The Boone and Crockett Club 



of the Western country the question of water for 

 irrigating purposes is the most vital one met by the 

 settler, but it is only within a very few years that the 

 slightest regard has been had to the farmer's needs." 



Later in the administration other reservations 

 were set aside. 



The good work accomplished by Secretary 

 Noble in persuading Mr. Harrison to set aside 

 forest reservations was continued by his successor. 

 Mr. Cleveland was greatly interested in the forests, 

 as was also Secretary Hoke Smith. During the 

 Cleveland Administration, Gifford Pinchot re- 

 turned from his studies in Europe, and in 1896 was 

 appointed by Secretary Hoke Smith special agent 

 to look after matters pertaining to the forest re- 

 serves. In his investigations of these matters he 

 traveled over much of the Western country and 

 thoroughly familiarized himself with the forests of 

 the Rocky Mountains and of the Pacific Slope. 

 He learned also that the forest reserves as already 

 set aside were very unpopular in the Western 

 country, because the citizens of the West believed 

 that in some way the Government was endeavoring 

 to take from them certain rights that they pos- 

 sessed. The Western newspapers were full of 

 complaints, and a bitter feeling prevailed. 



One of the greatest services that Mr. Pinchot 

 462 



