The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-11-28
FIGHT FEE ADVANCE

iAH0HL dulOuuIlHS 10 SZ,DUU, DUt
per annum in excess of all expenses
connected with the grazing admins
tration of the forest
I'VE consider it very unfortunate
and unnecessary that this question
should have been agitated over SO
long period and we earnestly reuuesr
the secretary of agriculture and the
forest service TO continue the admin.
istration of grazing along the lines
of general broad principles that nave
been approved as fair by the stock
growing interests"
} Utah resolution: "That we are un-
alterably opposed to the plan of COM
mercializing the public domain situa-
ted within the national forests;
{ THAT it is un-American in princi-
pie and contrary to a long established
policy Of our government;
THAT it is unjust to those who are
struggling to keep alive the livestock
industry, which is so essential to the
pemanence of agriculture in any
country;
THAT it is unnecessary to make
profit out of the necessity of the
frontiersmen;
'sThat the present fees are more
than ample to cover the cost of admin
istering grazing on the national for
est and for making Improvements;
THAT the users of the grazing on
the national forests are now paying on
fees sufficient for these purposes, and
IN addition, partly to maintain the
schools"
Mr.. Gedney OF Mountain Home led
n =
and Mr. Dillingham; of Mackay, for
the cattle growers of the state Mr.
Gedney's argument was that to com
mercialize the range and forest reserve
was un-American and contrary to the
principles of government He called
attention to the fact that the govern
ment spent large sums in i'm
proving harbors but that no ship was
ever charged for entering. Huge sums
he said were spent in improving wa
terways for transportation such as
bikes in the Mississippi and dredging
operations but that no charge was
made TO navigators. The government,
he said, makes large appropriations
10 make the Salmon industry possible
but that this assistance has never
been commercialized.
Mr.. Dillingham; took up the argu-
ment from an economic standpoint
and stated that the pioneers came
west and located upon public lands
and improved the lands to such an
extent that they were put on the tax
rolls, that the land alone was not an |
but included water. wood, |
and the open range, the range being |
as necessary for the profitable opera |
ton of a ranch as the water or the |
land.
The forest reserve, he said, was
created under the Roosevelt admins |
tration and was founded on the fol- |
lowing two propositions: the conserva- |
lion of timber and the protection of |
At that time he said, |
there was no thought of a fee system
for grazing on such lands The bureau !
he said. was operated for several /
years without fee being charged to !
The first fee, he said, was an aver
age of twenty-five cents for yearly |
permits. Since then the fees have |
been advanced to an average of six
-y-five cents.
He told the Forest officials that |
outside of the principle of |
,ommercialization of the range, to |
which Idaho stockmen and the inter
ests of the whole state, are opposed, |
hat it was the opinion of the stock
men, generally. that the starting point |
aiken by the oficials-the basis of J
going prices being paid for private
ange leases-was entirely erroneous,
hat the officials were completely off
he track: for. permitting for the mo-
nent to approach the question from
hat angle, the basis for determining
crest range values should be found
upon the possible returns from the
operations of those engaged in the in
lustry. He asked forest officials if
hey had ever considered giving the
tockmsn credit on the other side or
he ledger. where these charges are
icing set up, for the benefit to the
crest by reason of the grazing of the
took. keeping in mind the original
iea which was the foundation for
he creation of the reserves-the pro
ection of the watersheds and the con-
ervation of timber. In closing he
old Mr.. Rachford that he did not be
ieve that he, ever for one moment,
ntertained the thought that he could
ONE out and sell" this commercial
,ation scheme to the stockmen, and
hat he hoped that he would carry
ne message of the stoclCmen from all
yer the west back TO Washington in
uch terms that the stockmen's piar
-ould be "sold" to the department
nd that the question of advanced
ses. coming up every year disturbing
ne producers and breaking down the (
,oraie of the stoclSmen, would be
never put to sleep.-Miner.
Stockmen on the Salmon river, ar
lready operating at loss and TO ;
the range would mean
4 additional loss to the loss already
lstained. We believe like cur
eighbors from Utah. that the plan
un-American, is uncalled for and
nat the livestock grower should not
) made to pay more than is nscess-
" (they paid two millions more
ian was necessary last year, for the
oper coaduction Of the policing of