REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 59 



object. Leaving entirely out of account the need for imposing con- 

 ditions which will secure the production of the best new timber crop, 

 it is necessary to regulate cutting with a view to the protection of 

 the best interests of the public in the long run. Lumber is one of 

 the things the price of which enters into the cost of living — and more 

 largely, perhaps, than is generally realized. That cost should be 

 kept down ; but the cost of living to-morrow must not be lost sight of 

 in dealing with the problem of the cost to-day. 



Our economic dependence upon the forest is complete. Nothing is 

 more certain than that national foresight must be employed in con- 

 serving the supplies that we have left. This is a fundamental part 

 of the policy now in force on the National Forests. First considera- 

 tion is always given to local needs. These are supplied partly under 

 the provisions for free use of timber by settlers, prospectors, and 

 others, partly through sales. The annual requirements of the locali- 

 ties in the vicinity of the National Forests at the present time may 

 be put roughly at about 300,000,000 board feet under sales and 

 140,000,000 feet under free use. The amount which could be cut 

 each year without exceeding the annual production by growth is 

 over 6,000.000,000 feet. Most of this is therefore available as a sur- 

 plus over local needs for the supply of the general market. But it 

 is not an evenly distributed surplus. Some of the forests have no 

 surplus at all; every foot of timber that they can supply as a sus- 

 tained yield will be needed for the support of local industries now 

 in sight. On such forests, and on forests approaching this condition, 

 no sales whatever to supply the general market would receive con- 

 sideration from me for an instant. Thus, for example, all the timber 

 on the Deerlodge Forest, in Montana, is reserved to supply the mines 

 at Butte. Other forests are now producing timber in enormous 

 excess over local needs. The Cascade National Forest, in Oregon, 

 adds through growth 200.000.000 feet a year to the available supply, 

 while local needs now call for only about 1,000.000 feet a year. From 

 such forests (and they are many) the general market can draw 

 heavily without endangering local industries. 



Provision is made for disposing of timber in three ways. To bona 

 fide settlei-s, miners, residents, and prospectors I am authorized to 

 allow the use of timber for domestic purposes without charge. If 

 I sell timber to homesteaders and settlers for their domestic use, I am 

 required to do so at actual cost. In other sales I am required to sell 

 at not less than the appraised value, and if the sale exceeds $100, only 

 after public advertisement for at least 30 days. 



In other words, the law now recognizes that timber from the 

 forests should be made to contribute to the development of the country 

 by home builders, and to the development of mineral reGources by 

 prospectors and miners, without the requirement of payment when 



