Evening star., 1925-09-26
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Forestry is preparing to put into ef-
feet its new rates for pasturage, as
directed by Congress at its last ses-
sion, practically doubling the rates.
X X
The cry arises that what Congress
adds to the cost of pasturage must be
passed on to the ultimate consumer"
of meat.
A steer years old when
butchered has had its lifetime grazing
at cost of cents month--now to
cost II cents. For SO months the
pasturage has been costing S2.16, and
1t is going to cost $3.96-an increase
Of $3.50. If the steer weighs 1000
pounds on the hoof it will dress out
about 500 pounds of meat. The In
creased cost of pasture would amount
to three-tenths of a cent pound on
a steak.
Why is Congress interested in rais-
ing the cost of living even three
tenths of a cent a pound, when, per.
haps, man is eating three pounds q
week, and the actual increase will be
cent a week?
The answer is that much of the
grazing is upon cut-over land. where
forest restoration might be possible
even through the sprouting, of seed
scattered by the old-time forests pre-
ceding the advent of the lumberman
and the farmer. The United States
is facing crisis in forest production!
x x x 81
The above is the answer of stock
interests to the announced raise in
rentals by the Forest Service. Quot
ing, IN substance, from the summary
of the situation made by the Amer
lean Forestry Association:
"1ncensed over the proposal of the
oCf 70 nj faf, o~I-Mk
price on the forage of 10000 900 acres.
the stockmen are organizing great,
offensive to carry through Congress an
act which would reduce grazing fees
to merely the Governments cost of
administration-abou 100000 an
nual revenue from a total area
equivalent to all New England and
New York. Give legal status to graz
ing on national forests and create a
commission with powers superior to
| that of the Secretary of Agriculture.
Turn the unreserved public lands over
| to the States-1SS,0 100000 acres-prob-
| ably equivalent to Washington, Ore
gon and California combined"
L. The stockmen argue that sheep and
cattle do not injure young pine trees
I p or 8 years old, or younger. This
| is emphatically contradicted by the
| Forestry Service, basing its Judgment
! upon scientific observation. The
Forestry Service declares that such
pasturing as the stockmen want
| would completely destroy hopes OF
ever, establishing forests in the land
| so used; it would be equivalent to.
donating the vast domain to private
| interests.
| An editorial appearing in the Sep
| tember number of American Forests
| and Forest Life says:
For every stockman now fighting
to Craze his stock on the public range
| there are several thousand American
| citizens directly concerned in the way
| in which those ranges are used.
! Their lives, their property and their
| prosperity are at stake. This Is par
Icularly true Of the lands within the
| national forests, which were created
Iafor the primary purpose of conserving
| forests. and waters, that the West
might grow and prosper and con-
| tribute its wonderful resources to the
upbuifding- Of the Nation. -
| The livestock industry is but one of
many great Western industries de-
pendent upon the proper use of our
public lands. Farming, fruit grow
| ing, lumberfng,7 water!'power and city
| building, each have an interest no
| less vital to themselves, to the West
| as a whole and to the Nation"
icssz1i4hs. 1926. hx F.nl ". Gnluns.a