Arizona state miner., 1927-02-26
GRAZING Fl { s 0 N
FOREST REMAIN
AS SCHE EDULED
No Fee Will Be Charged
During Present Year, But
Graduated Scale for 1928
to 1881 Will Be Adopted.
By Forest Service

"A S0IIl0m0nC OF the naJlOnal IOroSC
grazing fee controversy by which
there will be no charge in fees dur
in the present year, but calling for
increased fees to be put into effect
on a graduated scale from 1923 to
1881, inclusive, was announced by
Secretary William M Jardine fol-
lowing his return to Washington from
Salt Lake City where he discussed
the subject before lie National Live
stock association. His decision sus-
tains the new schedule of grazing fees
recommended jointly by the Forest
Service and Dan D. Easement, ex-
pert livestock grower of Colorado and
Kansas, who was appointed by the
secretary to investigate the meth
DDS of the forest service in apprais-
ing range values. This schedule rep
resents material reductions below the
original range appraisals objected to
by livestock interests.
Is Adjustable
Under the new schedule, one-fourth
of the increases will become effective
each year, subject to such reductions
as may be necessary to adjust the
fees equitably between national for
ests or regions, and also subject to
such adjustments as may be necessary
below the minimum fees stated for
each national forest in order to fix
an equitaDIe fee for the various graz
ing allOtments within each national
forest. The new fees, becoming eff
fective in full in 1So1, will remain in
effect for the duration of outstanding
1O-year permits, or to including 1884,;
The average increase; in the rate
for cattle on all the national forests
when the full amounts are put into
effect will be 4 cents per head per,
month from the present rate Of 1914
cents per head per month to 14.4
cents; and for sheep from 2.9 cents
per head per month to AS cents, an
average increase of about As per cent.
"The department of agriculture will
stretch a point to be absolutely fair
to the grazing permittees on national
forests said the secretary. 1--WE
have no intention of charging the full
commercial value that might be
justified by comparison with private
lands, or of getting all that the traf-
fic will bear. We want to maintain
| the social and economic relationships
that have always been considered in
the allotment and administration of
the ranges in national forests We
don't want to charge anything that
exceeds the reasonable capacity Of
the sheep man and the COW man to
pay under the conditions confront
ing them during the next few years.
Must Be Fair
The development must be fair and
just to all the interests entitled to
consideration of the national forests"
the secretary declared 1--WE can not
ignore the obligations which these
areas bear as public properties, main
tanned and developed at public ex-
pense, and with varied resources
which many classes and groups of
American people are entitled to utlI-
ize or enjoy. Specifically we cannot
ignore the reurn which the counties
ignore county schools obtain from the
receipts derived from the uses of the
national forests.
1t is my purpose to harmonic
these two obligations of the depart
ment, as fairly as the limitations of
human judgment will permit. | want
particularly to aid in establishing the
livestock industry in, such fair re-
lationship to the national forest in
terests and public obligations as
whole, that it may nave a stable and
assured place therein. | believe it
would be short sighted and ill ad-I
vised for the industry itself to sacra-
flee this security for the sake of some
small and temporary advantage"
Recommendation Approved
The secretary approved the recon-
mendation of the forest service that
in view of the social and economic
purposes in the administration of ma
tional forest grazing and the interests
of the general public in national for
ests, the new schedule of grazing fees
be regarded as representing fair COM
pensation for grazing in the national
forests under conditions now exist
ing. No change will be made in graz
ing fees, he said, for the 10-year
period beginning 1885 unless there
is material change in the condi-
tiOns then existing which enter into
du 0QuAdUlG QSL0Tu1ludClOu Oh Id1r
compensation for grazing in the ma
tional forests.
He pointed out also that it was
part of the program to employ the
best efforts of the department to Sc
cure ample appropriations for range
improvements in the national for
ests; and to make a careful study
in the practicability of relating graz
ing fees, in subsequent range apprais
ais, to the current market of livestock
products.
"And now," he concluded, "let me
reemphasize the hope that we may
put this controversy behind us and
that today may mark new period
of effective cooperation between the
agencies of the department of agri-
culture and the livestock in develop
ing the full possibilities for useful
ness of the national forest ranges"