44 Presidential Addresses 



remain permanently in the land. I believe that 

 already the movement has begun which will make 

 in the long run the stock-raisers, of whom I have 

 been one myself, whose business I know, and with 

 whom I feel the heartiest sympathy, through the 

 enlightenment of their own self-interest, become the 

 heartiest defenders and the chief beneficiaries of 

 the wise and moderate use of forest ranges, both 

 within and without the forest reserves. It is and 

 it must be the definite policy of this government 

 to consider the good of all its citizens stockmen, 

 lumbermen, irrigators, and all others in dealing 

 with the forest reserves ; and for that reason I most 

 earnestly desire in every way to bring about the 

 heartiest co-operation between the men who are 

 doing the actual business of stock-raising, the actual 

 business of irrigated agriculture, the actual business 

 of lumbering, the closest and most intimate rela- 

 tions, the heartiest co-operation between them and 

 the government at Washington through the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. Of course I do not have to 

 say to any audience of intelligent people that noth- 

 ing is such an enemy to the stock industry as per- 

 sistent over-grazing. We shall have not far hence 

 to raise the problem of the best method of making 

 use of the public range. Our people have not as 

 yet settled in their own minds what is that best 

 method. In some way there will have to be formed 

 such regulation as shall without undue restriction 

 prevent the needless over-grazing, while keeping 

 the public lands open to settlement through home- 



