The Boone and Crockett Club 



In 1901, speaking of the forest reserves, he 

 said: 



"Some at least of the forest reservations should 

 afford perpetual protection to the native fauna and 

 flora, for havens of refuge to our rapidly diminish- 

 ing wild animals of the larger kinds, and free camp- 

 ing grounds for the ever increasing numbers of men 

 and women who have learned to find rest, health 

 and recreation in the splendid forest and flower- 

 clad meadows of our mountains. The forest re- 

 serves should be set apart forever for the use and 

 benefit of our people as a whole, and not sacrificed 

 to the short-sighted greed of a few." 



In February, 1902, John F. Lacey, of Iowa, 

 introduced in the House of Representatives a bill 

 to transfer the administration of the forest reserves 

 to the Department of Agriculture. Its second sec- 

 tion authorized the President to set apart by execu- 

 tive order as fish and game preserves, such forest 

 reserves, or parts of them, as he might deem best. 

 It authorized the Secretary of the Department in 

 charge of which the forest reserves should be, to 

 make rules and regulations providing for the pro- 

 tection of the forests, the fish and the game, and to 

 establish methods of trial, and fixed penalties, in 

 case of conviction of the infraction of any regula- 

 tions so established. The Committee on Public 

 Lands, to which the bill had been referred, gave 



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