98 C. A. SCHENCK. 



homemaking than for the conservation of the waters and of the 

 timber. 



7. The resources still belonging directly to the Nation, which 

 must necessarily be diminished and finally destroyed by use, 

 should be exploited and used in a way to return the greatest 

 benefit in the long run to the greatest number, the essential 

 caution being to prevent waste, and, without prohibiting or 

 hindering economical development, prevent such monopoly as 

 might artificially increase the cost of the resources to the people 

 beyond what would bring to the exploiter a full reasonable 

 profit and no more (from report of National Conservation Com- 

 mission). 



When the land itself, independent of the minerals under its 

 surface, is more valuable for agricultural use than for permanent 

 dedication to public use, it should be given, in such areas as 

 will furnish a reasonable living to an average family, to those 

 who will actually make homes on it and to no others. 



D. ADMINISTRATION OF VACANT LAND OF THE UNITED 



STATES. 



All vacant land of the United States is under the control and 

 management of the General Land Office in the Department of 

 the Interior. The General Land Office delegates special agents 

 for litigation, proceedings, examinations, reports, and so on. It 

 maintains a number of land offices in the various parts of the 

 various public land states. 



Residents of the western states whether citizens or other- 

 wise may cut as much timber as they care to cut from vacant 

 mineral lands for almost any purpose. 



Where the vacant land is non-mineral, the residents have no 

 legal chance to secure any timber, and are forced to trespass in 

 a desire to satisfy their timber requirements, unless there are 

 national forests near by. 



Railroad and telegraph companies are privileged to obtain 

 timber, for construction purposes, from adjoining vacant lands 

 within ordinary hauling distance. 



The Denver and Rio Grande railroad is allowed repair timber 

 as well as construction timber. 



In vacant public forests, the "boxing" of timber is forbidden. 



