The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1932-09-30
Proposed Grant of Additional
Public Lands To The States
Prevalent misunderstanding In Regard To Its Real
Significance To The State of Montana
Ninety Per Cent of the Mineral
Lands Included in National Forest
Reserves and Not Affected

Lands Included in National Forest
Reserves and Not Affected
In has valuable article, Mr.. Oker
makes the statement that "other
complications will arise if this at
tempt is made because 900 of the
mineral lands of this State are in
Guided in National Forest Reserves
where the prospector is free to
roam, prospect and develop, plac-
ing the of the serv at
his disposal. The management of
the Forest Reserve by the Federal
Government thus far has been sat
~isfactory to the stockman and the
miner and this should not be dis
turbed."
AS this statement comes from al
experienced mining man, thorough
ly acquainted with the mineral re-
sources of the state and their To-
cation, it is likely that it is entire
ly correct and that 800 of the
metalliferous mineral resources are
located on the Forest Reserves.
The bill of Senator Walsh does
not propose to turn over the lands
in the Forest Reserves to the
states. This will at once eliminate
900 of the metaIliferous mineral
lands from the grant. The bill as
originally presented provides for
reimbursement of the boundary lines
of the National Forests through the
appointment of a commission, but
at the hearings on public lands
legislation Senator Walsh made the
statement that he wanted the bill
amended in this particular leaving
out the proposed commission for
the adjustment of the boundary
lines and accepting the boundary
as they now are. The Senator
calls attention to the fact that the
National Forests were created way
back in the ~nineties, and he evil
denly draws the conclusion that
during the 80 or 40 intervening
years. these boundary lines have
been we'll and wisely established.
He is willing to accep. them as
hey are. See page "A, Hearings
Before the Committee on Public
lands and Surveys, United States
seventy-Second Congress"
rhe Remaining One-Tenth of the
Mineral Lands
The bill does not wen propose
O TURF over to the States all the
,ne-tenth of the metalliferous min
raj lands located outside the Nat
ional Forest Reserves. 1t goes
Without saying that all mining
.laims located before the bill be-
ONES a law. and before the grant j
$ accepted by the State, will re- {
nain the property of the locator s
nd will not be in any way disturb
d by the new legislation. The
ill specifically provides that "all {
omestead entries and other en- /
ries of public lands initiated prior a
0 the date" that the local land e
ffice has been notified of a states
cceptance of the new land grant
be completed under the stat
ties. rules, and regulations appll-
able thereto" Is it not highly
robable that the incessant, 1nten- =
We and comprehensive prospecting :,
lat has been carried on in this -
late during the last fifty or Sixty :
ears has located by far the great 9,
r portion of all mineral LANDS =
lat could be located through ordl- .
airy prospecting? All these loca' :
ons of mining claims would be en- =
rely unaffected by the proposed =
..gislation. (The second and CON =
uding installment of Mr.. Brand .
rd's valuable article will appear =
an early issue.) :