rOEEST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 75 



reserves, which, you tell nie, indicate the sentiment in your State 

 oil the forest -reserve question. With few exceptions, the articles, 

 I hough the writers do not always seem to know it, are in direct accord 

 with the present policy of the Government in the establishment of 

 national forest reserves. The various Avriters agree that forest I'e- 

 serves in southern Idaho are absolutely essential to the general 

 jjrosperity of that region. It is admitted that there the forests 

 must be protected and wisely used for the regulation of the Avater 

 flow and for the benefit of the settlers on vast areas of arid lands soon 

 to be irrigated. This sentiment speaks Avell for the work of the 

 Forest Service in this region and seem to indicate that the recom- 

 mendations of its field men are so far heartily approved, notwith- 

 standing the fact that you yourself have opposed, 'by Avritten pro- 

 test, the establishment of each and every one of the new forest 

 reserves in southern Idaho. 



It is said in these articles that some pine lands will produce excel- 

 lent crops after the timber is removed. This I can readily believe. 

 If such lands are included in forest reserves, it will be the Govern- 

 ment's policy to open them to settlement, by elimination or otherwise, 

 just as soon as they are shown to be more valuable for agricidture 

 than for the production of timber or the protection of the water flow. 



One specially interesting article contain.s an interview in ^^'nich the 

 oj^inion is expressed that the recent temporary withdrawal in the 

 Coeur d'Alene and Lewiston districts was encouraged by certain 

 large corporations. Avhich corporations already hold large bodies of 

 timber land in Idaho and adjacent States. It is argued that if this 

 temporary withdrawal is made permanent these corporations will be 

 the only people who can purchase the timber from the Government, 

 and that they will l)e able to nuike purchases at a very low figure and 

 in that way stifle competition. As the gentleman Avho advances this 

 opinion is expecting to locate, by means of so-called scrip, large areas 

 of timber lands in northern Idaho in the interest of certain eastern 

 capitalists, it is obvious that he himself, at least, stands in no great 

 fear of the competition of those corporations. But the fear expressed 

 in the article is chimerical. In reality, in such cases as this, the estab- 

 lishment of a forest reserve offers the fairest possible solution of the 

 questions at issue. At present, since by far the greater part of the 

 lands are unsurveyed, the timber can not be lawfully disposed of. 

 Just as soon as a forest reserve is established the mature timber is for 

 sale, and for sale to the settler, the miner, and the stockman, to indi- 

 . viduals, companies, and corporations. It is for sale in small or large 

 amounts. Moreover, the Government is at liberty to sell as much or 

 as little as conditions may warrant, and at such a price as circum- 

 stances may call for. But it is for sale : it is not to be stolen, and this 

 simple fact accounts for much of the hostility to our policy. Xo one 

 can force the Government to sell a single stick of timber from a na- 

 tional forest reserve if by so doing the best interests of all the people 

 would be injured. What better guaranty is possible agaist unjust 

 competition ? 



This same article complains that the homesteader can now obtain 

 but a small Compensation for the relinquishment of his timber claim ; 

 but such a so-called homesteader is not a real homesteader at all. He 

 is entitled to no sympathy. He is not the man who tills the soil, 

 builds the home, and brings permanent prosperity to the region. 



