Year: 1875

Among our dispatches this week we received this one:

 WASHINGTON, November 12.-HOn $. s. BuTdett, Commissioner of tho General Land-O Office, in his fOrthcOm

 ing annual report, will strongly recon

 mend that all timber land offered bl

 government, be appraised and throwr open to purchasers at not less than theil

 appraised value.

 We are of opinion that the originator

 of that dispatch, did not clearly under stand the proposed recommendation

 but we have no doubt the general pur post of it is correct. It is becoming evident to all men who have given tho subject any worthy attention, that diff ferent legislation should govern tn, disposition of timber lands than of an, other class of land. The title to nearly all timber lands that are also agricul tural, has passed into private hands

 but owners and occupants of the tree less agricultural and grazing lands must have tiWber by purchase or other wise, and as the law now is, they are obliged to get it " otherwise

 The surveyor-general of Arizona, in his annual reports for 1872, 1873, 1874 and 1S75, called attention to this sub ject What he said in the first two reports, has appeared in THE CITIZEN. In 1874, he said in this connection

 The timber-lands of the great interior of the United States are comparatively limited, and are yearly becoming Oi more importance. That they should be So disposed of as to best promote the public interests none will deny and whatever is most advantageous tO the generality of private interests can but tend to this end. In my reports for 1872 and 1873, urged an appropriation of at least $l0,000 annually for the survey of timber-lands to be at once placed in open market, and gave wha, 1 regarded unanswerable reasons there for.

 In 1875, the report says

 l would again urge upon the atten- ton of Congress the necessity of pro viding for the survey and sale of timber lands. In no other way can the timber be protected from great waste Set tiers must have timber. They prefer to buy it. but if government fail to give them the opportunity they will take it and justify the act Congress might as we'll attempt 10 prevent settlers from using ;he waters of springs and streams. as of timber on the public lands. In every view the subject can be wisely considered, the timber lands of the mountains should be surveyed and at once brought into market. Therefore 1 ask for $15,000 for this purpose, although a much larger sum could be well expended in this way.

 The late session of Congress apprO- priatcd 5000 ito meet the expenses of suppreSsing depredations upon the timber on the public lands. This may compel litigation and possibly punishment and payment for some timber taken unlawfuliy, but will not stop depredations upon the timber on the public lands, " which Congress withholds from sale.

 We have some hope that the ensuing Congress will give the country proper legislation in this regard. In an inter view last June, with Senator Sargent of California, we learned that he intended to renew his efforts to procure legis- latiOn providing for the ready sale of timber lands without actual settlement thereon. The Senator has for years observed the necessity of other than present laws to govern the sale of mountain timber lands, and has labored earnestly to procure their enactment ; but Q sentiment having grown up regarding the disposition of the public land generally and without proper regard to the various classes, he has so far been unsuccessful. However, the subject is becoming more correctly understood throughout the country and we may reasonably expect success before long. The people of Arizona are directly interested in this matter, and to let them know the views of the present Commissioner of the General Land-OfTice thereon, we herewith pre- sent our readers with what he said in his annual report for 1874, and to also freshly bring the subject before the public just in advance of the meeting of Congress. Here are the Commis- sioners remarks

 My attention was attracted to what seems to me an omission in the laws governing the disposal of the public lands. During the last forty years the legislation relating to this subject has been prompt and apt in providing specific methods of entry and sale, at discriminating prices, of lands shown to be exceptionally valuable for other than agricultural uses as instance the laws regulating the sale of such DOT tions of the pubic domain as contain gold, silver, iron, lead, cinnabar, cop per. coal, sulphur, &c. The fact has also been recognized that the lands in abandoned military and Indian reservations have been greatly in value by reason of their having been brought, by long sever ance from the mass of the public lands, to the very threshhold of an eager mar ket. and their disposai has been wisely provided for upon a judicious appraise-