HOMESTEADS IN FOREST RESERVES l 



In the earliest work on the public lands committee in 

 which the writer participated in the 51st Congress, was 

 the preparation of the act of 1891, which took the first 

 step towards the inauguration of a national system of 

 forest reserves. Successive steps have been taken under 

 this statute by the designation of different reserves, from 

 time to time. Some of the early reserves were not ju- 

 diciously bounded and much territory unsuited for for- 

 estry purposes was included, and many settlers found 

 themselves isolated as hermits, by the fact that no neigh- 

 bors could come in. 



These cases of individual hardship led to the passage 

 of the "lieu land law" which was afterwards repealed 

 because of the many abuses that grew up under its ad- 

 ministration. An amendment was also enacted author- 

 izing the President to change boundaries in his discre- 

 tion. 



Like all great movements, the forest reserve had small 

 beginnings, but its growth has been steady and the policy 

 which was first bitterly resisted has become very popular. 

 The land department of the government has for a good 

 many years had charge of the sale of the public domain 

 and has been specially organized for the purpose of facil- 

 itating the transfer of the nation's land to the hands of 

 settlers. The forest reservations are set apart for per- 

 manent public use, and the writer introduced a bill to 



i By John F. Lacey, M. C, of Iowa, chairman of committee on the pub- 

 lic lands, House of Representatives. 



