ho are forest permittees. The or D has been headed by Fen N
 Hildreth of this city and Phoenix F, Id C. P Mullen of Hillside, a mem r of the county highway commits " on, both prominent stockmen. ''l lrtherance of a publicity campaign ~ gun recently, in which thousands :.
 letters and publicity material is la ing sent out, will be discussed dur .,I 2 the meetings of the stockmen sh $ week lin Approximately 1,5O0 permittees of un ? national forests in Arizona, own en 7 nearly 30OOOO head of cattle and ter ),000 head of sheep, all pastured P.
 forest ranges, are members of the dir ociation, which, through the state UT, de organization, will seek relief me assures The association is in- II. -porated, each member holding one J.